Sunflower Disposition, Peachy Harvest, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Inside: In a sunflower frame of mind, this year’s peach harvest, and where frogs choose to live. Check out all the latest fresh from the farm.
*This post may contain affiliate links.
In a Sunflower Frame of Mind
Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while knows I love sunflowers. And, thankfully, for the past two years, we’ve been blessed to have our own field, courtesy of my brother Vince. But this year he wasn’t able to plant them, and going into the warm weather I wondered what would happen. Sure, I figured there might be some volunteers with all the fallen seed, but would they be as thickly planted and as large and vibrant yellow.
Well, I won’t say they’re quite as lovely, but they are still pretty. A few more weeds are in the mix but still a sight to behold, flowers heavy with seed, nodding toward the morning sun. At first they appear quite tall and yellow, reaching for cloud and sky. Then, as the weight of their seeds causes them to lean, they remind me of maids wearing bonnets, the now-brown petals like shocks of hair peeking out from underneath their hats. There is nothing quite like a field of sunflowers. A treat not only for birds, but also for this rural girl.
This Year’s Peach Harvest
Last year’s peaches were a disappointment. Our tree, fighting off a bout of leaf curl, was in healing mode. Consequently, the tree blossomed and peaches formed only to drop one by one before they got off to a start. Fruit trees, I have come to realize, will always prioritize the preservation of the tree itself over fruit production. In other words, they won’t take on more than they can handle. There’s a lesson to be learned here, I think, though it will have to wait for another day.
But I digress.
So early on in the spring, with no sign of leaf curl (thank you, last year’s drought) and plenty of baby peaches, I just assumed we’d go from “lack” straight to “abundance.”
Not so.
The crop this year suffered from bugs and worms. Some fruit still fell to the ground before maturing. And then, right as I was patiently waiting for the last three (and only) perfect, blemish-free peaches to ripen, some marauding coons beat me to two of them–the third out of their reach. I gave my one peach to Mike who needed some cheering up.
All in all, I cut off bad spots from enough peaches to get about a half gallon yield, which, when paired with some store-bought peaches, will end up as preserves.
So what is the moral of my story? Sometimes we aren’t ready to go from one extreme to another. This year I got “some fruit.” Maybe a bumper crop would have been more than I could have handled this year, given my time and energy reserves.
At any rate, I’m thankful for the fruit I did get.
And ever hopeful.
Where Frogs Choose to Live
If there has been an abundance of anything this year, it would be frogs. Not a plague, mind you, just more than usual. Mostly small ones, really, and I’m not complaining because even though it has been a flood year, the increase in mosquitoes I had anticipated ended up as food for my froggy friends living among my container flowers and garden beds. The little frog in the photo above surprised me when he peeked out through an egg carton I was using to grow seeds in. I had ripped off the top of the carton so the egg cup part could fit inside it. Ended up it was the perfect place for the frog to hang out during the heat of the day.
Another little guy was perched on top of one of my watering cans, and a bucket by the bottom of the steps that’s stayed full from rainwater is home to a pair of larger frogs with stripes on their backs and spots on their legs. They’ve kept the bugs away from around the steps and out of my house.
Think I’m becoming a fan!
Still a little summer left. How are you spending yours? Tell us about it in the comments.
Resources and related posts:
Possum in the Pawpaw Tree: A Seasonal Guide to Midwestern Gardening
My Yellow Horizon, Pickling, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Flood Year Blues, Old-timers’ Almanac, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Posts from a year ago:
Brighter Sides, New Leaves, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
From two years ago:
Open Windows, Food Shoot, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
10 Quick Fixes for the Neglected Garden
Inside: Summer happens. Vacation, family gatherings, rain and all of a sudden your lovely garden is out of control. What’s a gardener to do? The following quick fixes for the neglected garden will help tame that jungle.
*This post contains affiliate links.
This year has been crazy. Summer has brought rain and more rain, family visits and planning a birthday party, editing projects and a trip to the ER–all within a couple of weeks’ time. Meanwhile, my previously well-tended garden had grown wild with weeds in a matter of days. Overwhelming didn’t begin to describe the scene. Walking around my yard was an exercise in frustration!
Maybe you find your garden in a similar state. Fortunately, with a few quick fixes, your green space can once again become a place you like–maybe even love.
Prioritize Garden Chores
To begin with, it’s time to perform a little garden triage. Are there plants that, without immediate attention, could wither and die? Weeds can choke many a good garden plot. Are there unruly flower beds in the front yard that detract from your home’s appearance?Maybe you have a “serenity now” place in the backyard that’s not so serene, thanks to overgrowth. It really depends on what is most important to you. Make a list of garden chores starting with what you want to fix first and so on and so on.
Focus.
- Work on what’s easiest for the quick win.
- Work on what’s hardest to see the most dramatic change.
- Concentrate on one area of beauty, if flowers are your thing.
- Accentuate the positive–what is mostly working in the garden–and make that your focal point to draw attention away from other areas until you get to them.
Taming the Jungle
Weeds are likely the biggest problem in most neglected gardens. Thankfully a few quick solutions can have that garden shaped up in no time.
Smother. My favorite trick by far for controlling weeds fast. Simply flatten your weeds and cover them with newspaper, cardboard, or black plastic, then add a layer of mulch. And don’t limit yourself to these items. Concrete blocks, ply wood, and burlap can also smother weeds. A well-placed piece of outdoor furniture can work wonders.
Trample. Speaking of flattening, here’s another idea for weeds, particularly those that border your garden plots and beds. Stomp, walk, and trample your weeds to place them in the path of the lawn mower right before mowing for quick removal.
Cut. While not as thorough as actually pulling, using a weed trimmer on a large patch can do much for making a garden plot more manageable–and less overwhelming! And the less overwhelmed, the more likely you’ll stay motivated to keep working.
Pull. Yes, I said pulling, but with a particular strategy. Clear away the weeds closest to each plant, moving outward. That allows more water and sun and nutrients to be used by the plant. The better your plants look, the more likely you are not to give up on your garden.
Attention to Plants
Unruly plants are another issue. Here are more quick fixes for the neglected garden.
Stake. Tomatoes aren’t the only plants that benefit from staking. Heavy flowers, such as zinnias, that flop over can benefit from tying to a stake. So can herbs like dill. Staking can give your bed a more organized, cleaner look.
Prune. Many plants can be improved by pruning. Cutting off extra branches, deadheading flowers, clipping off excess growth and brown stems can bring order to your garden.
Use cages and trellises. Cages are a great and quick way to contain plants in small spaces and direct growth upward. Trellises also work well to keep plants growing toward the sky rather than sprawling on the ground.
Handling the Harvest
Nothing can make a gardener fall behind faster than a bumper crop. Here is what you can do.
Find others to pick. My sister-in-law is quite the canner, and if I have extra garden produce, she’s happy to take it off my hands. If you don’t have time to pick all of the fruits and veggies from your garden, you probably have a neighbor, relative, or friend who would gladly do so. Just put the word out.
Use what you can, leave the rest. I’ve had years when my schedule got too busy to deal with the harvest. In those seasons of my life, I didn’t worry much about the tomatoes that fell on the ground and rotted. Fertilizer–that’s the way I look at it. If I’m not feeding myself or others, at least I’m feeding the soil.
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While these ideas are nothing new to most gardeners, even the seasoned among us needs reminding of these simple tips when we’ve fallen behind in our gardens. Try these ten quick fixes for the neglected garden to bring back joy to your most treasured space.
Are you keeping up with your garden? Tell us about it in the comments.
Related posts and resources:
Simple Organic Fertilizers That Save You Money
Unique Containers for Gardening
Gardening Advice from a Thirty-year Greenhouse Veteran
Building a Raised Garden 3 Ways
Posts from a year ago:
Neighborly Encouragement and the Power of Flowers
From two years ago:
My Yellow Horizon, Pickling, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Planting Sweet Potatoes in a Cardboard Box
Inside: Planting sweet potatoes in a cardboard box? Yes, we’re trying something a little unconventional in our quest to grow veggies in simple items you most likely have at home. Check it out.
Planting Sweet Potatoes in a Cardboard Box
Okay, it’s really not difficult. You won’t need a lot of expensive items, and if you get as many smiley boxes as I do, you’re probably halfway to getting the job done. You will also need garden soil–mixed with compost if you have it–and, of course, sweet potato slips. In my case, I’ve had my slips planted in four-inch pots until I had time to write this post.
Easy-Peasy Planting
Select a large box–large enough for the harvest you’re expecting! Simply poke holes in the bottom of your cardboard container. Fill with your garden soil, about six to eight inches high, and plant slips with the roots in the soil and leaves above ground. If your box is big enough, you might be able to fit two plants in it. Water often while establishing the plants, then not quite as often after they’re growing.
Will the Cardboard Boxes Last the Season?
Yes–er, well, I’ve not done this myself, but I have it on good authority. Birds and Blooms magazine ran an article about using cardboard boxes as containers, and the editors claim they tested the boxes and found they lasted the season. I would suggest, though, that you decide upon a spot for your box and leave it there until harvest, as the bottom might collapse from the weight of the soil and watering. And support the bottom when carrying your box to its permanent location.
For more great ideas for using cardboard boxes in the garden, click on the Birds and Blooms link.
Whether you want to grow sweet potatoes, some other veggie, or even flowers in a simple container, why not give this idea a try? Or, if you’d like to be a spectator, check back in with me after frost when I harvest the sweet potatoes. I’ll do a followup to this post so you can see how it went.
Meanwhile, think outside the box by thinking inside the box! Yeah, I couldn’t resist.
Do you use any unusual methods in your garden? Tell us about it in the comments.
Related posts:
Turn Sprouted Sweet Potatoes into Plants
Planting the Late Summer Garden
Results of my Late Summer Garden
Posts from a year ago:
Lily Days, Pickup Talk, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Compost 101 and Other Cheap Organic Fertilizers
From two years ago:
Hackberry Trees, Family Visits, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Help! My Garden is Too Wet to Plant
Inside: If your spring is the new rainy season and you can’t till the soil, not to worry. Here are three methods when your garden is too wet to plant.
*This post contains affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more information.
The Problem
It’s been a wet start to the year, and it’s affected a lot of folks trying to get their gardens in. Mom said a couple came into the store the other day and bought an entire flat of tomatoes. They told her they couldn’t get into the garden until just then. I understand the delay. I grew up thinking the only way to garden was to work up the soil every spring, turn it over with a tiller. When you’re raised in a farm family, tractor and plow is what you know, after all. I also remember my early years of marriage when I tried to garden, asking my very busy dairy farmer dad to plow my plots–and waiting in frustration until he could get around to it. I didn’t have the money for a tiller, nor did I want to learn how to use one, anyway. Since those early years as a newbie gardener, I’ve found different ways to get around tilling the soil. If your garden is too wet to plant and you’re stuck in a till-the-ground mindset, the following methods will give you options.
Plant in a Bale
I decided to try my hand at hay bale gardening two years ago. Most people use straw, but I had some old seasoned hay bales that worked perfectly. Mom had been using this method for a few years with some success, so I knew the basics.
If unseasoned, wet the bales really, really, really well before attempting to transplant anything. We’re talking several days of watering. And by all means, first stick your hand down inside of the bale before planting. If it is extremely hot, it’s not ready yet. Turn the sprinkler on the hay (or straw) to prepare it some more. The best solution is to set up your bales on edge (non-twine side up) in the fall. No changing your mind about moving them once they’ve been through the rains and snows of fall and winter, as they will become quite heavy! By spring those square beauties are ready for your plants. If planting seeds, gardeners suggest layering about four inches of top soil on the top of the bale.
For my first attempt, I chose to transplant peppers into the bale. Heavy rainfall in previous years had my peppers standing in muddy soil–which they do not like. My thinking was that if the summer turned out rainy, they’d be fine tucked away in the hay. If it was hot and dry, I’d need to be watering them more often.
Since then I’ve also grown watermelon and pumpkins in a bale. It’s a great way to plant when you haven’t got the time or equipment or perfect weather conditions for a traditional garden plot.
Containerize With What You’ve Got
While I’ve pined for those nice planter boxes, particularly the ones that have a system for delivering water right down to the roots, you don’t have to spend a bundle on containers for growing. I’ve used old boots, a wooden ice cream maker, a cheap soup pot, a mineral block tub for livestock, and recycled plastic pots which other plants came in–to name a few. And as the picture shows, you can get even more creative–and cheap–by simply planting right in the garden soil bag! Yes, a bag of soil! Years ago Mother Earth News ran an article about planting directly in flat bags of soil, and I actually did a small plot with this method. It’s a great idea for those too-wet-to-get-into garden plots.
My next experiment will be planting in cardboard boxes. I’ll keep you posted on developments.
Dig a Hole
One year, upon looking at my garden that had turned back into lawn, I went outside and dug holes in the grass, planted my tomatoes, spaced evenly, and laid down newspaper and mulch around them to kill the grass. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. This was in the days before Internet and Pinterest, so I was simply acting on an idea that I thought would probably not work anyway. Imagine my surprise when it actually did!
If you choose this method, I recommend digging bigger holes than you need and mixing in compost or bagged garden soil with added fertilizer from your local garden center to fill in the hole around your transplants. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
Take a Risk and Try Something New
One of the pure joys of being a gardener is thinking outside the box–er, container, that is–and trying something new. Weather conditions change year to year, so it’s good to have alternative ways for raising crops and growing flowers. If your garden is too wet to plant–or even if it isn’t–why not take a risk with one of these methods. Even on a small scale, you’ll reap a harvest of veggies–and gardening savvy!
Have you tried any of these planting methods? Tell us about it in the comments.
Related posts:
Building a Raised Garden 3 Ways
Unique Containers for Gardening
Create Our Simple Container Gardening Flower Combos
Gardening Advice from a Thirty-year Greenhouse Veteran
Past posts from a year ago:
Planting the Late Summer Garden
From two years ago:
Bucking Bales: A Family Tradition
Hackberry Trees, Family Visits, and Other News Fresh From the Farm