Overkill ?

Sprinkler

I’ve finally taken the plunge and upgraded my sprinkler. I’ve been through all manner of watering devices, and I’ve never been able to find one that fits my garden’s dimensions, until now. I found this sprinkler at the local big box store for about $35.00. I was so sure that it wouldn’t work that I carefully kept all of the packaging intact, and even left the plastic wrapping on the unit itself just in case I would need to return it.

The sprinkler head was working pretty good for the first spot in the garden, and watered from one side nearly to the other. Although it left a 5 foot dry zone on either side of the garden, I figured I could stagger it’s placement to make up for the shortcoming.  When I moved it to the second placement in the garden it stopped working completely. I tried every adjustment I could find on this tripod with no luck.

Just when I was about to break out the packaging and bring it back I had the idea to look for a kink in the hose, and I found one. I guess it only works right when given the proper pressure of water to spray. Once the hose was straightened out, artificial rain fell once again over the lettuce.

Corn, Celery & Onions

Corn

My corn is about 8 inches tall, and I really don’t think it will reach the “knee high by July” standard that most farmers judge their crops by. I’m not worried however, as this corn is more in the range of 70-80 day corn then 90+. I had similar sized corn last year, and had way too much then. This years corn plot is about a third of the size as last year, and should still deliver plenty.

Celery

This is the first year I’ve had celery plants in the garden. Last year, I tried to plant the seeds in a row and it didn’t work too well. Celery is a slow growing plant, and should be started 11 weeks earlier then the last frost. The little plant above is approximately 20 weeks old, and less then 6 inches tall.

Yellow Onions

 My onions were also planted later then usual, but I have no fear. I’ll soon be applying a layer of well rotted manure to large swathes of the garden. I can almost bet all of these plants will “pop” soon afterwards.

Summer Cherries and Berries

I think these are Service Berries

While mowing the field over the weekend, I spotted these berry plants growing wild. I did some investigating online, and I believe that they are Service Berries. The leaves of this plant match the descriptions of service berries on several websites. I’ll be sure to give one a try as soon as it ripens. If they are pleasing, I’ll transplant some of these berries to my large long term garden situated all around my home.

Goose Berries

After finding the service berries, I thought I’d have a look at the rest of berries, and post pictures of them. I planted Goose Berries a year or two ago, and they are just this year starting to set berries, which resemble a striped marble.I haven’t yet tried one, as I’m unsure when they are ripe.

Sweet Cherries

I did try the cherries which are bright red above. They are still somewhat tart, and small for cherries, so they must not be ripe yet. I’m quite amazed at the number of cherries which grow on a single bush.

Tart Cherries

There are also tart cherry bushes in my collection. These berries are a bit sour when they ripen to a dark red, but I still enjoy them just the same. I’ve heard they make great cherry pies, but I’m not much of a cook so I haven’t tried it.

Wild Mini-Strawberries

Finally my favorite berry, and one I’ve had a lifetime of experience picking. They may be small, but the plants are usually short enough to duck under mower blades, and they spread out into patches dozens of feet wide and long if left unchecked. Before giving up my sandbox, I used to have a detailed map in my mind which would guide me to the appropriate location on the farm to find lots of ripe berries.

It’s Official

Mowing Fields with the Tractor and Finish Mower

Over the weekend, Rob gave me a 10 minute lesson in how the tractor works. He showed me where the brakes and clutch were, and how to shift this beast. As soon as I hoped up onto the seat it was time to start this mowing machine and see what it would be like to use the mower. Since I was already in the seat, and already had the mower spinning, I decided it was as good a time as any to mow the whole field, so I did.

Mowing Fields

While mowing doesn’t seem like a very farmer thing to do, it is very important so the fields stay in shape. If they are not mowed every other year or so, little trees will soon turn a good field into a good forest. Converting the forest back into a field is no easy task, so mowing is more about prevention that production. I may wish to grow corn in this field soon, so I’ll need to keep it all grass for now.

So, It’s official, rather then a guy with a really big garden, this tractor makes me a full blown farmer…. well almost, maybe when I get a corn planter it will be official. I say close enough.

Healthy Tomatoes

Healthy Tomato

I’ve done battle with Late Blight for several years now, but I refuse to give in to this plague. When my tomato patch turned to mush last year as my plants all withered away, I took the opportunity to learn how to battle blight, and Win. I plan to launch a preemptive first strike on this pest before it has the chance to rear it’s ugly head and wither even one leaf on my much smaller and more manageable plot. I’d recommend to all who have more then a few plants to purchase some Epson salts soon, and prepare to battle the blight with a Epson salt mixed with water sprayed on the leaves. I’ve had luck mixing Epson salt water with a small amount of store bought anti-blight chemicals.  Either way, you take your own risks while applying this remedy.  Make sure to use Epson Salt, rather then table salt.

Brandywine

The Brandy-wine tomatoes are beginning to set flowers even at the short height of one and a half feet tall. A sure sign of a brandy-wine plant are the leaves which are wide and singular, unlike other tomatoes which have multiple thin leaves.

Red Alert - Early Cherry

Here’s a favorite for the cherry tomato lovers, and a great early tomato for salads. This photo was taken at least three days ago. These amazing plants will bear more color then the average Christmas tree weeks before other varieties of tomatoes are ripe. I’ve been growing them for a few years now, and I’ve never been disappointed.

Pak Choi

Pak Choi Seedlings

I finally got some Pak Choi to grow, and I’ve very excited to try it out. This Asian crop can be planted either in early spring or in the summer for a fall crop. Since I was quite busy with all the other spring work, I missed the early growth cycle, but I’m happy to see any seedlings at all. I’ve tried to plant this crop directly into the garden as seeds two years in a row, with no luck, so I thought I would try to get it started in some cups then transplant it once they got going.

Pak Choi Close Up

I was not expecting the seeds to germinate, nor grow, so I placed about ten seeds in each cup. I’ll select the strongest plants when they get older, and transplant them into the garden. I’m planning to start some more seeds as I have a whole additional packet left. When I sow these seeds, I’ll try not to place more  then three per cup, so I’m may just have a pile of Pak Choi on my hands in the fall.

All Volunteer Army

Volunteer Army

I had started constructing a small area in which I hoped to get my Strawberry plants growing year after year. I may have made a mistake however when I choose the location for this berry patch. I broke ground where I used to have a small chicken coop and compost pile. I often supplemented my chicken food with garden goodies, and some of the seeds must have found their way into the ground, where they have been growing like mad.

Zucchini ?

I’m a bit undecided how to respond to this All Volunteer Invading Army. I’m sure the plants are squash, but I’m not sure what kind. If they are Zucchini, I would welcome a very early treat, but if they are winter squash, I’d be more concerned for my Strawberries. I’ve spent about $20 on five different types of strawberries and other supplies to get them to grow great, and I was really looking to make an all Strawberry patch. For now I guess I can let them grow a bit more, and check on my berry plants daily. If the berries seem to be struggling, I’ll just have to choose: Berries or very early Zucchini.

New Beans and Colorful Chard

Brown Crowder Pole Bean

I’m always trying new things in the garden, and I’ve been surprised and disappointed in the past. The pole bean above has surprised me already with it’s very cool looking leaves. They are more compact, and smoother then most bean plants, and the glossy leaves carry a darker green then others.

Lima Bean - Giant Speckled Pole

Another new bean variety that I’m growing is the Giant Speckled Pole Lima Bean. The leaves on this plant are more similar to other beans then the Brown Crowder above, but just like the Crowder, they are smooth and glossy. I’ve planted these two types far away from the rest of the beans I’m growing since they are both of the climbing pole habit.

Brown Crowder and Giant Speckled Pole

If the beans grow well, I should have a small zip lock bag full for each 15 foot row I’ve planted. I did this last year with some Ying Yang beans, and rather then making chilli, I saved the beans till this spring and planted nearly ten rows.

Colorful Chard

I couldn’t wait any longer before trying out some colorful chard I’ve planted this spring, so I picked a leaf of each variety. The yellow and red shard were planted in the greenhouse this spring, and the white stalk leaves are from last years chard plants. I continue to be very impressed with chard, not only how it can grow in the cold of PA winters, but also in how it makes me feel so much better after eating it. The plant carries a great deal of vitamins, especially vitamin K, so I imagine they are the reason for my change in mood.

Sauteed Chard and Onions

I chopped the chard up, and prepared a pan with a 1/6 stick of butter. I placed the heat on about medium and threw in some Stuttgarter and Red Onions frozen from last year. I added the chopped chard and cooked it until it carried brown highlights. The small bowl shown in the picture was about four inches across, so those large leaves don’t go very far once cooked, but they were o-so-good, and I’m in a very positive mindset today.

Roof Framing

Shed with Scaffolding

I’m still working on my shed, with the light at the end of the tunnel now in sight. I have the roof frame complete, and I’ll soon begin laying down sheets of plywood for the roof itself. I’ve borrowed some scaffolding to make the work much easier, and I’ve found it can be quite complicated to get the second level scaffolding in place without help.

Roof Frame With Landing

I’ve left a small landing on the roof that I’ll make flat, and cover with rubber roofing. There will be a small trap door which will open up from the story below, and this should give me a nice perch for browsing the night sky with a telescope. Eventually, I’d like to place a very small room with a dome on this landing, but I really need to keep in mind that this whole project started as a chicken coop, and that’s my primary objective. I’ll leave the landing as compatible to the extra plans as possible without adding additional construction until the rest of the building is complete. I’ve also constructed the landing in such a way as to allow it to be seamlessly covered over in case it’s later deemed necessary.

Roof Frame as Seen from the Landing

So here is the view from the top of the roof looking down through the second story. It wasn’t quite so dark outside, but the camera flash seems to increase the photo’s contrast so much that only the foreground object find their way to the photo.

I guess I should really begin researching basic telescope construction techniques with camera mounts so I can share some of the photos I hope to take.

Go Go Goji Berries !

Goji Berries

This past winter, I ordered some odd new plants for my long term gardening plan. These plants included Honey Berries, Goji Berries and a Paw Paw tree. I’ve already recieved and planted the Honey Berries, and a week or two ago I got some sticks that were labeled Goji Berries. I mentioned in a previous post that I had planned to complain to the company which sold me the plants, but luckily, I was too busy planting to call them. What I did do was place the twigs in some Miracle Grow potting mix, and added a “bit” of Miracle Grow plant food.

Goji Berries on June 3

The photo above was taken on June 3, and is in very much contrast to the thriving plants in the first photo.  I should be moving these plants out to the rows of odd plants, but after bringing them back from the brink, it might be a bit hard to move them out of the protective confines they are growing so well in. I guess I could plant half of them, and see how they do on their own before moving the whole group out.