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Post by doccreed on Jul 26, 2019 15:46:26 GMT
In the past when I had a cockatiel I would dump one feeder of seed into the other, in the wind, to blow away the chaff. I used to do this right outside my front door, sort of hanging over the porch.
A sunflower managed to take root and grew quite high.
This reminds me - I should go check on my sunflowers and see how they are doing. - I have 16 of them in a row in the back garden.
When they get bigger I hope to be able to take a few pics.
Just realized it is already July 26th so I guess they only have about 9 or 10 more weeks to grow before the cooler weather sets in. I hope we have a nice mild "Indian Summer" as they used to call that time in late September when it is still very nice out.
Yes, I hope you get that Indian Summer. That's pretty much every year for us. Have a great weekend and enjoy those buttermilk pancakes.  |
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Post by doccreed on Jul 27, 2019 0:57:30 GMT
My Bush beans are not flowering yet. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. I am afraid of watering too much or not enough, so I've been watering just enough to keep soil damp. Any suggestions? People on YouTube usually say Bush beans yield a good harvest. I did get my first cucumber today. Five inches or so. I think I'm going to do well with those.
I still have these seeds left: radishes, cantaloupe, carrots, lettuce. I'm going to attempt a fall crop with these. I think these seeds need to be in the ground no later than August.
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Post by neesy on Jul 27, 2019 17:15:36 GMT
My Bush beans are not flowering yet. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. I am afraid of watering too much or not enough, so I've been watering just enough to keep soil damp. Any suggestions? People on YouTube usually say Bush beans yield a good harvest. I did get my first cucumber today. Five inches or so. I think I'm going to do well with those.
I still have these seeds left: radishes, cantaloupe, carrots, lettuce. I'm going to attempt a fall crop with these. I think these seeds need to be in the ground no later than August.
You are quite lucky to be able to plant in August!
Up here if you don't get something in the ground early, the cold weather in the fall will get your plants.
By the way - those sunflower seeds I planted are getting quite big so will have to remove the protective thingy Andy built around them.
For a suggestion re your beans - maybe just try some Miracle Gro? Are you using a special soil or any kind of fertilizer?
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Post by neesy on Jul 27, 2019 17:48:55 GMT
This post is actually about a grey squirrel
I figure it fits here because the darn thing is always in our garden! (since the title of this thread is "In the Garden")
@alexandra
Just found this article regarding grey squirrels, thought you might find it interesting:
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2019 13:50:54 GMT
Thanks Neesy, I think I should start reading the (free) Capital News. I agree with the article the few squirrels I see in my backyard are grey ones. I was blaming the lack of squirrels in general on the owls. But I do see many in the parks. I walked past Gyro Beach/Park on Monday and noticed there were many squirrels running around (grey ones). The Okanagan is usually quick to deal with anything to do with wild life and fisheries. They must be keeping busy dealing with all the bears, deer and moose coming into town these days. It seems there are more every year.
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Post by neesy on Jul 28, 2019 23:49:56 GMT
Thanks Neesy, I think I should start reading the (free) Capital News. I agree with the article the few squirrels I see in my backyard are grey ones. I was blaming the lack of squirrels in general on the owls. But I do see many in the parks. I walked past Gyro Beach/Park on Monday and noticed there were many squirrels running around (grey ones). The Okanagan is usually quick to deal with anything to do with wild life and fisheries. They must be keeping busy dealing with all the bears, deer and moose coming into town these days. It seems there are more every year.
I went out this morning and neither trap had anything in it. Later there was a grey squirrel up a telephone pole and I swear he or she was giving me a good chewing out.
We'll see if any are in the traps tomorrow, but I doubt it.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2019 14:25:42 GMT
Just finished cutting the front hedge and the grass verge, took about 20 minutes to do the cutting then about an hour to tidy up. I really don't have green fingers. 
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2019 14:42:00 GMT
I can relate to not having a green thumb these days, Notaro. My basil plants are dismal, for the first time. I think Neesy is right, all that rain we had did them no good. Not sure if they will come back or not. We have had 3 days of hot weather now and they look no better but they are drying out. But the flowers are doing great. I wonder if I should fertilize the basil again. Neesy what do you think? Haven't fertilized for a month now.
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Post by neesy on Jul 29, 2019 17:03:27 GMT
I can relate to not having a green thumb these days, Notaro. My basil plants are dismal, for the first time. I think Neesy is right, all that rain we had did them no good. Not sure if they will come back or not. We have had 3 days of hot weather now and they look no better but they are drying out. But the flowers are doing great. I wonder if I should fertilize the basil again. Neesy what do you think? Haven't fertilized for a month now.
It should not hurt - I just use the Miracle-Gro that comes in a box - it looks like green crystals. I mix it in with some water and store it in an old Miracle-Gro bottle that used to have the diluted stuff in it.
I think you can fertilize them every two weeks.
My basil plants are still quite tiny but I am going to transplant them later on today in slightly larger pots.
The thyme is flowering but I am letting it (I could pinch off the tops). Apparently the bees will be attracted to the flowers. The sage is looking good plus I have some rosemary and oregano. The parsley is that bushy, leafy kind.
All of them can be picked and dried, then crumbled up. I just put them in the little jars of the same stuff as I had bought at the store.
Glad to hear your flowers are doing well! If the basil sat in water for a while maybe the roots started to rot a bit?
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Post by doccreed on Jul 30, 2019 0:20:59 GMT
My produce box contained: tomatoes, purple onions, yellow squash, butternut squash, red peppers, kale, apples, and peaches. The peaches are crunchy and not sweet like before. Does that mean they just need to ripen on the counter for a few days? I'll probably wait before cutting open another one, but if anyone knows any quick dessert ideas for these, let me know.
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Post by neesy on Jul 30, 2019 0:31:36 GMT
My produce box contained: tomatoes, purple onions, yellow squash, butternut squash, red peppers, kale, apples, and peaches. The peaches are crunchy and not sweet like before. Does that mean they just need to ripen on the counter for a few days? I'll probably wait before cutting open another one, but if anyone knows any quick dessert ideas for these, let me know. Those sound good - where did you get this produce box?
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Post by doccreed on Jul 30, 2019 0:35:12 GMT
My produce box contained: tomatoes, purple onions, yellow squash, butternut squash, red peppers, kale, apples, and peaches. The peaches are crunchy and not sweet like before. Does that mean they just need to ripen on the counter for a few days? I'll probably wait before cutting open another one, but if anyone knows any quick dessert ideas for these, let me know. Those sound good - where did you get this produce box?
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Post by neesy on Jul 30, 2019 0:38:09 GMT
Those sound good - where did you get this produce box?
Here's something I found while Googling:
Fruits that Continue to Ripen After They're Picked
To speed up the ripening of fruits such as peaches, pears, and plums, put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag at room temperature. Plastic bags don't work for ripening.
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Post by doccreed on Jul 30, 2019 0:40:01 GMT
I have friends who are part of a co-op and they usually have too much for their family so they pass it on to others. I was the beneficiary the past couple times. Last time was zucchini and purple-hull peas and okra. It all comes from a huge farm about forty-five minutes south of here. Here's something I found while Googling:
Fruits that Continue to Ripen After They're Picked
To speed up the ripening of fruits such as peaches, pears, and plums, put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag at room temperature. Plastic bags don't work for ripening.
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Post by neesy on Jul 30, 2019 0:43:00 GMT
Here's something I found while Googling:
Fruits that Continue to Ripen After They're Picked
To speed up the ripening of fruits such as peaches, pears, and plums, put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag at room temperature. Plastic bags don't work for ripening.
If you want to speed things up, pop the peaches in a paper bag. It will contain the ethylene gas the fruit gives off, which hastens the ripening process. Pretty cool, huh? Want to speed things up even more and ripen them faster? Add a banana in there, too, for even more ethylene action.
Place Them in the Fridge
When you want to vastly slow down the ripening process, put the peaches in the fridge. Cold slams on the brakes of the ripening process, but doesn't bring it to a complete screeching halt. Keep your eye on any peaches you relegate to the fridge; if left in there too long they can start to dry out.
The above was copied from The Spruce Eats
Dangit! Now I have a hankering for peaches!
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Post by doccreed on Jul 30, 2019 0:46:26 GMT
Thanks. I Googled, too, but didn't see anything about that. I remember my grandparents putting fruit (usually peaches) in a brown paper bag and sticking it in the refrigerator. Now it all makes sense.
If you want to speed things up, pop the peaches in a paper bag. It will contain the ethylene gas the fruit gives off, which hastens the ripening process. Pretty cool, huh? Want to speed things up even more and ripen them faster? Add a banana in there, too, for even more ethylene action.
Place Them in the Fridge
When you want to vastly slow down the ripening process, put the peaches in the fridge. Cold slams on the brakes of the ripening process, but doesn't bring it to a complete screeching halt. Keep your eye on any peaches you relegate to the fridge; if left in there too long they can start to dry out.
The above was copied from The Spruce Eats
Dangit! Now I have a hankering for peaches!
olfEOEbpO0rxuamBULVg |
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Post by morgan on Jul 30, 2019 0:46:41 GMT
Here's something I found while Googling:
Fruits that Continue to Ripen After They're Picked
To speed up the ripening of fruits such as peaches, pears, and plums, put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag at room temperature. Plastic bags don't work for ripening.
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Post by morgan on Jul 30, 2019 0:56:23 GMT
I received some garden jalapenos and cherry tomatoes, so I made some fresh salsa. Gave most of it to the person who gave me the produce and a little to my mom. Needless to say, it is almost gone. I hope to make another batch in the next week or so because green peppers are on sale at the supermarket. 
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Post by doccreed on Jul 30, 2019 1:02:35 GMT
I received some garden jalapenos and cherry tomatoes, so I made some fresh salsa. Gave most of it to the person who gave me the produce and a little to my mom. Needless to say, it is almost gone. I hope to make another batch in the next week or so because green peppers are on sale at the supermarket.
I am going to look for more fresh okra. I want to make fried okra again and make a pot of chicken and dumplings with black eye peas. Cornbread, of course. I just learned that people eat raw okra. Guess it makes sense, but it never occurred to me. I like in gumbo or fried. |
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Post by morgan on Jul 30, 2019 1:24:51 GMT
I received some garden jalapenos and cherry tomatoes, so I made some fresh salsa. Gave most of it to the person who gave me the produce and a little to my mom. Needless to say, it is almost gone. I hope to make another batch in the next week or so because green peppers are on sale at the supermarket.
I am going to look for more fresh okra. I want to make fried okra again and make a pot of chicken and dumplings with black eye peas. Cornbread, of course. I just learned that people eat raw okra. Guess it makes sense, but it never occurred to me. I like in gumbo or fried. |
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