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Garden Gate:  Fall Cleanup  |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 16 2005 : 9:08:47 PM
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You would really laugh if you ever saw ME try to move ANYTHING with a wheelbarrow..for some reason I dump off to the side every time, and if I try to hold on tight I get "thrown". I am NOT a small gal either..so its not pretty!!!
I am glad you have a wagon too!
Jenny in Utah
Put all your eggs in one basket..and then watch that basket!! Mark Twain |
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Hilltophomesteader
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Pam
WA
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2005 : 5:30:09 PM
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Wow, now I'm inspired to get back outside and get to work! The garden is a mess and the tiller isn't working (nothing new  ). Now I'm inspired to get out there and at least get the marionberries and raspberries trimmed down and gather the tools from the uttermost corners of the farm! My husband built (is building..) a beautiful big greenhouse for me, but it's too big to heat with heatlamps now..and electic is SOOO expensive. Ideas? I'm in SW Washington so the temps aren't very cold, but I do have some nifty citrus plants and some others that are houseplant-like.
"As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Oct 17 2005 : 10:00:53 PM
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Pam - where are you in SW WA? We might be almost neighbors. If your greenhouse gets any kind of sun - even overcast - it should heat up enough to keep the plants ok. Do you have any kind of stone or brick floor that would absorb the heat during the day? If not, maybe you could put some large rocks in the greenhouse around the plants to help. We have one of those oil filled electric heaters that look like a radiator. It has a thermostat -- something like would probably be cheaper to run than heatlamps because it's not on all the time.
I'm still hot...it just comes in flashes. |
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quiltedess
True Blue Farmgirl
296 Posts
Nancy
Priest River
ID
USA
296 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2005 : 07:20:05 AM
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My dad and mom came by on their way to a vacation at Whistler (lucky them!) and my dad changed the belt on the rototiller, which worked really well for the tilling part, but there's still a problem that makes the tiller quit after about 100 feet of tilling. So I got some more tilling done, still need to do more, but my arms are hurting again from starting it and now it has a new trick of YANKING the pull cord out of my hands. I BROKE A NAIL! Sorry, I do get my nails done, my one BIG indulgence, but they are really TOUGH and against the advice of the nail girl, I do use my nails as tools. I can't help it, and they work MUCH better than my real nails. Anyway, today I'm getting the lawn mowed, and trimming back some more blackberries.
Nancy |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2005 : 09:09:54 AM
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Spent the weekend cleaning up the leaves from all the big leaf maples. Had a good wind storm on friday so that got most of the leaves down to ground level. We use or lawn mower with a bag to get them up which also mulches them into great dry material for the sawdust toilet system and makes them easier to compost. Filled up our 9 cubic foot bin in no time!
Pruned back my overgrown climbing roses and mulched the trimmings up the same way. I like this not having to burn my leaves. I also pruned my espaliered apple and apricot trees. Moved my 2 chicken tractors and turned over my raised vegie bed. I am thinking of putting up a low hoop frame over it and growing some cool weather greens this year to see how long they will produce through the milder winters we have here if I protect them from the excess moisture they will get without the protective covering. I think I can irrigate with a rain catch gutter system from the office building near by so they do not get to dry. I might get veggies all winter this way without the mold problem. We shall see. It was beautiful here yesterday morning with a balmy unusual 68 degrees then the clouds came in at about 4 in the afternoon to give us a bit of rain overnight. I used the beautiful day to barbeque a whole turkey breast. It was yummy! We will have turkey sandwiches all week from the leftovers. Also harvested my beets yesterday and cooked up a mess of them. Wow!
Clare, your wheel cart or dolly might only need to be pumped up. Ours seem to lose air over a few weeks so we are always having to pump up the tires. Rodney has an air compressor so he does it here but you can have it done at a gas station or at any Les Schwab tire store. They guarantee their new tires too and will also replace them for you if you need them. Last time we looked at getting a set of airless tires for our dolly but decided against it. I guess hubby thought it would make a rougher ride for whatever we were pushing around. I am with Jenny on the wheel barrow. I seem to have some difficulty with tipping to one side all the time too. I think I must not be as strong on one side as I am on the other. A wagon is a great mover of things. We got one last year from Costco that we can hook up to the riding mower for really heavy loads. It works great for me to move the bales of straw from my car to the chickens and for getting all the other heavy bags of stuff from my car to where ever they need to be. However I too have been caught struggling with something heavy because I forgot I had a tool to help. Maybe it is just the age group we are in. It is good to laugh at ourselves HUH?
Eileen
Songbird; singing joy to the earth |
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BlueEggBabe
True Blue Farmgirl
417 Posts
Susan
PA
417 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2005 : 10:32:42 AM
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Today I finally pulled out the zinnias and sunflowers...
Just had to be sure the goldfinches got all the seeds they could eat first.
Also cut the last of the spearmint,lemon balm, sage, comfrey and catnip.
Dug up three huge lemon verbena to come in and now I am eyeing up those rosehips...but that is a job left for tomorrow.
I want to start decorating my porch for the Halloween Party 
before the sun starts to sink.
PS. My big wagon is one of my favorite tools. It is the perfect size for a bale or feedbag!and practically effortless to pull
www.feedsackfarmgirls.blogspot.com
"If more of us valued good food, cheer and song above hoarded gold,the world would be a merrier place."
J.J.R.Tolkien |
Edited by - BlueEggBabe on Oct 18 2005 10:34:29 AM |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2005 : 5:05:50 PM
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I had to mow the lawn AGAIN! I thought last week was going to be the last time. But I also got the tomato plant pulled up along with my poor neglected geraniums. Just a few more things to do then I can decorate my porch. That's my motivation -- if I get the cleanup done then I can decorate!
GO WHITE SOX!!!! |
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rebeccasrabbitry
Farmgirl at Heart
4 Posts
Rebecca
Washington
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2005 : 6:02:55 PM
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Kay, I'm in Pe Ell (about 25 miles out of Chehalis). Thanks for the idea about a kerosene heater...seems like that would work great. Unfortunately, we get less sun than Chehalis and usually a lot more rain and clouds. About wheelbarrows, dollies and wagons....I love my red wagon for lots of stuff, but I'm with you on tipping over wheelbarrows! My husband bought me one of those big (plastic?) ones with TWO wheels in front. You can't tip them over if you try  . I can even throw a bale of hay in and it stays!!! Eileen - I have an espaliered apple tree too! It gets SO many comments from people and it is so much fun. It's on my house where you see it when you walk up. It is a Lodi and the apples (when there are some...) are HUGE. People have actually asked me, "Are they REAL?" like maybe I glue them on or something  .
www.geocities.com/rebeccasrabbitry
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved..." Acts 16:31 |
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Hilltophomesteader
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Pam
WA
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2005 : 6:08:36 PM
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Oh, dear, we are going to keep you people so confused...I just posted starting "Kay, I'm in Pe Ell" and didn't realize that my computer was logged in to my DAUGHTER'S name, so actually Rebeccasrabbitry THIS time is actually me (Hilltophomesteader - Pam). Is everyone totally confused? I know I am :-)
"As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 |
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owwlady
True Blue Farmgirl
899 Posts
Jan
Tomahawk
WI
USA
899 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2005 : 08:28:46 AM
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| Right now my driveway and front yard are so beautiful. There is a thick blanket of fall colored leaves covering everything. I love the crunch of the leaves under my tires as I drive in the driveway. I'm in no hurry to cleanup anything. Eventually I'll mow the leaves on the lawn with my mulching mower and let the driveway leaves blow where they want. I live next to a neighbor who keeps a PERFECT yard. Not a leaf in sight. He vacuums them! Good thing there's a chain link fence between us or he'd have more than his share to vac. In the meantime I will enjoy this beautiful fall weather and the crunch of my leaves. |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2005 : 09:09:12 AM
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Jan -- I'm with you! The tree at the end of the drive has dropped bunches of orang and gold leaves everywhere. I love the sound when I drive over them. Luckily for me most of them have fallen into my garden area so I'm just going to til them in the soil. The trees behind our house are starting to turn and pretty soon the whole hillside will be gorgeous.
GO WHITE SOX!!!! |
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Julia
True Blue Farmgirl
1949 Posts
Julia
Shelton
WA
USA
1949 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2005 : 09:45:59 AM
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The only pretty leaves we get come from the neighbors across the street. I don't have the leaves we had at our last home. My bother and his family just moved from AZ back to the NW. They had NO leaves for the boys to play in so I would rake up a box full to send it to them, just enough to get their fill. So, now I go to the park to walk in the leaves. Maybe I should take a box and bring some home. Oh well.
Rain today so more garden clean up will have to wait.
"...the setting sun is like going into the very presence of God." Elizabeth Von Arnim |
Edited by - Julia on Oct 19 2005 09:51:56 AM |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2005 : 2:18:40 PM
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Anybody love Holly? I have lots of holly trees (not bushes) that are ten feet tall or more. This year they are loaded with georgeous red berries. The doves and cedar waxwings spend the month of september cleaning off the last of last years berries and then the new ones ripen up almost immediately. The worst thing about having these trees around is cleanup. The leaves also shed about the same time as the last berries are gone leaving a lot of very stickery leaves all over the place.
I think that this year I will post a sign at the end of my driveway offering holly for sale. It is so pretty this year!
Eileen
Songbird; singing joy to the earth |
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Julia
True Blue Farmgirl
1949 Posts
Julia
Shelton
WA
USA
1949 Posts |
Posted - Oct 19 2005 : 2:58:12 PM
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I miss my holly tree. It was not always fun walking in the yard, as I am always barefoot. My daughter today said we need to make sure we ask the neighbor lady for some holly at christmas. There's just something about having holly in wreaths that adds to the season. I think having a holly sale would be fun, maybe a bit of hot cider to add to go with.
"...the setting sun is like going into the very presence of God." Elizabeth Von Arnim |
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Hilltophomesteader
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Pam
WA
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2005 : 5:46:45 PM
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The only thing keeping me from completely enjoying the season is the size of the SPIDERS this year! Man, every time I think they've gone into hiding for the season, I come across an even BIGGER one! Fortunately ours are not poisonous, but they could scare ME to death!
A lot of leaves are gone already, but there are still some terrific colors out there. The deer have been munching down everything in sight - even the stuff they wouldn't touch earlier...4 o'clocks, jacob's ladder, hydrangeas, and of course the bottom two rows of my espalier! Oh, well, less pruning for me! My (apple) espalier wants pruning 3 or 4 times a year.
"As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 |
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teresa
Farmgirl in Training
17 Posts
teresa
marysville
wa
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2005 : 9:06:13 PM
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Just wanted to run this by someone and see what you think: I never could compost properly so I just save all my kitchen scraps in a bucket and bury it in my garden all year long except for when the veggies are gowing. I try to bury in a different spot each time and you should've seen the worms in my garden come spring!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didnt even want to put my hands in the dirt there were sooooooo many worms. This sort of grossed me out except I hear worms are good for the garden. What exactly do they do and do you think this is a good practice????
The best is yet to come! |
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asnedecor
True Blue Farmgirl
1054 Posts
Anne
Portland
Or
USA
1054 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2005 : 08:16:48 AM
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Teresa -
That's great - worms are wonderful. They are the ones eating those kitchen scraps and then their output it making your soil rich in nutrients. They also aerate the ground by moving and making small holes throughout the earth. As long as you bury those kitchen scraps deep enough not to attract rodents, it is a good practice.
Anne
"Second star to the right, straight on till morning" Peter Pan
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Julia
True Blue Farmgirl
1949 Posts
Julia
Shelton
WA
USA
1949 Posts |
Posted - Oct 22 2005 : 1:55:02 PM
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Got more cleaned up today. Did some weeeding in the strawberries and lettuce. Picked my jalapenos and pulled out the hedge of chamomile.
Got to eat some artichokes from the garden, oh yum! Still have raspberries ripening too. Harvested some flowerseeds yesterday. Probably in a couple weeks I will have to cut back the flowers.
"...the setting sun is like going into the very presence of God." Elizabeth Von Arnim |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2005 : 09:00:39 AM
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Teresa,
You have just turned your garden into a giant worm composting system. If you section off your garden and do the burying in sections for a set amount of time per section it might work just as well as using a chicken tractor system to fertilize your garden. The extra worms in the sections you have recently buried tell you that the worms are not done in that section yet. Once the worms are done finishing the compost in an area they will leave it and move on to another area of food source. I have a worm box and there is a link to the system I use in another topic section on this forum. I think "Apartment Composting" is where it is, you can view a link to my photos and directions on how to do this. You would be saved the effort of separating the worms from the finished compost in the garden setting you are using.
My only suggestion would be not to plant yet in the sections where there is a high population of worms as the soil may be still to "hot" with fresh vermicompost and burn your new seedlings. Let an area set about a month before planting. Want to know more about worms look at your library for a book called "The Worm Book"
Eileen
Songbird; singing joy to the earth |
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Hilltophomesteader
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Pam
WA
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2005 : 6:16:46 PM
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WooHoo!!! We finally got outside on Saturday and the garden is looking terrific! Our tiller is down, so we pulled all the stakes, pulled out the hoses, dragged out killer zucchini carcasses and then ran the lawn tractor over everything that was left! It looks great and it's mostly dirt, just a few hardy weeds left. The goats were happy to eat the sunflowers and kohlrabis that were left and the cows got the cornstalks.
On worms: My daughter's rabbitry has zillions of worms in the manure under the cages, but it has drawn a (many?) skunk(s) who dig all thru like little tillers and eat every worm! Now it (they?) have gotten into my hen house and eaten all the eggs and one of my speckled hens disappeared, leaving only feathers!! Would a skunk kill a full grown hen? We live surrounded by timberland, so it could be anything...
"As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15 |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2005 : 6:50:26 PM
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Pam -- I can totally relate to the spiders! We have garden spiders that are huge. They have this big fat body and are so ugly. I went outside to take the garbage out, walked through the doorway of the carport, and when I turned around one was hanging in the doorway! I hate those things. Makes me not even want to go outside. I'll be glad for the first hard frost so they'll die.
Is anyone else have problems with box elder bugs? We have them all over the outside of our house. They just crawl around, especially on the south side when the sun shines. I think that is why we're having so many spiders -- free lunch for them!
GO WHITE SOX!!!!
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2005 : 8:07:43 PM
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oh my gosh..we have zillions and zillions of box elder bugs here right now! They are awful! Like you said especially on the south side of the house...at the front door!!!! They are all over my big front window and all over the porch..yukc. I like spiders so much better than those icky things...of course I guess I wouldn't want zillions of spiders in trade..but sheesh..will be glad when they are gone!
Jenny in Utah
Put all your eggs in one basket..and then watch that basket!! Mark Twain |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 05:32:52 AM
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| Yesterday, the wind blew through here like an autumn hurricane (and an autumn hurricane actually did blow through south of here). The trees were singing! For us it was a cold front that dipped down into north Florida, and yippee, it is cool today!!!! Leaves are literally everywhere, and the yard needs raking, but I can do it without sweating to death. Last night we had the quilt on the bed, and I am so happy for the cool weather. I am doing the Fall Festival dance and eyeing my sweaters and watching our leaves get a little golden. Love it! |
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BlueApple
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Julia
Oregon
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 05:53:06 AM
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YES! It is time for the Box Elder bugs to visit! UGH It's been cool and a little rainy so they are hiding but as soon as the sun comes out my house is covered. Anyone know what their purpose in life is??
Julia
BlueApple Farm |
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therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Oct 25 2005 : 07:40:41 AM
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No I don't know what their purpose is. Kind of like slugs -- what is their purpose? I've always said that is the one question I'm going to ask God when I get to heaven -- why did He make slugs!
GO WHITE SOX!!!!
http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/ |
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Garden Gate: Fall Cleanup |
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Fall Cleanup
