Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Leaf Cleanup Time...
Yesterday and today I cleaned up all the leaves from the three Bradford pear trees. They drop their leaves just before Christmas. I vacuumed the leaves in the front. Took forever! In the back, I just blew them over by the fence across the back where the grape vines are. We will see if they do any good (or harm) to the grapes. Some snow today. Just a few flakes.
Monday, December 12, 2005
The Fat Mouse
I went out to the shed in the back yard to refill the bird feeders since we had been away for a few days. I got out the waste bsket that has the bird seed in it and removed the plastic bin that almost fits and acts as the lid for the waste basket. There was a mouse inside running around on top of the bird seed. He couldn't get out because the plastic bin acted as a one way stopper. He was fat, I mean really fat. I carried the waste basket out into the yard and he jumped free when the bin was removed. He (or she) ran to hide under the shed. Safe for another day.
Merry Christmas, fat mouse.
I refilled the feeders and put the seed basket back with a better lid that fits and weighted it down with some 2x6 pieces.
Merry Christmas, fat mouse.
I refilled the feeders and put the seed basket back with a better lid that fits and weighted it down with some 2x6 pieces.
Friday, December 09, 2005
A Brief Update On The Trip
We completed the trip around Lake Superior and had a great time. We have almost 1000 pictures of waterfalls and giant moose and giant geese and huge canyons, among other less spectacular visions. I may entertain some pictures here in the future, but not now. This blog is really about the garden, so let me update that.
The corn came up and grew on schedule and produced approximately on time just after we returned. However, I delayed picking and thr overall result was tough ears.
The three seeds in each hole didn't work out too well either. Not enough fertilizer to feed three plants at once. The thick planting did work, though, and most of the plants succombed to the wind during a thunderstorm. That's life. I used the stalks for the Halloween decorations, then threw them out. They are too much trouble to compost.
The tomatos were fine. We had them all summer long until frost. When I pulled the plants up, the roots were compressed into small space, so the soil really needs to be tilled digging fork deep. I will do that this winter if it isn't too cold.
Cucumbers didn't fare too well. Again, poor soil conditions are the root cause. Same solution.
Bell peppers did OK considering. Onions did fine and were harvested early and all eaten.
We had both green and red cabbages. Small, but enough to enjoy.
The first brocolli was eaten by the rabbit. The second crop was protected by wire screen and survivied the rabbit and was eaten by us. Wife is always skepticl of brocolli because of worms, but this was OK.
We had lots of zuccini and yellow squash. No wasps to speak of in the stems this year. They killed all the plants every year at the other house.
We had baby watermellons and jalapeno peppers planted in the other garden areas.
I may make more vegetable plots next year. Maybe.
The corn came up and grew on schedule and produced approximately on time just after we returned. However, I delayed picking and thr overall result was tough ears.
The three seeds in each hole didn't work out too well either. Not enough fertilizer to feed three plants at once. The thick planting did work, though, and most of the plants succombed to the wind during a thunderstorm. That's life. I used the stalks for the Halloween decorations, then threw them out. They are too much trouble to compost.
The tomatos were fine. We had them all summer long until frost. When I pulled the plants up, the roots were compressed into small space, so the soil really needs to be tilled digging fork deep. I will do that this winter if it isn't too cold.
Cucumbers didn't fare too well. Again, poor soil conditions are the root cause. Same solution.
Bell peppers did OK considering. Onions did fine and were harvested early and all eaten.
We had both green and red cabbages. Small, but enough to enjoy.
The first brocolli was eaten by the rabbit. The second crop was protected by wire screen and survivied the rabbit and was eaten by us. Wife is always skepticl of brocolli because of worms, but this was OK.
We had lots of zuccini and yellow squash. No wasps to speak of in the stems this year. They killed all the plants every year at the other house.
We had baby watermellons and jalapeno peppers planted in the other garden areas.
I may make more vegetable plots next year. Maybe.
