Whatcha Up To???

[w_r_ranch]

When did you plant your spaghetti squash???

Spaghetti squash need a long growing season and warm temperatures. We plant ours in the spring garden, as they require at least 100-110 days to mature (I start them them in the greenhouse in February).

 

[Ibtsoom]

August - but it was so dang hot that they didn't take off until sept some time. They're just about there but not quite.

 

[Mr_Yan]

We warmed up and I was able to do my last round of fall leafs before another (forecasted) strong cold front moves in tonight / tomorrow. I rake them into a pile then use my Toro shredder vac and shred them. The shredded leafs are then thrown on my garden as mulch for the winter.

What I still need to do in the garden before we freeze:

• pull down some melon vines - I grow up trellises to save space
• remove my woven fence trellis above my fence
• harvest parsnips, kale, and chard
• clean out the brussles sprouts and broccoli

 

[w_r_ranch]

Continued the dirt work... One of these days, I will finish...

 

[w_r_ranch]

Been hunkered down here due to the cold & rain. Decided to make a covers for the greenhouse's louvered windows to alleviate air leakage.

 

[Ibtsoom]

I stayed on the couch most of the day - went out before supper and picked some Jalapenos and tomatoes. Making baked oysters with jalapenos and cream cheese for dinner. Mmmmm

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered everything in the green house & put the furnace back on, as it supposed to be 27 tonight. Picked broccoli down at deer camp for tomorrow.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Yesterday it was warm & dry enough that I was able to spend 5 hrs in the garden moving dirt. It was still slow going as the dirt still had a lot of moisture in it...

This morning my back is is killing me & I still have about 28 yards to get in there but I may have to wait a few days until I recover.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Here are a couple of pics showing the progress thus far... I'm mostly concentrating on the rear end, so I can get the bull panel trellises installed.

 

[Ibtsoom]

Beautiful!!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Thanks Mike. It's taking longer than I thought it would.

Today I dumped more dirt into the garden while it is somewhat dry. I'll continue spreading it as the weather allows.

 

[45 ACP]

Looks awesome Sam. Your setup is amazing!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Thanks Wader... I'm itch'in to get started again, but it will be too wet for the next several days (still a constant drizzle here). Best I can do is work on the garden's layout & seed shop.

 

[Mr_Yan]

I spread cat litter over walking paths for traction. 1/4" of mist applied ice over the city. You can't buy a bag of side walk salt around here literally everyone is sold out. My wife was in 5 stores today looking for it and I was in 4 more. Even the cheap cat litter is getting scarce around here.

 

[ErnieCopp]

Yan,
Sawdust and wood stove ashes both help in a pinch.
Ernie

 

[Mr_Yan]

Yan,
Sawdust and wood stove ashes both help in a pinch.
Ernie

Good call why didn't I think of sawdust? I have a huge bag of it under my table saw right now.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Been spreading dirt the last couple of days. Its slow going, but it's getting there (probably do some more tomorrow). I don't want to added anymore until I know exactly what/where I need it. When that is done, I'll add the amendments.

Watered everything in the greenhouse & filled the bird feeders.

 

[ErnieCopp]

I have been needing to, and wanting to, prune some trees, but my old sun damaged face just can not spend much time looking up in this 80 and 90 degree weather and burning Sun, so have not been able to do much of it. With some of our members fighting the snow and ice and wanting it warmer, and me wanting it to cool off a bit with some Marine overcast, it reminds me of a poem I saw on the wall of a Pool Hall, in a little town in Western Wyoming, over fifty years ago.

We were doing quite a bit of hunting up there in the 50's and 60's, and would spend some time in the small towns enjoying the old time bars and pool rooms. The poem goes like this:


"A Man Is Always Such A Fool,
When Its Warm, He Wants It Cool."
"And When Its Cold, He Wants It Hot."
"Always Wanting What Is Not"

 

[Ibtsoom]

Weeded yesterday, remove some old plants and picked broccoli and kohlrabi. Cabbage is ready to go to but my fridge is full already.

 

[ErnieCopp]

Nice cool morning here, touch of frost on the windshield but no frost on the grass. Finished pruning and did a dormant spray, but been so warm buds on fruit trees are starting to swell, so will most likely be frost killed again this year. Helper is grinding up Pecan leaves and will put right back down on flower beds. Pecans are so thick under the leaves will not be able to grind all of the leaves.

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered everything in greenhouse, all the oak/fruit trees & all the flower beds. then I filled the bird feeders & cleaned/refilled the wildlife water tank.
Finished up by putting poisoned bait in the gopher tunnels (I hate those dang rodents).

Tomorrow is supposed to be 68, so I plan on doing some dirt work as the next cold front is suppose to arrive on Sunday/Monday (lows of 24-27 degrees are forecast).

 

[Ibtsoom]

I'm going to mow down my winter crop of weeds tomorrow and my old man elected me to help him put a new live bait tank on the deck of his shrimp boat - he's 81 and still going so I don't say no when he asks for help. Hopefully I'll have time after that to plant a few things that my wife got for Christmas.. Pear tree and a few shrubs I think..

 

[Ibtsoom]

Got the mowing done and got a citation from the city for burning leaves without a permit. Guess they want their 40 bucks for a burn permit.. live and learn I suppose..

 

[w_r_ranch]

For $40, they should rake/burn the leaves for you... I hate cities that nickle & dime the residents.

 

[ErnieCopp]

I just finished the second dormant spray on the fruit trees, and am having to water the onions and other plants, as weather is still hitting 80, and no rain. Also been building a portable sun screen to keep the winter sun from coming in the end of the veranda. When the big Pecan tree loses its leaves, that allows the sun to come in a 3' gap, so i am making basically a screen door, and will cover it with the fancy shade cloth netting. Portable, so will put it up and take it down as needed.

Using my plate, or biscuit, joiner to fasten the butt joints, select white pine 1X2 side strips and 1X3 rails, so it will be light and very strong. That is a very handy device, but not many opportunities to use it.

Ernie