The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

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Nancy
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The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby Nancy » Sun Jul 08, 2012 11:20 am

How does your garden grow we all want to know what did you plant what was a hit what did you try that worked and what did not do so well? Do you save seeds?

All but one of the squash plants seem to be doing great and are in bloom now. I've watered some today and have tomatoes ripening again now in pots on the deck. They are determinate kind that stops growing when fruit begins to ripen learned about that from a gardening show. Gardening is not so much fun when temps. are up. Love getting inspiration from movies seeing chickens in the old westerns too. Apples are falling from the tress and sunflowers are beginning to bloom. Herbs are loving this weather! Saw on a blog how you could use egg shells for starting seeds last week may try that in the future.

Sadly had to buy lettuce this year that and carrots did not come up bummer. Neighbors think I can grow any thing b/c herbs reseed and grow every where they don't see the ones that do not come up LOL! To prevent this herbs can be grown in pots. Might give dill a try next year.
Egyptian onions are needing harvesting now they do great.

Grands enjoy picking the red currents and flowers in the back yard.

I saved seeds from pumpkin & squash last year and planted them I'm looking forward to the results!

I'm still learning about hens, wanting eggs but not sure if I like the idea of them more than actually having 'em! LOL!

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Nancy
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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby Nancy » Tue Jul 10, 2012 10:37 am

I have enjoyed learning things from gardening shows whenever I can catch one.
Last night on P.B.S. Garden Smart had a segment on container gardening with vegetables
it was excellent. Using big containers pots etc. nearly as big as a 5 gal. bucket and drip system.
They got a great harvest w/ no spraying. Flowers were at the bottom for beauty.
All kinds of ideas herbs in small pots shaped like chicken for chicken herbs etc.

I also like P. Allen Smith but his show has changed to more cooking than gardening lately they did have one last week of a guy planting blueberries that looked like huckleberries to me for a hedge!

I'm thinking I can put herbs on the hot side of the house between us and the neighbors at the grass does not do so well there. So I've sketched a plan in my journal with what I want and where. I'll wait till the heat spell is done to do this but watering first to make digging up sod easier.

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Nancy
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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby Nancy » Thu Jul 19, 2012 7:56 pm

Yd. sale finds today from up the street for some day hens a chick waterer [plastic], chicken [waterer metal], heat lamps for chickens plus one spare heat lamp bulb some wire for a cage or part of the chicken run. Very happy to have this to go with the bail of straw I have getting some things rounded up for this project is fun.

Dgds & H. helped me get this stuff loaded and hauled home.
#1 dgd found some basket ball shoes while we were there as well!

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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby Harriet » Fri Jul 20, 2012 12:05 pm

Nancy, so they put the drip system into the large containers? Nice you found some bargains.

My hens have changed their laying spot and I think I'm going to allow it. It's so hot in the house during daylight hours and they've started laying in a covered space outside. I can reach right in to gather one-at-a-time through the fence so in that way it's not a problem. They probably know best about location - the heat is the thing to avoid. When I let them out in the evenings now, I also leave the people-door of their house open for extra air flow right before they head back indoors. They get out in the evenings because that way they put themselves "up", as they will head for their roosts at dusk, so no extra work on my part And I can limit how much time they are vulnerable to predators, make sure Sammie knows they're out.

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Nancy
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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby Nancy » Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:31 am

Harriet sound like you have some very smart hens!

More finds for the back yard, now is the time if you need plants trees etc. they are marked down. I found pruners 50% off and other garden stuff was too even at the thrift shop tile stakes for the patio etc.

Cleaned up by the patio project area and the lawn chairs were moved, as well as various items in that area next to the house, a small table odds and ends. H. aired up the wheel burrow tires and we were able to use that for dirt moving while digging out the spot for it. This is behind a small carport storage area not visible from the road.

Over the back fence neighbors were curious as to what we were doing. I'm thinking what I can have for plantings after it is in next fall and what other changes for a walk way etc. might need to happen after this goes in.

H. said he can get gravel at work free or w/ employee marked down.

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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby ellyphant » Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:06 am

Got 4 wrought iron chairs for outside. Those, plus a few folding chairs , and round ,wooden table with benches attached, should give us ample seating now to have a few folks over. Time to reciprocate!

Lots of shade here, so hostas are huge and looking good. Need to divide those, looks like. Pink and red impatiens are also doing well. Weeds are looking good, too, as usual!
How you do your work is a portrait of yourself.

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Nancy
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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby Nancy » Tue Jul 24, 2012 11:54 am

Yesterday h. did not work so he got the boards for the forms on the patio expansion and that is built now. This week getting the gravel in place. Yea for progress.

I pruned up the apple tree the low hanging branches that bonk me in the head when I mow so I can walk under it with out ducking. Got the mowing done too.

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Nancy
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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby Nancy » Wed Jul 25, 2012 1:01 pm

More pruning has been done under the plum trees, ore. grape and maple SO glad to have that done!!! Phew that was great exercise as well! Picked up green plums that had fallen.

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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby ellyphant » Tue Aug 07, 2012 7:50 am

DH and I have decided that it might be easier to plant grass in the front yard than it is to keep weeds out of the so-called "natural areas." We will cut down a few small trees, too. Then we have a company coming to cut down 9 larger trees that are too close to the road for DH to try to deal with.

There is ivy growing out front and in back of us. It grows like kudzu! If we didn't keep cutting it, I think it would cover the house. So much to do here...yard had been neglected for about 5 years. Hope we have the strength to get it under control!
How you do your work is a portrait of yourself.

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Nancy
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Re: The Productive Back Yard July - Dec. 2012

Postby Nancy » Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:32 am

I have a squash to pick and eat this week from the garden area.

Ellyphant your yard is looking better already, I think grass is cooler too.


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