Saturday Gardening and Puttering Thread, November 6

Hi, everybody! Thanksgiving is coming. Are you thinking of serving any cactus from the garden? jim in Kalifornia might:

A pic of one of the cactus flowers open the other day. They only open up in the early morning and close up when the sun comes up (makes sense; why lose excess water if you're a cactus?). Finger and bee(s) for scale.

If you zoom in closely into the blossom, you'll see what looks like a bee posing for the photo! In reality, it's two bees, one side-ways, the other facing the camera.

A photo of fruit that's already set hold. When ripe will turn a lovely lavender-red color, and if not picked soon enough, will split open revealing the yumminess inside.
Pic of about a dozen of the 20 or so blossoms this year from part of the cactus; I've never seen so many! In a normal year I'll get maybe 3 to 6 blossoms and maybe a fruit or two if I'm lucky. Seems to be happy this year! I got a lobe from my mother about 15 years ago; she said it was a "cancer cactus". Dunno about that, but the fruit is tasty.

Pic of about a dozen of the 20 or so blossoms this year from part of the cactus; I've never seen so many! In a normal year I'll get maybe 3 to 6 blossoms and maybe a fruit or two if I'm lucky. Seems to be happy this year! I got a lobe from my mother about 15 years ago; she said it was a "cancer cactus". Dunno about that, but the fruit is tasty.
Don't mind the black berry in the background...it's gone rogue, escaped from where it started. One year got ? 70 lbs of black berries in my cramped little yard (neighbors are not amused with the plant). On the opposite side of the blackberries, to the back of me when I was taking this photo is a Pecan tree and some Guavas. I've had the pecan from a seedling (someone threw a nut in my yard it germinated, now is 24 years old). It gave about 20 lbs of nuts last year (at least what I could steal back from the crows), but there won't be many this year as I cut it back. The guavas I have are Taiwanese guavas; one year got some fruit that was the size of a softball. My MIL, God rest her soul, loved the fruit.
Oh, and yes, my yard is a MESS and I know it. One day I'll clean it up again.

We'll post a photo of the ripe fruit later.

Edible Gardening

A while ago, TANSTAAFL sent us some garden photos:

First, Scottish Kate and I planted 2 basil plants early this year, just to see how it turned out. And, if you look at the planter, there is a third one, a poor scrawny orphan on its last legs from a previous attempt. Well, that little thins, along with the two new ones are thriving.
And they are flowering, something I didn't even know basil did. Cute little things, too.
Most years we have a ton of flowers in our front lawn, but this year never got around to it.

Ready for pesto - You can cut those plants back when they flower!

Nice basil leaves here:

If you get some tweezers out, you can harvest the blossoms, and eat those as fancy garnishes, too.

Big Garden Pests (or Visitors?)

Garden developments last week chez MarkY:

Well, I spent the morning prepping the garden for the glean.
Got to 35 last night, and colder is coming.
If all goes well, may have red sliced maters at T Giving.
Problem is, i forgot to shut the gate, and the deer got in.
Wife is still out there, assessing damage. Worst case scenario, one jumps over the 8' fence, and they learn it's possible.
Digging sweet taters tomorrow.

Deer in the garden. Uh-oh. The other things sound nice.

George V seems to have sort of given up keeping them out of the garden:

I saw the video of the deer in the trail camera today and remembered the buck fight in our back yard about 10 days ago. It lasted about 10 or 12 minutes but here's a short video. A couple of does were in the area too, watching it. This corner of our yard seems to be a place the bucks like to mark and scrape.
I live about 23 miles as the crow flies (or the buck walks?) northwest from the heart of downtown Detroit on the Detroit River. There are lots of trees and wooded areas in our township. The deer moved in about 15-16 years ago. Magnificent animals but they eat most all of the flowers.

Not everyone has action like that in their yard! (Thanks to CBD for formatting the video for us.)

Post-Halloween Activities

K.T.
My neighbor's front yard.
My compliments of the season.
Been Lurking

Heh.

What to do with old pumpkins

Photos (Ewww) and ideas at the link, including:

- Attending a pumpkin smash and smush event

Take them to a zoo that gives pumpkins to animals.

Thanksgiving is coming, too. You may have new pumpkins. Choose kinds bred for the kitchen (or similar squashes). What to do with pumpkin guts.

Breakfast in the countryside

After a few hours of farmwork. In Azerbaijan.

No music on this video. Kind of restful, somehow. Tomatoes, olives and mulberry syrup show up in the same meal.

The video says they are harvesting saffron for morning tea, but it is really safflower. Rare Seeds offers a (no-spine or low-spine) variety called Corrales Azafran Safflower.

A wonderful and easy-to-grow,substitute for true saffron in cooking! Safflower is a wonderful plant with several uses and one of humanity's oldest crops. Long before true saffron was cultivated, safflower was already a major crop in ancient Egypt. It later spread to ancient Greece where it was called Karthamos, and all the way to China. The Arabs brought it to southern Spain where in the 12th century they selected a spineless strain (safflower is from the "thistle" family). The village of Corrales was founded on the banks of the Rio Grande, and the Spanish colonists had brought safflower seeds possibly collected from their stop in the Island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands, where a famous strain was then cultivated. This Corrales Azafran strain has stayed close to this original seed brought to New Mexico. It is widely adapted; flowers can be used as a coloring spice, dried to brew tea and also, a dye with a deep orange, almost red, pigment. The young plants make a delicious leafy green. The seeds can be pressed into oil. The deep taproots are a very efficient soil breaker.

About their deep orange, prickly variety, they say:

This uncanny similarity to saffron is responsible for safflower's nickname as "poor man's saffron". Not only useful in the kitchen, Dark Orange-Red is a gorgeous ornamental that is a well disguised garden tool. The stiff, almost prickly, plants, have been used for centuries as natural fencing to keep animals out of the garden.

Safflower is a commercial crop near us. It is VERY prickly in most fields. Generally shorter than the kinds sold for the garden.

Seedaholic sells a Japanese cut flower variety called "Kinko". They give detailed cultural directions. The leaves are spineless and charmingly rounded. They don't think it has much flavor, but think it adds nice color to soups.

Gardens of The Horde

badgerwx sent in the following:

Here are a couple of pictures I took this week while I wait for my first
frost to end what's left of the growing season. Usually I get one in
the 2nd half of October, then it warms up again. But this Oct has been
so warm I haven't come close yet.
My fall flowers are still blooming a little, but they're slowing down as
the days keep getting shorter. The picture from 25 Oct is a Monkshood
(Aconitum, also called wolfsbane). It takes full sun to part-shade &
mine likes the morning sun. But it doesn't like drought conditions so
it suffered some in August.
The warm temperatures have triggered some of my iris to try for a fall
bloom. When I started my garden I bought some iris advertised as fall
rebloomers, but I've found that even ordinary bearded iris can rebloom -
if the first frost delays long enough. I have several iris stalks
growing in protected areas, but the others are in a race to bloom before
the first frost comes. Things are looking chilly here by the end of
next week.

Lovely flowers.

If you would like to send information and/or photos for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden
at that g mail dot com place

Include the nic by which you wish to be known when you comment at AoSHQ,
unless you want to remain a lurker.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:24 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at November 06, 2021 12:28 PM (2JoB8)

2 First

Posted by: ghost of hallelujah at November 06, 2021 12:28 PM (sJHOI)

3 Been moving compost, cleaning out bin for future leaves. Probably have moved 7 or 8 carts, 3 or 4 more to move.
Frost killed last pepper out of mini greenhouse and picked 2 Anaheim yesterday in greenhouse but doubt anything else this year.

Posted by: Skip at November 06, 2021 12:32 PM (2JoB8)

4 Looked more like a sparring match between the bucks.

Posted by: davidt at November 06, 2021 12:33 PM (FkR2T)

5 Pretty pictures.

Here in North Central / East Kansas, the last of the crops are being harvested.

Sorghum is slowly being taken off the fields.

Some corn remains on selected feed to allow Angus cattle to feed on them over the winter. An electric fence defends the remaining corn until it is opened for consumption. This is an aide to the supply chain (very local) and low cost.

Most of the fields are bare, with some mast remaining. If there is prairie left, it will be eaten by cows soon. Everyone else is stockpiling round bales for winter forage.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 12:34 PM (u82oZ)

6 Gotta turn off the outside faucets. The front one is nearly impossible to move. But so far the hanging plants have not been affected by frost or cold.

Posted by: Iris at November 06, 2021 12:34 PM (6lKe4)

7 Good morning!
Thanks for the GT KT!

500ft of 1/2 dripline purchased, now I have to lay it out, connect it and place emitters.
The Desert Botanical Garden had their Fall sale and I'm watering the plants by hand right now. What a pain.

I may get a garden in next spring (Jan here) but, not unless I get busy.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at November 06, 2021 12:35 PM (zoGah)

8 Selected Fields. Sheesh.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 12:35 PM (u82oZ)

9 KT, thank you for the bucolic Garden Thread.

The info on Safflower is very interesting. I can see that being raised in an on-property greenhouse, and then sold at the local farmer's market.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 12:37 PM (u82oZ)

10 NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 12:34 PM

I wonder how many people know what "mast" means?

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 12:41 PM (0ghg2)

11 Hiya KT !

Posted by: JT at November 06, 2021 12:41 PM (arJlL)

12 hiya

Posted by: JT at November 06, 2021 12:42 PM (arJlL)

13 Busy today KT. Thanks for the content. Not saying those bucks are gay for each other, but I thought those interactions would be a bit more aggressive.

Posted by: MikeM at November 06, 2021 12:43 PM (WsqCN)

14 My computer reversed the length and width on one of the photos from badgerwx, and I had to change its size. Weird.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 12:44 PM (0ghg2)

15 MikeM at November 06, 2021 12:43 PM

Maybe they're just practicing for later in the season.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 12:45 PM (0ghg2)

16 KT

Well, this is the Garden Thread, with well-informed commenters, and me.

But come to think of it, this would be a good term to tell urban-based glowies from native sons.

Hard to fake being a local, when you think Angus sleep on their feet vice lying down, or do not know how mast helps the bird and prairie vole population overwinter.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 12:45 PM (u82oZ)

17 The bucks fighting video needs that Star Trek combat music.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at November 06, 2021 12:45 PM (BwQXu)

18 Hiya, JT

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 12:45 PM (0ghg2)

19 #10

Ask me!

Posted by: Milky Glutes at November 06, 2021 12:49 PM (EZoe1)

20 Just turned off the outside tap. Below freezing temps are here.

Geraniums and pansies are still flipping the middle finger to Old Man Winter, but everything else is shriveled and sad looking.

I wonder if we'll get snow on thanksgiving like in my yute.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at November 06, 2021 12:50 PM (BwQXu)

21 I need to rake and bag the leaves from the big magnolia tree in the front. It's a beautiful day for it but I'll wait for more leaves to come down (rationalize my laziness).

Posted by: JuJuBee at November 06, 2021 12:50 PM (mNhhD)

22 Milky Glutes

OK. What does mast mean to you?

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 12:51 PM (u82oZ)

23 Howdy, NaCly!

Posted by: COMountainMarie at November 06, 2021 12:53 PM (5YdO/)

24 {{{COMountainMarie }}}

I trust you and your besotted man are both well.
And that it is a wonderful day in Colorado. Your altitude must be seeing winter soon.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 12:56 PM (u82oZ)

25 Maybe I can get an autonomous collective, a greenhouse, and saffron. The harvest would be labor intensive.

Hmmm. Get a grant to work with Kansas State University to make a saffron harvest robot.

Thank, KT. My ag startup has more projects than time and people.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 01:02 PM (u82oZ)

26 wow, some lovely flower pics this week !
we did final garden harvesting over the last few weeks, saved a lot of seeds for next year. only things still standing are some shrubbery-sized kale, a few brussels sprouts, parsley, chives, and sage.
filled a few freezer baggies with chopped kale for soup greens over the winter; ditto parsley leaves.
lunch will be pork & turkey leftover soup with lots of kale and parsley, seasoned with garlic, sage and oregano.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez (ahosz) at November 06, 2021 01:07 PM (ahosz)

27 25 Maybe I can get an autonomous collective, a greenhouse, and saffron. The harvest would be labor intensive.

An anarcho-syndicalist commune?

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw at November 06, 2021 01:09 PM (lR7Oz)

28 I look forward to the Gardening Thread every week. I don't really read it, but I enjoy looking at the dirty pictures.

Posted by: NoOne NoHow at November 06, 2021 01:11 PM (vlXMQ)

29 lol, Eris, I forgot to shut down the outside hose faucets this year; the first really deep frost froze one which failed at the sharkbite fitting on the pex tube ! I'll replace it next year in the spring.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez (ahosz) at November 06, 2021 01:11 PM (ahosz)

30 Insomniac - Outlaw

Yes. I just need a lovely supply of dirt.

It was so good to see you at the MoMeet.

May you have Good luck! going forward.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 01:11 PM (u82oZ)

31 It was so good to see you at the MoMeet.

May you have Good luck! going forward.
Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 01:11 PM (u82oZ)

It was great to see you too, and thank you!

Posted by: Insomniac - Outlaw at November 06, 2021 01:13 PM (lR7Oz)

32 NaCly
All is well in the Rockies. Surprisingly, we are still enjoying decent weather.
Got the old man outside working on my truck

Posted by: COMountainMarie at November 06, 2021 01:13 PM (5YdO/)

33 Thank you for the breakfast video. Really enjoyed that. Relaxing, very good videography, production. Very harmonious. Cats, a dog, chickens, humans. Plenty of food for everybody. No waste, the water for the tomato blanching(?) is poured off for the flowers in the pot. No electricity needed. Saffron tea, will have to try that one day.

Posted by: MikeM at November 06, 2021 01:13 PM (WsqCN)

34 Mr. b and I just planted a bunch of spring bulbs. If the squirrels don't dig them up, they will be pretty come spring. And then we hope the deer won't eat them.

Posted by: bluebell at November 06, 2021 01:13 PM (wyw4S)

35 COMountainMarie

So glad to hear you are well, and that your powers of man-management leads to truck maintenance.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 01:16 PM (u82oZ)

36 Cleaned out last of compost bin, lots of work. Filling it is more

Posted by: Skip at November 06, 2021 01:19 PM (2JoB8)

37 bluebell

One word: Venison. Could be tricky with all the houses nearby, but I have full faith that Mr. b or you can deliver. Shiv use a plus.

Now I'm picturing a deer path to Lake Fairfax for water, and in a branch in the middle terrace, a hungry bluebell, in a leopard spotted coverall, and a shiv in each hand. The deer approaches. *Scene dissolves*.

It's bluebell's dining room, and there are eager hands wanting the venison chill.

Edgar Rice Burroughs, call your agent.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 01:21 PM (u82oZ)

38 bluebell, I can figure out that Mr. B recovered from his election day efforts.

May you have a great day.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 01:25 PM (u82oZ)

39 Chores await.

Have a great day, everyone. Mat the traffic lights turn green on your way home.

Posted by: NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 01:25 PM (u82oZ)

40 Huh, I grew up in on a dryland farm/ranch and never heard of mast. Is this another term for stubble field? or specific to leaving the corn stalks after harvest?

Posted by: PaleRider, Yay warm weekend at November 06, 2021 01:26 PM (3cGpq)

41 I grew up in on a dryland farm/ranch

Same here, and I've not heard the term either.

Posted by: Ronster at November 06, 2021 01:30 PM (i8YGG)

42 OMG THE SKELETONS!
LOVE IT!

Posted by: vmom - link to Red's fundraiser at November 06, 2021 01:33 PM (YZG/i)

43 jim in Kalifornia's mention of harvesting cactus fruit is interesting. We have a prickly pear in our yard--it survived the February freeze!!--and it gets quite a bit of fruit every year. Now I'm investigating how to harvest it and what I can do with it. Pretty interesting stuff.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at November 06, 2021 01:36 PM (fTtFy)

44 OMG THE SKELETONS!
LOVE IT!
Posted by: vmom - link to Red's fundraiser at November 06, 2021 01:33 PM (YZG/i

Wait...since when do dead people not love to vote for Dems? I think there be twickery afoot here!

Posted by: Boswell at November 06, 2021 01:36 PM (5iUNf)

45 The Citrus bowl is looking bleak this year.

Posted by: Jamaica Queens at November 06, 2021 01:37 PM (b+v9B)

46 KT, there are a number of rural life videos out there, I watched a lot of Chinese ones, but the woman who did them was awfully productive so I figured I would just go green with envy if I watched too many of them.

There was also the Mexican woman who did a lot of cooking in Mi Cocina, which was fun, and I found this one that my wife likes very much - it is Kimi, and this link goes to making Kimchi, from grinding the peppers (making gochugaru) to chopping and such.
Very traditional preps, very modern life, big farm cooler. Lots of food.

https://youtu.be/o-Auvlfj6oI

Posted by: Kindltot at November 06, 2021 01:39 PM (P9T5R)

47 Just saw an 8-point buck strolling down our fence line. Watch out big boy! Texas deer season started this morning.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at November 06, 2021 01:46 PM (fTtFy)

48 I am an idiot, I think Notsothoreau posted the Kimi link a couple of weeks ago

Posted by: Kindltot at November 06, 2021 01:48 PM (P9T5R)

49 Kindltot at November 06, 2021 01:39 PM

Thanks!

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 01:49 PM (0ghg2)

50 jim in Kalifornia's mention of harvesting cactus fruit is interesting. We have a prickly pear in our yard--it survived the February freeze!!--and it gets quite a bit of fruit every year. Now I'm investigating how to harvest it and what I can do with it. Pretty interesting stuff.

I've seen jars of prickly pear jelly for sale, so that's an option. I'm pretty sure they removed the needles first.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - moronhorde.com. Not insurgents, counterrevolutionaries. at November 06, 2021 01:49 PM (SchxB)

51 I have heard mast as referred to as wild forage, though in England it was considered stuff like beech nuts knocked down for the wild foraging pigs.

I am not surprised that the meaning would conflate to crop left in the field for the animals to graze on

Posted by: Kindltot at November 06, 2021 01:51 PM (P9T5R)

52 You have to remove the spines. The first time I tried to eat prickly pear I didn't have a knife and bit off a chunk of the rind to start peeling it, and wound up with three tiny little prickes lodged under my tongue for a week.

Memories, memories . .

Posted by: Kindltot at November 06, 2021 01:53 PM (P9T5R)

53 Thanks, KT!

Posted by: TANSTAAFL6823 at November 06, 2021 01:54 PM (fBtlL)

54 Actually, the video is relaxing as long as I don't think someone is gonna hand me a pitchfork or a shovel.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 01:55 PM (0ghg2)

55 I used to have a neighbor in So. Cal. who had jungle cacti with blossoms sort of like that. Nocturnal. Don't think they made fruit like that, though.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 01:56 PM (0ghg2)

56 Current status: chillin' on the deck, in shorts and a t-shirt drinking an Arrogant Bastard Ale, smoking a My Father cigar and admiring my freshly mowed acreage while watching geese, woodpeckers, various finches and a plethora of bugs enjoy themselves. Garden is toast after 6 consecutive nights of temps in the 20's. I'll till it down next week and let it sit.

Today, at this moment in time, nothing matters.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at November 06, 2021 01:58 PM (BFigT)

57 Actually, the video is relaxing as long as I don't think someone is gonna hand me a pitchfork or a shovel.
Posted by: KT
Yup. Or she was making me a little nervous with her knives. But she is an expert.
The farm reminded me of a friend from Vietnam. Their growth of some plant in the garden was getting a bit out of control, some herb or other. Solution? They bought four rabbits, and now the rabbits are eating the extra herb in their cages. And soon the humans will be eating the rabbits.

Posted by: MikeM at November 06, 2021 01:59 PM (WsqCN)

58 You have to remove the spines. The first time I tried to eat prickly pear I didn't have a knife and bit off a chunk of the rind to start peeling it, and wound up with three tiny little prickes lodged under my tongue for a week.

Memories, memories . .
Posted by: Kindltot at November 06, 2021 01:53 PM (P9T5R)

Many years ago, one of my brothers-in-formation licked a prickly pear leaf, and learned the hard way why they are called prickly pear.

Posted by: Fox2! at November 06, 2021 02:01 PM (qyH+l)

59 Don't know if anyone is still here. I wanted to post a link to this unique greenhouse:

https://youtu.be/Qvk7Sszh6fg

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at November 06, 2021 02:10 PM (YynYJ)

60 Fox2! at November 06, 2021 02:01 PM

Yipes! Those spines extend down into the fruit, too.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 02:17 PM (0ghg2)

61 MikeM at November 06, 2021 01:59 PM

I agree with you about the knives.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 02:19 PM (0ghg2)

62 I am honored that K.T. posted that picture of my neighbor's yard.

Only in SC.

Posted by: Been Lurking at November 06, 2021 02:19 PM (rDgjh)

63 NaCly Dog (u82oZ) at November 06, 2021 12:45 PM

I first read "Angus sleep" as "Angus sheep" and though I was about to learn something new.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 02:21 PM (0ghg2)

64 Been Lurking at November 06, 2021 02:19 PM

Great photo. Don't be a stranger.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 02:24 PM (0ghg2)

65 Prickly pear jelly is quite common at tourists spots in AZ.

Posted by: AlmostYuman at November 06, 2021 02:25 PM (BYYJf)

66 Should have known another Arizonian would beat me to the prickly pear comment. My daughter is bringing some tomato plants she started for my big patio pot.

Posted by: AlmostYuman at November 06, 2021 02:30 PM (BYYJf)

67 "because it felt like such a betrayal": Blake

Yes, this. That's one reason it is so hard. I've had to let dogs go when it became the last, best thing I could do for them. Even knowing that, all of them still haunt, in a way.

I believe I will eventually see all of them again.

excuse me, got something in my eye.....

Posted by: boynsea at November 06, 2021 02:31 PM (cx155)

68 I want to figure out how to make a cucumber trellis like in that video. I can't make mine grow more than knee high, and I don't water regularly enough to keep them from getting bitter

Posted by: Kindltot at November 06, 2021 02:38 PM (P9T5R)

69 Dammit! Meant for pet thread.

Posted by: boynsea at November 06, 2021 02:39 PM (cx155)

70 Kindltot at November 06, 2021 02:38 PM

A trellis (or fence) makes a big difference for cucumbers in our climate. Also heat-tolerant varieties. Which may not be a factor for you, even if yours still need water.

Posted by: KT at November 06, 2021 02:43 PM (0ghg2)

71 I grow my cucumbers on the garden fence

Posted by: Skip at November 06, 2021 02:50 PM (2JoB8)

72 About the prickly pears--yes, everything I found says "use leather gloves when you handle them, even the ones that you buy in the store that are supposedly de-spined." Cut off the ends, make a 1/4-inch incision in the skin and peel it off. Most common use is to pulp them with a blender or food processor then force through a sieve to remove the tiny seeds. Jelly and additions to lemonade and cocktails are the most common applications. Have to try it next year.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at November 06, 2021 02:55 PM (fTtFy)

73 I grow my cucumbers on the garden fence
Posted by: Skip at November 06, 2021 02:50 PM (2JoB \

there was a farm up the East side of the valley that had a chainlink fence apparently made just for growing cukes

It didn't block anything.

Posted by: Kindltot at November 06, 2021 02:55 PM (P9T5R)

74 last couple of years we've used an old iron bedspring as a cucumber trellis ... not very ornamental but it works okay.
gotta watch that cukes don't grow into weird spots like the interior of a coil spring, though.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez (ahosz) at November 06, 2021 03:44 PM (ahosz)

75 From Boise area: Um, leaves. And... leaves. Mostly sycamore, for stuffing into leaf bags - 15 this week. Husband uses the sweeper cart to pile them up for me - means less raking. He also swept oak leaves up, plopped them on the corn patch, and burned them. (*After* removing irrigation tubing!)

We haven't swept up any shreddables, because husband operates the leaf shredder, and his shoulder is bothering him - best not to upset it further.

We have 2 buckets of Golden Delicious, and want to grab one of probably-Jonathan, to make cider (2 friends volunteered to help with first crush tomorrow).
We canned up 4 pints of "Golden" applesauce.
Nights about mid 40's, days about 60.

This week, I donated blood, helped run an indoor smallbore class and an indoor air rifle class, then today helped run an outdoor Trail Life smallbore event. Whew.

(Trees: Crabapple, linden, 4 sweet gums, 2 maples done dropping. Oak about 2/3 done. XL silver maple 1/2 done. 'Autumn Blaze' maple starting in earnest. Sycamores don't quit until February...)

Posted by: Pat* at November 06, 2021 07:25 PM (2pX/F)

76 Steady rain this morning, so leaves on the lawn are soaking wet. Need a couple days of drying, then can tow our sweeper around the yard. So much faster and easier than raking! My old bod can't rake like it used to-- will have to get the corners cleaned up manually, though. Trees are only halfway bare now, but won't be long before all the leaves are down.

Puttering today was only installing wireless doorbell buttons, putting batteries into the chime unit; then putting up a fabric shade over bare-bulb light in the back room. Looks like the ol' hippy-dippy days, but it's much easier on the eyes.

Looks like the last of our wormy apples have fallen. Need to trash them so the raccoons go elsewhere for a meal!

Posted by: JQ at November 06, 2021 09:05 PM (dB4Iz)

77 We have several pallets saved up. I want to turn them into a fence, to block the view of new (yet to be) compost area. Still haven't decided exactly where to set it up. Need to locate away from walnut tree so none of its leaves get in there to 'poison' the mixture.

Will use 1/2 inch hardware cloth to create cylinders for making the compost, like Mom did. It's an effective system but unfortunately is not very attractive.

Posted by: JQ at November 06, 2021 09:30 PM (dB4Iz)

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