Saturday Gardening and Puttering Thread, January 16 [KT]

Hi! It's cold and wintry in most of the country, but we still have some gardening, puttering and dreaming going on amongst The Horde. We are a determined bunch. The photo above is from Keena.

If you can't grow plants, grow ice.

From Farmer:

Edible Gardening

Do you remember this from our pre-Thanksgiving thread?

I am not sure if I sent you a picture of my sweet potato boxes that I made with my step-dad last year on his visit. We always try to build and weld something while he is here. This year it was potato boxes. They are quite large, about 3 feet square and I have lined them with straw to keep in moisture and then put some dirt in and planted the potatoes and covered the top with more straw. These are sweet potatoes but the boxes will do fine for regular potatoes as well. The theory is that when the potatoes are ready I can open the door on the side, move away the straw and harvest the potatoes at the roots when I need them. We shall see. I was growing my sweet potatoes in a chicken wire hoop with straw on the inside but my garden dog helper thought it was great fun to tip it over and dig in the dirt so this idea was born. You can eat sweet potato leaves so I have been harvesting a few leaves every day and putting them in my morning smoothie. I haven't sauteed them yet but supposedly that is good too.

UPDATE:

Harvested the sweet potatoes from the box. They grew too much in the center so had to dig them out the old fashioned way so no good pictures. Thought of another recipe for you for sweet potatoes.

Roasted Curried Sweet Potatoes
4 Tbl. butter
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
3 lbs. sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small saucepan melt butter, stir in curry powder.
On a large baking sheet, toss potatoes with butter mixture, season with salt and pepper and roast in oven, turning with spatula occasionally until golden and tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Hope you like it.
Wee Kreek Farm Girl

Sounds Great! Different from the usual.

Anybody have any input for Cumberland Astro on raspberries from last week? His comment was the first time I had heard of the Nantahala raspberry, a late primocane variety. First release in 50 years from North Carolina State University.

Nantahala

Any other varieties you can recommend for a longer season?

Catalogs

I got the John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds catalog in the mail. Their main business is bulbs, and if you order bulbs from them, you will probably get one of these catalogs, too. It is one of those fancy, understated catalogs with good descriptions and line drawings instead of photos, except on the cover. Not too big a catalog, their personal favorites, so probably geared to the Northeast. Fun to read. A little pricey.

Their flowers are alphabetical in the catalog now, but can be accessed online by category - edible, cutting, drying, fragrant, etc.

Exotic Love Vine

Assorted Tomatoes

Sweet Potatoes 'Beauregard' - direct from grower

Have you gotten any catalogs lately? Ordered anything?

Landscaping Tip

If you buy a new tree, Larro has a special plea:

Do not plant trees within FEETS of house! Trees must not touch the house, anywhere!
Sooner or later, they must be removed, as in case of 10 year old Magnolias and a Holly tree.
This is a crime against nature!

Roots can undermine foundations.

Tragic losses

Termites also love to use trees as ladders.

Gardens of The Horde

Anything going on in your garden? Doing anything interesting outdoors?

It's the season for Miner's Lettuce here, but we don't have any. We do have chickweed. Have to watch out for the annual nettle.

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.

Colorful Lettuce Sampler

Posted by: Open Blogger at 01:19 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Greenthumbs and snow bunnies

Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 01:22 PM (Cxk7w)

2 Not much going on, trying to get rid of pine branches but not to successfully yet.

Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 01:24 PM (Cxk7w)

3 The photo above is from Keena.

Of the Jungle ?

Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:26 PM (arJlL)

4 Do not plant trees within FEETS of house! Trees must not touch the house, anywhere!

Are arborvitae considered trees? Because my neighbor had to chop down two of them he'd planted as a porch screen after a storm bent them onto my lot. (Our houses are very close together).

Posted by: kallisto at January 16, 2021 01:27 PM (DJFLF)

5 Exotic Love Vine

I got one o' them !

Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:27 PM (arJlL)

6 Termites also love to use trees as ladders.

Those fuckers !

Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:28 PM (arJlL)

7 Hiya KT !

Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:30 PM (arJlL)

8 "As he unfastened her brassiere, exposing her Hypnotic Hoobadabbas to the moonlight, she massaged his Exotic
Love Vine."

Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:32 PM (arJlL)

9 So my wife is obsessed with this new trend of tropical house plants. She spends hours scrolling facebook in plant groups trading or buying cuttings. Trying to figure out the psychology on it, cant be like crazy cat/dog ladies that are trying to replace their lack of children. We,have 2 kids that would love her attention.

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 01:33 PM (I0oUO)

10 My deck and porch plants are not happy about having been hauled into a hot, dry house. They've gotten even with me by making the floor look like autumn. Thank dog it's only two more months.

Outside, my neighbor has planted six unwanted and bedraggled chrysanthemums, dug up from her beds. (She redecorates the flower beds like my mom rearranged furniture.) She swears they'll all survive, though I can't imagine January is optimum planting season for anything.

Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 01:36 PM (XxJt1)

11 We had to get rid of a huge diseased cherry tree that somebody planted too close to the house many decades ago. It was a relief to get it out of there. The roots had had come up through the patio cement.

Posted by: JuJuBee at January 16, 2021 01:37 PM (2bGE5)

12 Plants don't toss back.
We have a begonia houseplant I think that has been alive since late 80s. It has wing shaped leaves green with silver dots gets red heart shape flowers.

Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 01:38 PM (Cxk7w)

13 5 Exotic Love Vine

I got one o' them !
Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:27 PM (arJlL)

*erases JT's initials from dance card*

Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 01:39 PM (XxJt1)

14 Oh, JuJuBee...I hope you saved the wood. Cherry maybe the best smoking wood ever.

Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 01:41 PM (XxJt1)

15 Note hash.

Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 01:42 PM (XxJt1)

16 I received an amaryllis bulb for Christmas and finally potted it up the other day. I hope I didn't let it sit in the box too long. It will be a beautiful pink/white combo if it grows right.

Posted by: kallisto at January 16, 2021 01:42 PM (DJFLF)

17 Someone was asking about crispy pickled okra a few nights ago on the ONT. I didn't show up until after they left, so I couldn't answer. To keep pickled okra (or pickled anything) crispy, add Pickle Crisp to your brine.

I want to grow okra this year, but can't in this house. If I can find a house in time, okra is on the list of veggies to grow.

I have a Japanese Maple about a foot from this house. It's huge and gorgeous. It breaks my heart that it is going to have to go.

Posted by: G. Gnome, House Hunter at January 16, 2021 01:42 PM (OQcPl)

18 On a lighter note... We are securing a 30 chicken flock for meat and egg production in the upcoming dark ages. I would like to be 100% sustainable in their feeding as conservatives might not be able to even purchase chicken feed in the future of social credit scores and black lists. We will employ a variety of methods from chicken tractors for pasture grazing and various compost based feeding systems. Along with bug and larva production (worm farm, black soldier flies). I want some sort of grain too to plant in small plots. Has anyone had any sucess in growing heirloom wheat etc for home baking and feed? Im looking at ancient varieties but still not,sure. I know chickens hate sorghum, but what about amaranth? Corn seems too much to deal with. To piggy back on this are any other morons planning new world order survival gardens?

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 01:44 PM (I0oUO)

19 Nice ice tree ... winter very mild so far here. -- Another 50 grapevines coming this spring ... trying to convince myself I will spray regularly if properly motivated. 20 Einset and 30 Thomcord. I would have bought 20, but their pricing structure made 50 not much more costly than 25, at the time.

Fruit and vegies are really not on the Keto diet, except in smaller quantities. But I'll just have to take a break from keto at key harvest times, and maybe share any bountiful harvest with others. Growing is the most fun part anyway ... and my chickens will happily eat some. cheers to the growers ...

Posted by: illiniwek at January 16, 2021 01:44 PM (Cus5s)

20 I have a bit of plant lust again this year. So looking at the Farmers Seed (I think) catalog at the plant descriptions that say "do well in poor, soil, tolerate drought" I must try just a few plants of a couple of the hardiest sounding ones if I buy at all, as I don't carve out much time for plants and the natural conditions are harsh. I wonder if I'd be more into gardening if I lived somewhere with rich soil and good rainfall. Probably not by a whole lot, but perhaps some if it was easier to keep desired plants alive just to keep the thorny ones crowded out.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at January 16, 2021 01:45 PM (Aashi)

21 Yup, don't plant tree too close to your house. Their roots extend AT LEAST as far as the tree cover, and for some species quite a bit further, not to mention what happens when large branches fall (or god forbid, the tree). When I bought my house, I had a large Eucalyptus growing the the back yard; Eucalyptus are known for having very brittle branches. I cut that sucker down the first chance I got. Now, in the far corner of my yard, I have Pecan tree. Great, except for the damned crowns they fly in the fall.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 01:45 PM (ynpvh)

22 Exotic Love Vine

I got one o' them !
Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:27 PM (arJlL)

*erases JT's initials from dance card*
Posted by: creeper

Note hash.
Posted by: creeper

I thought we were serious !

Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:45 PM (arJlL)

23 I just looked at amaryllis cultivation on a website and it included a step that was not on the bulb container. I was supposed to soak the bulb for 2-4 hours before planting. I did not do that.

I hope the flower grows anyway.

Posted by: kallisto at January 16, 2021 01:47 PM (DJFLF)

24 6 Termites also love to use trees as ladders.

Those fuckers !

Posted by: JT at January 16, 2021 01:28 PM (arJlL)

Only if there's deadwood.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 01:48 PM (ynpvh)

25 jim, do you get pecans off your tree? I need to decide whether to remove a large ficus tree in order to create space/sun-lit area for several fruit trees. I'm thinking just basic citrus, maybe an exotic Asian citrus, but a nut tree sounds interesting. Don't get enough cold nights here to grow stone-fruit.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 16, 2021 01:49 PM (OTzUX)

26 My little pansies and violas seem to have survived winter so far (it's been mild for Michigan). Curious to see what blooms in Spring. Hollyhocks still popping up leaves too.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, Sans-Culottes (except for the Book Thread) at January 16, 2021 01:51 PM (Dc2NZ)

27 Well this is not exactly typical, but at the moment the challenge is to keep the lettuce/greens from bolting from the 80s sunny weather. It was perfect lettuce weather prior to that - cool foggy nights, warm clear days.

But mooting all of this is, I think, rats ravaging the lettuce. Can't be anything else, and physical evidence leaves no other candidates. And there's nothing I can do to stop them.

The drought we're in must be heck on the critters (don't know how they survive anyway), like rabbits and rats. Two weeks ago, first time ever, I had several pots of spearmint eaten, down to the ground. ???? Have never seen an aromatic herb of any kind touched by the local critters. They must be in bad shape.

Posted by: rhomboid at January 16, 2021 01:52 PM (OTzUX)

28 Creeper, we kept a few cross slices of the tree as a memento.

Posted by: JuJuBee at January 16, 2021 01:53 PM (2bGE5)

29 I saw Exotic Love Vine open for Mother Love Bone at Madison Square Garden in '90.

It was almost like one just turned into the other.

Posted by: mikeski at January 16, 2021 01:53 PM (P1f+c)

30 I want some sort of grain too to plant in small
plots. Corn seems too
much to deal with. To piggy back on this are any other morons planning
new world order survival gardens?" Posted by: KarlHungus

My chickens eat more feed in winter for sure, but they don't want the soybeans, even after I heated processed them as suggested (gets rid of something, I forget) ... and I even ground them up a little. They love sunflower seeds. I'm not sure what grains would be most practical to grow without bigger harvest equipment. My turnips are still green in some places ... chickens like the turnip tops. --- Surely "they" won't cut off our ability to buy chicken feed? --- The survival attitude is good, I'm just hoping/expecting we won't actually have to face Russia style shortages ... but better to be prepared.

Posted by: illiniwek at January 16, 2021 01:54 PM (Cus5s)

31 KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 01:44 PM
Is there anything psychological your wife might be trying to procrastinate dealing with by concentrating on the tropical plants?

About the ancient grains, etc: No experience with those, but some have chaff that is hard to remove. Check.
Also look into the various species of millet. I think chickens could handle that.

Amaranth is not a grain but may have complementary proteins, as may quinoa, if you can find one that produces where you live. Must be washed.

Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 01:55 PM (BVQ+1)

32 I'm going to try starting geraniums from seed this year, but it's too early yet. So I've taken 4 cuttings from an old geranium I moved into the house in the fall, and am trying to root them to create new plants. Anyone got any advice about this? They're not looking too hot; I planted them in moist potting soil on Monday, and their leaves are one by one going limp and yellow. They're not actually dead yet, but I wonder if this process will stop at some point and the plant show signs of life?

Posted by: Dr. Mabuse at January 16, 2021 01:55 PM (ITF9W)

33 25 jim, do you get pecans off your tree?

Posted by: rhomboid at January 16, 2021 01:49 PM (OTzUX)

OH YEAH, even with no other pecan in the area to cross-polinate, so yields even lower than would otherwise be. I started getting nuts off of it when it hit 15 years old (someone or some critter dropped a pecan nut into my back yard, it sprouted, I dug it up and moved it to a better location). The tree is around 24 years old now, and has a trunk diameter of about 18"-20" a few feet up. This year, I was so pissed off at all the damage the crows were doing (noise, pecking nuts before they were ripe, breaking my nuts on the roof and solar panels) that I started cutting off the higher branches, resulting in a bumper crop as I kept it away from the crows. I probably have 10 or 15 pounds of nuts that I've dried out and are ready to eat.

As for other fruit trees, there are often varieties that need little or no freeze time.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 01:56 PM (ynpvh)

34 31 Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 01:55 PM (BVQ+1)

When growing up, we fed our chickens some fresh Alfalfa along with their regular meal. (also gave them grasses to eat, rather than burn it). After a few weeks of the Alfalfa supplementation, the yolks turned blood red and were the best I'd ever eaten.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 01:58 PM (ynpvh)

35 I grow lettuce hydroponically inside (kratky method) so I don't have to deal with pests. We have bunnies and aphids here like crazy. Also, lettuce year round.

I'm going to try growing spinach hydroponically next.

Posted by: G. Gnome, House Hunter at January 16, 2021 02:00 PM (OQcPl)

36 "Serious"? I try not to be, JT. Life's too short. And getting shorter at a breathtaking rate.

Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 02:02 PM (XxJt1)

37 Looking forward to spring! I'll be in a new planting region and so have no idea what I should try to grow.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:04 PM (ofYez)

38 Grow mangels. They are stock beets and livestock loves them. They grow a bit above ground. Chickens eat the greens and the tops. Goats and pigs like the roots. You really don't need grain for chickens, if they can free range. I think Gene Logdon has a book on growing grains.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at January 16, 2021 02:04 PM (YynYJ)

39 yams or sweat potatos?

are they the same thing?

or what is the difference?

Posted by: will choose a nic later at January 16, 2021 02:06 PM (r4bSV)

40 I have five amaryllis this year. They came with special potting soil. Just soak the soil and plant. All the pink and white ones bloomed over the holidays. I have one red one, planted later, blooming now. You can get them to reblook but I doubt that I will bother with moving these.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at January 16, 2021 02:08 PM (YynYJ)

41 @KT We own a restaurant. Due to the 'plannedemic' we are being foreced to move as we cannot afford our house rent anymore going up 75% next year. But we are moving in with my parents and despite that not sounding fun we should have plenty of privacy, and they will be close to the grandkids. Also a good chunk of land that we can make sustainable. With the blue state exodus our plans of owning a bit of land seem far off now with prices exploding.

I didnt know amaranth had to be washed, hmm.

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:08 PM (I0oUO)

42 38 You really don't need grain for chickens, if they can
free range.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at January 16, 2021 02:04 PM (YynYJ)

As long as their diet doesn't consist of too many toxic things.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 02:09 PM (ynpvh)

43 I have a puttering question for the knowledgeable plumbers in our midst.

The home inspection for the house we wish to buy showed a slow-draining bathtub. The drain line in the crawl space actually goes uphill about 2 inches in 4 ft (really guessing here from a photo) between the p-trap and the drain pipe where it joins the kitchen sink drain and goes down to connect to sewer lines.

It seems to me that you would never want your drain lines running counter to gravity, but the inspector and realtor didn't seem to see anything wrong with it and assumed the slow drain just needed to be snaked.

Am I correct in assuming that the drain lines should only run downhill, except for p-traps, of course?

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:10 PM (ofYez)

44 The tomato is still going strong we harvested 20 1" this week and there are many more a bit on the orange side which should be ready this or next week.
Swiss chard also still going strong, large very green leaves with bright red stocks.
Winter garden are coming along, the birds moved them around from my *perfect* square foot spacing. I'll put netting over future plantings.

Heading out to local Nursery to buy seeds for summer garden right now.
Hope you all have an excellent day.

Posted by: AZ deplorably isolated at January 16, 2021 02:11 PM (gtatv)

45 I have a raspberry plant. It has never borne more than 2 berries for me, and of course deer or squirrels or raccoons got them first. But the great thing is it hasn't died!

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:12 PM (ofYez)

46 Yes, I have read a lot on free ranging, predators are a concern also. I have a grain mill so I thought keeping some sort of easy to thresh grain would be cool to have around, for bread and supplemental chicken feed. Dont want all feeding option 'eggs' in one basket. These fodder beets sound cool, but we dont have any animals that would eat the bottoms, unless the neighbors horses can eat them?

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:12 PM (I0oUO)

47 AZ deplorably isolated at January 16, 2021 02:11 PM
Fantastic that you have tomatoes now!

Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 02:13 PM (BVQ+1)

48 Me buying a plant is a murder in progress. At best, I can allow what is already growing to continue to grow by avoiding it.

Posted by: t-bird at January 16, 2021 02:13 PM (lIIT7)

49 yams or sweat potatos?
are they the same thing?
or what is the difference?
Posted by: will choose a nic later

The difference is that I dislike one, and I don't like the other.

But seriously, no, they're not even the same genus/species. They just get confused since they're used for the same things, food-wise. Yams are starchier, sweet potatoes are sweeter.

Posted by: mikeski at January 16, 2021 02:14 PM (P1f+c)

50 I have raspberries in pots to take with me. We had them up by the house last winter. One potful died but seems to have rooted first. That area now has raspberry plants. I may dig up a few more. I have seen rats eat the berries off them.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at January 16, 2021 02:15 PM (YynYJ)

51 I had a houseplant once. It didn't make it.

Posted by: DB- just DB at January 16, 2021 02:15 PM (iTXRQ)

52 The chickens will eat the bottoms too. You can cut them up but they will pick at the whole beet. They must be slightly sweet.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at January 16, 2021 02:16 PM (YynYJ)

53 Notsothoreau - look forward at January 16, 2021 02:04 PM
Some mangels are tastier for people to eat than others, as well.

Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 02:17 PM (BVQ+1)

54 I bought a rosemary at the grocery store a couple of months go and attempted to care for my new houseplant.

It ended poorly.

Posted by: CppThis at January 16, 2021 02:18 PM (zcf1k)

55 KarlHungus
I'm not sure if amaranth has to be washed, but quinoa has to be washed.

I think there is a popping amaranth out there somewhere. Maybe at J.L. Hudson. But I could be wrong.

Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 02:19 PM (BVQ+1)

56 Our neighbors three houses down have chickens. They keep escaping and come clucking around our back yard. I love chickens but I worry about them getting into a tussle with the feral cats.

Posted by: JuJuBee at January 16, 2021 02:22 PM (2bGE5)

57 If it were me, I might try growing buckwheat. It's not a true grain but is great for building up the garden. Amaranth doesn't need to be washed and is pretty simple to grow. Sunflowers would be good as it's easy to get oil from those. Most parrot mixes use safflower seeds and chickens will eat those too. Haven't tried growing them.

I've had wheat sprout and grow in the pickup bed before. It's easier to grow than you might think.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at January 16, 2021 02:23 PM (YynYJ)

58 The idiots that were the original owners of my house planted a row of trees 18" away from the North wall. Do people not realize that trees get big? I had to cut them down, not only because of the damage they were doing to the roof, and filling the gutters, but they'd turned into a freeway for squirrels. So, the squirrels could at their leisure chew their way into the attic, which they did several times.

What I also don't get is the development originally thought scrub oaks would be the perfect tree in everybody's front yard. A tree that drops (sharp and pointy) leaves and acorns 365 days a year. And, the roots are incredibly invasive. I lived in the hills where the oaks are natural, and one of them literally lifted the foundation several inches. In a suburban tract it's stupid. Mine invaded the sewer line going out which I had to have repaired. I'd love to cut it down, but in CA it's illegal because gaia.

Same idiots that planted Elm trees under the power lines, only to realize the trees get to 30-40' tall, so they had to cut them all down and plant crape myrtle. Some landscape company made money, twice.

Posted by: clutch cargo - processed in a facility that may contain lead at January 16, 2021 02:24 PM (L8ADy)

59 Emmie While a carpenter by trade do my own plumbing as well as see it daily done. A drain if in the total falls a short area of flat to slight upgrade will cause a bit of water never to fully drain. Also potential for sediment to pool there if not flushed away often or by force. Obviously if older house has worked so far. Can it be gotten to and straighter out or as suspect something blocks that route since the original plumber went the easy way out.

Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 02:26 PM (Cxk7w)

60 56 Our neighbors three houses down have chickens. They keep escaping and
come clucking around our back yard. I love chickens but I worry about
them getting into a tussle with the feral cats.

Posted by: JuJuBee at January 16, 2021 02:22 PM (2bGE5)

My SIL lost three of hers to her neighborhood eagle. Not much left behind.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 02:27 PM (ynpvh)

61 Chickens can hold their own against cats, raccoons not so much.

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:29 PM (I0oUO)

62 I've had poor luck with rosemary in pots. It likes sandy soil. I used to have a house with concrete steps up by the road. I planted rosemary there and it thrived. The steps acted as solar mass.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at January 16, 2021 02:29 PM (YynYJ)

63 Yams and sweet potatoes:
Most of the orange "yams" we see at the grocery store are actually sweet potatoes that are softer than the pale or purple "sweet potatoes" sold next to them.
True yams are a different species, and look quite different, with coarse skin.

Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 02:30 PM (BVQ+1)

64 Google just informed me of a breakfast porridge recipe with amaranth! Thanks google! I need to drop this phone in a lake.

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:30 PM (I0oUO)

65 I have a dead 40 foot pine within 10 feet, as well as many trees within 20 feet of the house. It's quite frightening in a storm.

Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 02:34 PM (Cxk7w)

66 56 Our neighbors three houses down have chickens. They keep escaping and come clucking around our back yard. I love chickens but I worry about them getting into a tussle with the feral cats.
Posted by: JuJuBee at Jan

At my ranch the feral cats don't bother the chickens or quail. The chickens aren't afraid of the cats either. Dogs and raptors will kill them.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 16, 2021 02:35 PM (xhUfN)

67 Can it be gotten to and straighter out or as suspect something blocks that route since the original plumber went the easy way out.
Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 02:26 PM (Cxk7w)

Thank you, Skip. It's in the crawl space, but it looks like it could be easily fixed just by shortening the vertical pipe directly under the tub so that the outlet from the p-trap would be a little higher than the following pipe.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:35 PM (ofYez)

68 58 The idiots that were the original owners of my house planted a row of
trees 18" away from the North wall. Do people not realize that trees get
big? I had to cut them down, not only because of the damage they were
doing to the roof, and filling the gutters, but they'd turned into a
freeway for squirrels. So, the squirrels could at their leisure chew
their way into the attic, which they did several times.

Posted by: Cluch Cargo at January 16, 2021 02:24 PM (L8ADy)

Don't forget the rats. They're smarter than your average squirrel and will use ANYTHING (fences, poles, trees) to get into your attic from a foot or more from you roof.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 02:36 PM (ynpvh)

69 My tablet just gives me Leftist news propaganda, if it dropped a recipe now and then I might be grateful.

Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 02:36 PM (Cxk7w)

70 Joe Biden just announced he is putting his science team together. Will they have lab coats and carry beakers of different colored liquids? What new horrors are they going to foist on us in the name of science?

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at January 16, 2021 02:36 PM (h1jJh)

71 Emmie, bring the raspberry when you move.

So far I've planted apples, pecans, dogwood, crepe myrtle and Rose of Sharon. They're all doing well, though it's a constant battle with webworms for the pecans.

I think maybe the siphon effect takes care of the rise in your drain line.

Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 02:37 PM (XxJt1)

72 64 Google just informed me of a breakfast porridge recipe with amaranth! Thanks google! I need to drop this phone in a lake.

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:30 PM (I0oUO)

Get worried when they start sending you ads for lawyers. Or is it when the ads stop?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 02:37 PM (ynpvh)

73 65 I have a dead 40 foot pine within 10 feet, as well as many trees within 20 feet of the house. It's quite frightening in a storm.

Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 02:34 PM (Cxk7w)

Get-em cut down. Dead ones are also a fire hazard.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 02:38 PM (ynpvh)

74 Creeper, it will be great to be able to visit you from not far away!

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:39 PM (ofYez)

75 70 Joe Biden just announced he is putting his science team together. Will
they have lab coats and carry beakers of different colored liquids? What
new horrors are they going to foist on us in the name of science?

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at January 16, 2021 02:36 PM (h1jJh)

OT, but Hunter knows a thing or two.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 02:39 PM (ynpvh)

76 My family has COVID and one of my guys let the chickens out and no one told me and we didn't shut the door to their house at dusk. We lost about 10 chickens to a bobcat and a coyote.
I am really sad poor things.

I have a trail cam out by the chicken coop. There's been a bobcat coming during the day and stealing chickens so we haven't been letting them free range.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 16, 2021 02:39 PM (xhUfN)

77 CaliGirl, I hope you all recover quickly!

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:41 PM (ofYez)

78 Creeper, I will bring the raspberry. I think the variety name is "Caroline" but I don't recall for sure and don't think I'll ever run across the order list. It was touted as extra tasty and I hope to taste one someday! Mr. Bassman's favorite fruit is raspberry.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:43 PM (ofYez)

79 @76 time for a bobcat blanket, or throw, nice and cozy.

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:43 PM (I0oUO)

80 It will, indeed, Emmie. It's hard to believe you'll be close enough for lunch.

Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 02:44 PM (XxJt1)

81 Morning, all.

We got 4" of pretty snow here in CenTex last Sunday. The locals say it snows about every 5 years or so.

On trees- at our old house, we started out with four and ended up with one. One died and the city took out two during street renovation.
Now we have thirteen of different types- pecan and oak predominating.
First thing we did when we moved in was have the arborist come out and do a lot of maintenance.
Soon after, a perfect stranger came up to me after Mass and said "Ya'lls place looks 100% better since you got your trees cut back."
Tickled me.

Posted by: Sal at January 16, 2021 02:44 PM (KTdeA)

82 We had our home inspection this week and our realtor, who is a fan of old houses, said it was in remarkable shape. Plenty of "old house" flaws but nothing troubling. Yay!

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:45 PM (ofYez)

83 About trees closes to the house. Here in the NE tree cutting has become de rigueur.

Got new home insurance policy and 30 days later were told to "trim" (read remove) maple tree with branches overhanging the roof. We dropped the policy and the tree stays.

Posted by: Ziba at January 16, 2021 02:45 PM (S1hrL)

84 Old houses have proven themselves. You won't get many nasty surprises from an old house. All the warts are there to see.

Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 02:47 PM (XxJt1)

85 77 CaliGirl, I hope you all recover quickly!
Posted by: President-elect E

Thank you, I'm starting to turn the corner but my husband is still sick. The kids are better.
I'd say I had a bad flu if we didn't test positive.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 16, 2021 02:47 PM (xhUfN)

86 a great way to get your garden going fast is to fly into Nashville and rent a 24 ft Budget truck
then drive out to Smithville and Mcminnville TN
there is thousand of acres of plant wholesalers in the area
you can fill a truck with trees and bushes for 5-7K
then drive back and start planting
I've made the trip at least 5 times
and I live in the Berkshires

would have cost me at least 200K for landscaping

I did for less than 50K

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 02:47 PM (zZxh0)

87 Karlhungus,
We had the grandkids just around the corner for 16 years.
Such a great part of our lives.

Posted by: Sal at January 16, 2021 02:48 PM (KTdeA)

88 Biden's "science" team includes a "geneticist" who apparently will also have a cabinet position.
Need we know more?

Posted by: Ziba at January 16, 2021 02:48 PM (S1hrL)

89 I was surprised how expensive tree maintenance is. We called a tree service after a tree branch fell on the neighbor's roof and had the service do the absolute minimum, just making sure our trees were not endangering neighbors or their property. Cost us a couple thousand. Yikes!

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:49 PM (ofYez)

90 84 Old houses have proven themselves. You won't get many nasty surprises from an old house. All the warts are there to see.
Posted by: creeper at January 16, 2021 02:47 PM (XxJt1)

My first house in the Berkshires was 250 years old

my next one was 70 years old

those old houses are a bitch to work on and refit

and I'm good at it

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 02:50 PM (zZxh0)

91 I have a Japanese Maple about a foot from this house. It's huge and gorgeous. It breaks my heart that it is going to have to go.
Posted by: G. Gnome, House Hunter

Nonsense. I've seen 100 + year houses with huge trees next to the foundation.
Tree roots need oxygen, nutrients and moisture. If none of those are next to the foundation, no roots will be either.
We got a call on an enormous chinkapin oak that collapsed in 65 mph winds Thursday. Damned thing only lasted 110 years after they built around it.
Just don't make them like they used to!

Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 02:50 PM (nM/fW)

92 79 @76 time for a bobcat blanket, or throw, nice and cozy.
Posted by: KarlHungus at Janu

When we are better we are going to have to do something. The coyote too. He's sneaking here during the day too.

I think the bobcat may be living behind my guest house. There's a a lot of trees back there.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 16, 2021 02:51 PM (xhUfN)

93 79 @76 time for a bobcat blanket, or throw, nice and cozy.

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:43 PM (I0oUO)

YMMV if beastie is protected. If so, claim to be Native American.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 02:53 PM (ynpvh)

94 73, 65. "trees frightening in a storm."

You can say that again. We had two come partially down after Isaias, just missing the house. Expensive getting them removed.
$4,000 for two big old pines.

Posted by: Ziba at January 16, 2021 02:53 PM (S1hrL)

95 89 I was surprised how expensive tree maintenance is. We called a tree service after a tree branch fell on the neighbor's roof and had the service do the absolute minimum, just making sure our trees were not endangering neighbors or their property. Cost us a couple thousand. Yikes!
Posted by: President-elect Emmie at

We have a great deal going with a contractor friend of ours. We have a bucket truck and we are letting the friend borrow our truck and he sends his tree guys to our house in exchange. They've cut down a bunch of dead trees and trimmed a lot of trees.
I agree it's super expensive.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 16, 2021 02:55 PM (xhUfN)

96 I'm having 7 popples removed sometime this month

they are surrounding on of my barns

got to be topped and removed

$4600

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 02:55 PM (zZxh0)

97 My job this weekend is to draw up the plan for the new garden I want to put in for lean times, if I can talk him into it...
I think I will do the four-foot strips with working paths in between to keep the square-foot thing going but without the raised beds.
Cheaper, and we can always re-seed grass in the improved soil, if it doesn't work out.

There are interesting old pamphlets on the net about WWII victory gardens- fun to look at.

Posted by: Sal at January 16, 2021 02:56 PM (KTdeA)

98 So will chickens eat the whole sunflower seed or does it need to be shelled?

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:57 PM (I0oUO)

99 those old houses are a bitch to work on and refit

and I'm good at it
Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 02:50 PM (zZxh0)

This one already has modern plumbing, electrical, furnace, hot water, double-pane windows, etc. The type of work it needs is some minor exterior trim decay, gutters installed, finish a few interior cosmetic things. It looks like the sellers were getting ready to replace the master bath surround and fixtures before they moved. I'm gonna need to decide what to do with the original wood floor in the kitchen that needs help. But it's entirely livable as is and cute as a button.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:58 PM (ofYez)

100 97 My job this weekend is to draw up the plan for the new garden I want to put in for lean times, if I can talk him into it...

I think I will do the four-foot strips with working paths in between
to keep the square-foot thing going but without the raised beds.

Cheaper, and we can always re-seed grass in the improved soil, if it doesn't work out.

There are interesting old pamphlets on the net about WWII victory gardens- fun to look at.

Posted by: Sal at January 16, 2021 02:56 PM (KTdeA)

There's that vertical potato box...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 02:58 PM (ynpvh)

101 I agree it's super expensive.
Posted by: CaliGirl at January 16, 2021 02:55 PM (xhUfN)

Sounds like an excellent arrangement!

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:59 PM (ofYez)

102 98 So will chickens eat the whole sunflower seed or does it need to be shelled?

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 02:57 PM (I0oUO)

Their Gizzards can grind up grain, so I think the shells are fine. Just make sure they have rocks around that they can grind the seeds in their gizzards...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at January 16, 2021 03:00 PM (ynpvh)

103 In April, I had a 30 inch popple snap at the midway point

luckily, it twisted away from my mud room

It did take out a corner of my kitchen deck a little of the associated pergola

the worst was a limb fell over into the mud room and took out large pella window

I paid 800 for the window 15 years ago, now pella wants 2.5K just for the 2 sashes

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:01 PM (zZxh0)

104 The cutting down part is the issue, it can't be dropped. The cost of getting someone isn't cheap here, the cost to rent a bucket lift is a few hundred but might be the best way. It catching on fire seems to me to be slim compared to going down in a storm.

Posted by: Skip at January 16, 2021 03:01 PM (Cxk7w)

105 Roasted Spicy Sweet Potato recipe on Tony Chachere webpage. Easy and delish.

Posted by: Desultory joe at January 16, 2021 03:02 PM (L9P9s)

106 This one already has modern plumbing, electrical, furnace, hot water, double-pane windows, etc. The type of work it needs is some minor exterior trim decay, gutters installed, finish a few interior cosmetic things. It looks like the sellers were getting ready to replace the master bath surround and fixtures before they moved. I'm gonna need to decide what to do with the original wood floor in the kitchen that needs help. But it's entirely livable as is and cute as a button.
Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 02:58 PM (ofYez)

tear it down and start over ( jk)

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:03 PM (zZxh0)

107 98 So will chickens eat the whole sunflower seed or does it need to be shelled?
Posted by: KarlHungus at Janua

They will eat them whole I think. They like the kind in wild bird food.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 16, 2021 03:03 PM (xhUfN)

108 Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2

It sounds lovely. I love old houses.

Posted by: CaliGirl at January 16, 2021 03:05 PM (xhUfN)

109 Competent arborists aren't expensive. Compare to plumbers, electricians, remodeling guys...
And those trades don't risk life and limb, not to mention the liability issues with mistakes.
A plumber shows up in a one ton van. Has maybe $1,000 worth of tools and equipment with him.
An arborist shows up in a $125,000 truck and equipment, with $10,000 worth of tools, and charges about the same man/hour rate.
Get real.

Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:05 PM (nM/fW)

110 I've cut down at least a thousand big trees and if you don't know what you're doing, DON'T

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:05 PM (zZxh0)

111 I have a dead 40 foot pine within 10 feet, as well as many trees within 20 feet of the house. It's quite frightening in a storm.

The neighbors planted two cute little redwoods eight feet from the house when they moved in (to CA from the midwest). They're eighty to a hundred feet tall now. I *believe* my house across the street was out of range, but it was going to be close.

Posted by: t-bird at January 16, 2021 03:06 PM (B2mhs)

112 Nice, when I watch finches eat sunflowers they stuck them with their beak. But I dont know if songbirds have a gizzard, some big dried sunflower heads could be good winter forage.

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 03:06 PM (I0oUO)

113 Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:05 PM (nM/fW)

while agree with your main point, most tradesmen have to have their work inspected

don't think that is so with woodsmen

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:09 PM (zZxh0)

114 tear it down and start over ( jk)
Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:03 PM (zZxh0)

Lol! Actually, that's what might happen to our current house. I don't know at what point a house is better torn down than fixed up. Our location is desirable but our house is unremarkable and would require foundation work, both bathrooms gutted, several areas of floor replaced, new paint, carpets, vinyl, drywall, mildew mitigation.....

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 03:10 PM (ofYez)

115 Ordered a few things from the Baker Creek Seed Co. for next spring. I have plenty of seeds but what is a garden season if one doesn't have a few "experiments". I ordered some Lemon Bee Balm for the bees of course, Cosmic purple carrot which I have done before and they did really well for me,
more Mahdu melon seeds as I was out and I love them for the summer, Butterfly Milkweed to help out the butterflies,
some Jing Orange Okra (I don't really like Okra but the looked so pretty and supposedly do well in our summers so I thought I would try it, I have a friend who LOVES it so it won't go to waste), and some Dwarf Lemon Cilantro because it sounded so interesting. Harvest my first Habenro of the year the other day and it was mighty spicy. Made an orzo pasta salad with it called "The Devil's Pasta Salad", and let me tell you it was delicious! Have a few more ready to go so I might have to make some more.

Posted by: Weekreekfarmgirl at January 16, 2021 03:11 PM (Zi+W5)

116 while agree with your main point, most tradesmen have to have their work inspected

don't think that is so with woodsmen
Posted by: REDACTED

Only on permit work.
A plumber can come in to work on anything in your house, without a permit, and no one inspects.
Roofers require no permit, except new construction.
Electricians the same.
Your point is taken, however, there are NO requirements to call yourself an "arborist"... kinda like a counselor.
So, look to trade organizations. State or national.

Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:11 PM (nM/fW)

117 I'm starting super hot pepper seeds here in the next few days. Got a 7 pot bubblegum, dragons breath, Trinidad scorpion, tobasco, ghost pepper...

Posted by: KarlHungus at January 16, 2021 03:11 PM (I0oUO)

118 MarkY, the tree guys were cheap compared to replacing a neighbor's roof!

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 03:14 PM (ofYez)

119 KarlHungus
Masochist

Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:14 PM (nM/fW)

120 Lol! Actually, that's what might happen to our current house. I don't know at what point a house is better torn down than fixed up. Our location is desirable but our house is unremarkable and would require foundation work, both bathrooms gutted, several areas of floor replaced, new paint, carpets, vinyl, drywall, mildew mitigation.....
Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 03:10 PM (ofYez)

It can be tough call. I live in the Berkshires, about 9 miles east of Great Barrington, the hub of NYC weekenders
I bought 40 acres with an old house, Thought about tearing it down but the timbers, foundation and masonry were all good, so I took a 2500 sq ft house and made it into a 5K sq ft house

now I'm like a BB in a tin can

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:16 PM (zZxh0)

121 now I'm like a BB in a tin can
Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:16 PM (zZxh0)

I bet it's beautiful!

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 03:19 PM (ofYez)

122 Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:11 PM (nM/fW)

here in far western MA, they are a little more picky

roofers have to pull a permit just make sure where the tear is going
and so on and so on

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:19 PM (zZxh0)

123 I built this house about 8 yrs ago. Everyone told me, if doing yourself, figure about $100/sq ft. We did better, but built by contractor, around $135/sq ft.
Has that changed with lumber going through the roof?

Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:20 PM (nM/fW)

124 " some big dried sunflower heads could be good winter forage."

with the bonus of enjoying them while they are pretty in summer. I have a patch of them for color every year ... so easy.

Posted by: illiniwek at January 16, 2021 03:21 PM (Cus5s)

125 123 I built this house about 8 yrs ago. Everyone told me, if doing yourself, figure about $100/sq ft. We did better, but built by contractor, around $135/sq ft.
Has that changed with lumber going through the roof?
Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:20 PM (nM/fW)

when I did my major expansion in 2009, I was buying 20 ft 2x10s for 9 bucks from a great lumber yard, not HD

think they have tripled

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:24 PM (zZxh0)

126 I bet it's beautiful!
Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 03:19 PM (ofYez)

Yeah, it came out great but as soon as I can get my wife to move, I'm gone

I had 3 unsolicited offers last year

Costa Rica here I come

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:26 PM (zZxh0)

127 think they have tripled
Posted by: REDACTED

Just looked at charts. In 2014, price on futures was around $350/1,000/bf.
Not over $800! Jeez.

Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:29 PM (nM/fW)

128 Those lettuces look delicious. My local wildlife would love them. Right now, all I have growing is Creeping Charlie aka Wild Geranium aka Gills-over-the-Ground aka Death-to-All-But-Me-Plant. (I made up that last one, but it fits.) This mild winter is what the Green Bastard likes. (Oh, look! Another name for it!)

Unlike others here, I'm scaling back the garden. Dad had a stroke this week and, if/when he comes home, I'll be spending free time at my parents house.

The trees-beside-the-house thing was big with a local builder. Every house - including mine - had an umbrella-looking flowering tree next to the northeast corner. He cleared only what was necessary for the foundation. After removing the decorative tree, I had 12 trees on less than 1/8 acre.

I hired two tree doctors (arborists who graduated from Michigan State - really nice old guys who mostly saved "heritage" trees). They showed me which trees to prioritize (too much shade, cracks, branches intertwined, etc). Between planned removal, a utility-company cull (free!) and the beautiful maple struck by lightning, I'm down to a pin oak, a white oak, and a silver maple away from the house.

Posted by: Totally not NaughtyPine at January 16, 2021 03:35 PM (/+bwe)

129 127 think they have tripled
Posted by: REDACTED

Just looked at charts. In 2014, price on futures was around $350/1,000/bf.
Not over $800! Jeez.
Posted by: MarkY at January 16, 2021 03:29 PM (nM/fW)

you mean now, right

Posted by: REDACTED at January 16, 2021 03:38 PM (zZxh0)

130 I've considered other countries, including Costa Rica, but having family within easy driving distance is important to me.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 03:40 PM (ofYez)

131 This is nice. I'm enjoying the relaxed conversation.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 03:44 PM (ofYez)

132 131 So relaxed that I think all the other commenters are snoozing in their recliners.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 03:45 PM (ofYez)

133 CaliGirl,

Sorry about the COVID, and the chickens.

Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 03:49 PM (BVQ+1)

134 Re: arbor vitae. My previous neighbors planted three for privacy but didn't take into account the width. So there are three rubbing against each other and sending roots willy-nilly.

My hording neighbor, whom the township mailed a clean-up-the-piles-of-garbage-or-else notice, has more than a dozen trees growing beside house. The house is less than a thousand square feet, to give you some idea about how bad it looks. The worst is one that sprouted in the seam between his driveway and foundation; the roots are obviously under the house. The owner has no idea how to maintain a house; it was a beautiful little house lost in the housing bust - much nicer than mine, to be honest.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at January 16, 2021 03:49 PM (/+bwe)

135 Totally not NaughtyPine at January 16, 2021 03:35 PM
Darn. Sorry to hear about your Dad's stroke.
Sounds like you got some good direction from those arborists.

Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 03:51 PM (BVQ+1)

136 Darn. Sorry to hear about your Dad's stroke.
Sounds like you got some good direction from those arborists.
Posted by: KT at January 16, 2021 03:51 PM (BVQ+1)

Thanks. I have thanked God every day that he's surviving; he sounded chipper today - pretty darned good for an octogenarian!

I tell everyone in my area to contact the MSU Extension Office for lists of honest-to-goodness arborists. There was a noticeable difference between them and general landscapers, not the least of which was giving me instructions about how to handle oaks that were infected with the bacteria that leads to outbreaks of "wetwood."

Posted by: NaughtyPine at January 16, 2021 04:18 PM (/+bwe)

137 Found out where everyone went. Pet thread is up.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 16, 2021 04:19 PM (ofYez)

138 The advice about planting trees too close to the house I'd very true. When I was much younger than 29 I planted a plumeria about eight feet away from the house thinking that was safe enough. I forgot about the sewer line that was only three feet away from it.

The tree was doing marvellously but a few years later we started having blocked toilet and kitchen sink which I treated with the normal drain products. Then one day I saw a startling sight, something like roots poking out of the toilet.

The roots grew over the sewer pipe, crushed and invaded it. It cost us $8000 for the plumber to dig it all up and replace the plumbing.

Posted by: President Elect Decaf at January 16, 2021 04:37 PM (hpVf/)

139 We knew better by the time we planted two Douglas firs twelve feet away from the house. This time the roots protruded above ground and ruined the lawn so my husband cut them down.

Posted by: President Elect Decaf at January 16, 2021 04:40 PM (hpVf/)

140 Got the last toyon plant at the local nursery. SoCal native plant, drought tolerant and grows in crappy soil. So perfect for my yard. The benefit is the flowers attract butterflies and the berries attract all kinds of cool birds including quail! Can't wait to see how it goes.

Posted by: keena at January 16, 2021 04:43 PM (RiTnx)

141 From Idaho's Treasure Valley, Boise area: We trimmed our wild rose hedge/windbreak down to 4 feet high. Lots of debris added to the burn piles in the paddock.
We had some snow Tues. morning, but it all melted off, so it was no impediment to raking sycamore leaves on Friday.
I started my winter sowing project - 6 Roma seeds in a 1# salad container, and 14 onion seeds, within half-height toilet paper tubes, in a smaller salad tub. I'll do a different variety of tomatoes with the next salad tub.
I still need to buy a few other types of seeds. We already drew up the plan for what gets planted where.
Our garden is not "survive the apocalypse" level, but it has definitely reduced how much produce we need to buy, by quite a bit, and we'll probably never need to buy jelly or pickles again. We occasionally think we'll need a second chest freezer.
*****
My usual encouragement to all here: improve survival skills, build a trustworthy network of friends/allies, keep up morale, resist oppressive "FedCoats", and mock gov't officials & media (without getting caught red-handed).

Posted by: Pat* at January 16, 2021 06:23 PM (2pX/F)

142 As always, I come back for the Pat* report. I admire/envy your pickle reserves!

Posted by: NaughtyPine at January 16, 2021 06:48 PM (/+bwe)

143 Sun finally out today-no fog or inversion layer. I trimmed dead leaves and stems off some plants. The mint had small green leaves under the dead stuff. Same with the dianthus. I've had lots of robins in the yard, along with flickers eating the old crab apples. I hope the robins predict an early spring. I loathe winter although we've not had much snow (thank goodness). I've planted scallion seeds and will do so every other week until something starts to grow. My garlic and shallots are about 3 inches above ground, a beautiful green against the drab brown of the soil. Every day gets a bit longer. I get spring fever so bad but I've held it off so far. Got together with the neighbors last night and played cards. No covid fear out in our neck of the woods.

Posted by: S.Lynn at January 16, 2021 10:06 PM (nlzHD)

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