Huge day today for the garden...

[MiHale]

After battling frosty nights for a few days the nightly temperatures look to stabilize in the 50’s this week. The peppers are coming out into the greenhouse joining the tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and parsnips. A “special” guest plant may make it out also, I have an Acapulco Gold cannabis baby that wants to see the outside world. More on that later, but now…

We’re experimenting with straw bale gardening this year. I’ve wanted to try to “trellis” zucchini and other squashes to get them above the ground. The bales are approximately 2 feet high…large “mound”. The bales were ready for use in late April, conditioned, fertilized, starting to internally warm. During an uncharacteristic warm trend we received I planted some acorn squash seeds and assorted lettuce seeds. They were first up, later in the other bales I added Butternut and Zucchini. Since this is an experiment I also planted for high density. Looks like … so far … it’s working. We also planted “traditional” squash mounds so if things don’t work we’re covered.





Outside gardens are looking great even after all the cold weather. Roma tomatoes are getting little green globes. Cucumbers are starting to flower. Potatoes are … well… potatoes.
Radishes are “crowning”. That stretch of warm weather gave us an opportunity to plant cold hardy crops early. Little work to keep them happy throughout the cold but it all looks good.

[Siwsan]

1. My garden is tilled and I'm hoping to get the landscaping fabric down, today

I'm thinking tomorrow will be the start of the planting.

We got the fence repaired and reinforced but I'll still be making an inspection of the fence line to make sure there are no voids where creatures can enter.

I haven't seen any groundhogs, so far. I really think the feral cats help to keep their population down.

[MiHale]

2. This afternoon the relax chairs are getting set up...

I’m ready to sit back a little this pm. The garage greenhouse is closed, well except for the cannabis tent. Things are in place in the outside greenhouse just a little cleanup. Been waiting for this day since March.

I think you’re right about the ferals, when I we were downstate at the farm the woodchucks didn’t really like cats. Not that they interacted together but I always thought the cats were too active for the likes of woodchucks. Plus the “hidden” deposits probably were the last straw.

Good luck on the garden, it’s going to get get wicked hot later in the week, stay hydrated both you and the kittycritters.