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The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:01 am
by Harriet
The Productive Backyard

Here’s a space to discuss the chores and pleasant efforts that bring something from the land into your kitchen and home.

Vegetable garden harvests,
Egg gathering,
4-H projects,
Canning/freezing/putting up,
Orchard fruits,
Composting and
Livestock appreciation!

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:18 am
by Harriet
How does your garden grow? :D

Our area is so sloshy wet that many folks are having troubles. The newspaper has some articles about farmers dealing with some pretty serious shortfalls because they either can't get into their rows/orchards or the plants are suffering from poor drainage.

I've seen more blossom-end-rot on my tomatoes than any year I can think of. Container plants are more affected than in-ground ones. Have had to toss a half-dozen fruits already. Looked it up on the net and they say it can come from uneven moisture. Calcium worked into the soil can help. So I picked up a product at Lowes that has a good calcium content and no nitrogen (certainly don't need any more foliage growth). This is strange, though, because I had worked bone meal into the container mixture I made before I ever planted anything into them. I would have thought that would be enough.

I guess if I was going to do some container-gardening experimenting, though, it's better to do it in a wet year than a dry one.

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:37 am
by BookSaver
According to OneGoodThingbyJillee:
Garden Fertilizer
Eggshells are rich in calcium and other minerals that help your garden thrive. Crush eggshells into tiny pieces and sprinkle into each hole before planting. Then, sprinkle additional shells around the base of your plants every two weeks.

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:38 am
by Nancy
WTG Every one on your backyard endeavors!

The chickens have survived the heat wave! Yea for success! They got frozen fruit treats in the hot weather helping to clear out the freezer.

Plus I've found the spot the broody hen is so put out water near her and will take feed out in a bit.

Grass is green but weedy here. Neighbors front is green as well so that's good.

We have one cherry tomato starting to turn red a real success for us to have one do that before the 4th! :mrgreen:

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 11:40 am
by Sunny
Well, this week being the Outdoor Focus I've been looking closely at our back and front yards. We've had 4 days since our last rain and the ground is dry enough to mow grass and do some trimming.

I want to try spending about an hour a day at some gardening chores. We do not have a vegetable garden, and our landscaping is on the plain side. Yesterday I cut down some bushes and palms that had self seeded in the back yard. Today I worked in the front and got some weeding done. We have amaryllis that someone must have planted long ago that seems to pop up on its own. I have been transplanting those that sprout in the lawn to the front garden. There is still a lot of weeding to get the grass out that grows up from the garden area and then put mulch down. We can get that free from the county. Once I get the ground cleared and the mulch spread I can add other plantings.

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2013 3:01 pm
by Nancy
It's hot here 100* + this week things are dry.
New hens are laying so we've been getting 7 eggs a day this week.

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 1:30 pm
by Harriet
BookSaver, the high-calcium supplement did a good job I think - at least very little more blossom-end rot. So I didn't get a chance to try out the eggshell idea. Actually, experimenting in the containers would have been quite scientific.

The container tomatoes have been forgiven. They have produced some excellent tomato sandwiches for me :D and even a few specimens so downright attractive I gave them away just so the beauty would be appreciated. Dd14's friend's mother was very happy with one I grabbed for her after a visit - she later said the best tomato she'd had all year, and pretty enough for a photo. So I will say that even though they are more labor-intensive in some ways, they require absolutely no weeding, of course, and it's been pleasant to have them.

The Burpee SuperTasty variety, then, gets a check-mark from me, for beauty, taste and ability to thrive in a container. It is not tastier than the Big Boy, though - I would put Big Boy up against it for good tomato sandwiches. You just never know what plant OR fruit might look like on a given day.

Marigolds continue to get quick compliments from any visitor, while the more expensive flowers take explanation. :lol:

Sunny, that is wonderful that you can get free compost - I don't think we can do that here, but it is worth researching.

Chickens are having an easier summer. It's hazy and humid, but the temps have not been devastating like last year. Dstepson's shade creation (a salvaged sheet of corrugated roof material, I think) gives them a consistently shadier spot. The chicken yard is grown up and unattractive, though. Sigh.

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 8:19 pm
by Sunny
I spent another half hour trimming outside today. Waited unti after supper so it was a little cooler.

I'm glad that Harriet's hens are having an easier time this summer, even with all the rain. If you are interested I get some posts from this interesting website that has all kinds of information: http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/keeping ... fMQTW1ljF5.

Yes, I'm glad we have access to free mulch. Only thing is we have to haul it ourselves. I comes from trees, etc. that the county cuts down from right-of-ways.

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 3:15 pm
by Ivy
Our containers, which DH has been tending to, are in full bloom and are gorgeous.

I'm getting my old horse, Bernadette's, trough-turned-planter on Aug. 4. I'll need to lightly sand it, spray paint it, and I'd love to pain flowers on the outside, as did my Dsis. :idea: Dunno what type of paint to use. Dsis thought she used acrylic, but suggested for me to go to Home Depot to ask instead. I was thinking Michael's or Joann's would be good or I could phone and ask around. The planter-trough will be outdoors in all sorts of weather. Dsis planted hers with carnations and daffodils. I want to plant it this fall with daffodils and spring bulbs and on top, I'd like to plant with mums, the kale, and other fall plants, put in my gnome or cement bunny family, to add pizazz. :idea: :D

Re: The Productive Backyard 2013 - July to December

Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 7:28 pm
by Nancy
Well the new hens are producing we did not get a roo in this batch as far as I can tell. Got ten eggs the other day between 5 & 7 seems to be the norm around here these days. It's been hot but the hens seem to be doing okay so far. We did some repairs in the chicken run this weekend so glad to have that done. The grass clipping and apples do seem to keep the hens happy this time of year but the fav. spot for them to graze is up by the patio in the shade of the grape vines. The apples & cots are about done now. Plums are next then grapes.

Thanks Sunny for that link!