Whatcha Up To???

[Lost in mn]

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.

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That is sort of what I would like to do for a greenhouse. However I am concerned about the snow and crushing it. Nonetheless very cool setup you have.

My garden activity so far this year has been to drive my snowmobile over the garden 3 times. 4 more months before I can even think about starting out there lol

 

[w_r_ranch]

All Rion greenhouses are suppose to be able to support 1100 lbs snow load per their website. I know for a fact that they can take 80 MPH winds here on the Gulf Coast.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered everything in the greenhouse.

Painted 'markers' on the capstones of the wall to delineate where the rows & pathways will be (rows = 2.5' & pathways = 1.5').

Also finish our 'Garden Planning Worksheet' to reflect the expansion (yes, I'm anal & like to plan everything). Here is a greatly reduced picture of it:

 

[Ibtsoom]

Looks like you got it figured out! Might have to hire you out as a garden contractor!

I managed to get some weeds pulled and picked a bunch of broccoli and kohlrabi. Cabbage is ready too but I already have a fridge full. Got a nice rain last night - haven't checked the gauge yet but I'm thinking somewhere over an inch. Garden was needing it! Looking forward to the spring garden. My tomatoes from the fall left me discouraged so I'm looking to redeem myself! Need to make another batch of your spaghetti sauce - I'm about out!!

 

[w_r_ranch]

Started pruning the Crape Myrtles & got 6 out of 10 done (yeah, I know it's a couple of weeks early but....). Maybe tomorrow it will be dry enough to work on the last of the dirt.

 

[45 ACP]

Pulled some weeds, thinned the carrots a bit, watered. Not much to really do in my small garden while everything is growing.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Finish pruning the Crape Myrtles & burned the 'trash'.

Started 3 more fig cuttings & then ripped out the 2 existing fig trees, cut them up & burned them too. This area is going to be re-purposed.

Finished dumping the dirt needed to finish the garden with the loader. The remaining dirt was dumped around the stone wall so I can 'spread & taper' it next week.

 

[Ibtsoom]

I relocated a huge sago palm, pulled up a dwarf pomegranate bush with the truck (I've hated it ever since my wife planted it) and put a bartlett pear tree in its place.

Finally finished the metal roof on the back side of my car port over the boat, pruned the banana, peach, orange and grapefruit trees, and one of the oak trees -- as well as all of the oleanders that line the street side of my yard.

Helped my 8 year old make a fort in some shrubs on the back side of the yard and picked 4 heads of cabbage - ate one for dinner - wife made cabbage rolls.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Watered everything in the greenhouse, filled the birdfeeders, fed the cattle & put out hay as the weather is fixing to get ugly here for a week. They are forecasting ice & snow!!! Yikes!!!

Also brought up some more firewood & a number of full logs (all-nighters).

 

[Mike]

Everything is frozen here. The other day my dog knocked down a few blocks on the firepit because of someone in the neighbors back yard. Went out there last night to put them back and even they are frozen to the ground!

I'm so ready for spring.

 

[ErnieCopp]

Mike,
We have been having Spring all winter here, so it will not feel right to start a garden. Thankfully the grapes and the raspberries are dormant, but worried about enough Chill Hours for the stone fruits.
My raspberries were on a South Fence, so i was getting the vines and the berries were on the other side of the fence, so i am soaking the ground to set some trellis posts, and move them in from the fence. Unbelievable that i am having to soak the ground to dig some postholes this time of year, but it is dry as a bone.

Onions are loving it, tops over a foot tall on some of them, so should have a good crop in another couple of months.

Citrus is ripening, big tangerines are just right, but Navels and Dancy tangerines need a couple more weeks. Kumquats are still pretty tart, but edible.

Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

Received & assembled a 'Bistro' table/chairs that Mrs Ranch wanted for the front service porch. Still cold here, although it is suppose to warm up in the low 60 later.

 

[ErnieCopp]

60 degrees this morning on the veranda, so most likely it will not snow today, either. I bought the treated 4x4s for the Raspberry trellis, cost 10 dollars each, and not at all sure i will live long enough to grow and eat forty dollars worth of raspberries, but probably cheapere than some of the other stuff i grow.
Also bought a Florida Prince Peach tree, supposed to require very low chilling hours, so we will see. Buds are swelling on the stone fruit so must get a dormant spray on the new tree as Nurseries apparently do not treat for virus and fungus diseases.

Also bought some more Cyclamen, as surprisingly, as much as i complain about the heat, there is one cool spot on the North of the house where the Cyclamen survived all summer, so i am enlarging that group. The blooms are beautiful and last for a long time.

I am also having to water my lawn, which is where most of my water bill comes from.
Ernie

 

[w_r_ranch]

Did a couple of hours more of dirt work as it was 72 here today... that's all my back could take today. I'd try again tomorrow, but the temperature is suppose to plunge again tomorrow. Tuesday the forecast is 36/24... I hate winter... the ups & downs are hard on us older farts.

 

[Mike]

It's been nothing but freezing here for the last week or two and they are calling for more cold weather next week. Winters here usually mean nothing garden related is going on. In fact my containers have all been cleaned out for some time now and I hibernate in the house as much as I can but this year I did bring in one plant and figured I'd show it off again.

My chives.

I just love the taste of them in the morning on my eggs. Fresh food is just amazing.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Well I shoveled about 5 inches of snow - 3 new, 2 that was from the previous week.

I also ordered most of my new seeds for this year.

 

[whistech]

I planted one bunch each of Texas Legend, Hybrid Southern Bell Red and 1015Y Texas Super Sweet onions today. It is a beautiful day today but is supposed to turn to winter again Tuesday. I'm with Mr. Ranch, I don't like winter.

 

[45 ACP]

Took advantage of the beautiful day yesterday and expanded my garden. My original bed is 4' x 17'. I added another next to it that is 4' x 12'. The only reason for making the addition shorter was so that it would not stick out so far into my yard and take up any more of the kids' playing area than necessary. I used UNtreated 2 x 12's, and will just replace any rotting boards when needed.

The grass has been removed and I will fill the new garden addition with planting soil sometime this week or weekend. Now I am really fired up about planting my spring garden!! Only about 6 or 7 more weeks till planting time. My tomatoes were very cramped last year, but they should have plenty of room to get huge this year.

I snapped a couple quick pics. Not the best pictures, they were taken yesterday at about 5:30 pm when I got done. This area of my yard gets sufficient sunlight during winter, but it gets FULL sunlight during summer.

 

[whistech]

45 ACP, that raised bed looks real good.

 

[w_r_ranch]

Bought 2 bags of topsoil to mix with peat. Will start filling the pots tomorrow as I want to start my tomatoes, eggplant & peppers the 1st of February.

18 'Porterhouse' tomato (need 10)
54 'HealthKick' tomato (need 40)
18 'Gigante' Jalapeno (need 15)
18 'California Wonder' Sweet Pepper (need 15)
18 'Millionaire' Eggplant (need 15)

I'll plant the best ones & give the rest away. Everything else will be direct seeded.

 

[Mike]

Talked to a lumber mill today about getting cedar lumber for my raised garden. Going to be getting a few 2x4's and 1x6's to build a 4'x8' bed. That should give me a good start to a raised garden and move up from the container gardens.

 

[45 ACP]

I picked my swiss chard last night and cooked a pot. Yummmm. Picked a large head of cabbage also. I hope my broccoli and cauliflower made it through the freeze. I didnt cover anything the past couple days and the temp has briefly dipped below 32 a time or two.

 

[45 ACP]

Also got my spring garden planned out last night. We should have plenty of veggies for my small family of 4. The top of the page faces NNW. There is a 3' walking space between the two beds. The top bed is 4' x 17', bottom bed is 4' x 12'.

Yes, we obviously like peppers. First time trying the mini bells this year. Really excited about the tomatoes. Last year I had 4 tomato plants in a 4' x 4' area..... way too crowded. This year they will have PLENTY of space. I am making some 6' tall cages for them and hope they get nice and big. Heres a pic of the plan. The drawing is done to scale.

 

[Mike]

Looks like a great plan and layout. I'm thinking about trying jalapeno's myself but not sure if they should go in the new garden or in their own container.

 

[45 ACP]

Mike,

The jalapeno would do fine in either location. I had a jalapeno plant in a pot and it lasted 2 full years and produced like crazy until I made my raised bed and moved everything there. Last spring I had 2 plants in my raised bed in the same location as above and they did great also.