I have a vole problem in my hugelkulter bed. I built the hugelkulter, for the first time, like you are supposed to... and I hate it. I've been building "hugelkulter-like" beds for twelve years and I've never had voles. But I didn't use logs, I used mulch. (See how I do it here: perfect raised … Continue reading Vole Holes Day 3
Vole Hole
So I have voles tunneling around my high density fruit tree bed, inside the hugelkulter base. Under these trees is a real hugelkulter set up. Never again. I own some poison peanuts. Which I read the instructions on: post purchase. They aren't meant to use around fruit trees. Then I have a couple of mouse … Continue reading Vole Hole
Paste Tomatoes!
My paste tomatoes are starting to blush! If you lose tomatoes to animals, pull them as they just start to blush red, and ripen them on the counter. Then you won't have to share! There's tons more in the garden that aren't ready to bring in. Great year for tomatoes for me! That's super unusual. … Continue reading Paste Tomatoes!
Corn!
This is not a good harvest for me, but as you can see: it wasn't a complete failure. Despite this being a poor year for corn for me, I still had a decent harvest. Definitely will not start corn late ever again. Usually I'd have twice this amount and the ears would be fully pollinated. … Continue reading Corn!
My Favorite Hummingbird Feeders
Because of our heat, and the fact that our main hummingbird variety will not share with other birds: I use really small feeders and place them all over my yard. On the way out the door with fresh hummingbird food. I usually have five out at a time. In our feel like 112° heat, they … Continue reading My Favorite Hummingbird Feeders
Best Garden Product This Year
I have a huge city water bill. The problem is often that I've watered too much. So, I bought this little do-dad. It's a moisture meter. It was about six dollars. I went around my yard testing the soil. I was honestly really surprised about where there was a lack of water, and also where … Continue reading Best Garden Product This Year
No Fun In The Sun
This is the song that goes through my head when we get heat like this! The Cure: hot hot hot. https://youtu.be/rtmdFX4cXec?si=PD4eOnmwak7MQCIk Ahhhh. 80s memories! Yep. I'm dancing, even in the miserable south Texas sun! Meet you out in the garden where we'll get down to the kings of 80's new wave! Crazy Green Thumbs Crazy … Continue reading No Fun In The Sun
How I Restored My Antique Iron: Two Methods
Both of my grandmother's had cast iron collections. These were things they either purchased in Kansas or are my family's heirlooms. My mom's family on a road trip to Washington DC. My granny on my mom's side married a jerk, (to say it mildly) after my grandpa died. He made her get rid of her … Continue reading How I Restored My Antique Iron: Two Methods
Crazy Daily Gardening
Because these were cut and fitted last year, I was able to get a ladder out and use pvc pipe glue (even in this horrible heat) and get this frame together in a permanent way. It took me very little time, but I'm sweating in sheets right now. Miserable heat and humidity. This is the … Continue reading Crazy Daily Gardening
Today In The Garden
Blackberries. The mulberry ended its amazing run a couple of weeks ago. A tiny, unripe marionberry. These have a very distinct flavor. You get a blackberry/raspberry flavor with more sweetness than a blackberry and more tart flavor than a raspberry. Since I can't grow regular raspberries down here: I put in a couple of Mysore … Continue reading Today In The Garden
Bulb Flowers For Texas
I have a few types of flowers that I grew up seeing in my granny's flower gardens. Bearded iris were her favorites, my mother's favorites and mine. But there's more. Daylillies were always in my other grandmother's garden. She would plant them in huge drifts. I have always grown gladiolus (as annuals), paperwhites, daffodils and … Continue reading Bulb Flowers For Texas
Today in the Garden
Marionberries and tomatoes Tomatoes Potatoes and tomatoes Onions Corn is tassling! Bananas Muscadine grape High density, hugelkulter tree bed. Block of corn Iris. One of my very favorite flowers! Double bloomed daylillies Blueberries (I already ate half of them!) Tons of daylilly blossoms ready to open. Come outside to visit. I'll save a seat for … Continue reading Today in the Garden
Armenian Cucumber Wine
Who knew these make great wine? Update: this recipe came out excellent. I did not have to backsweeten after about a year and a half of aging. It really mellowed nicely. The sharp notes from the peel, are now smooth and give it depth. Although, I think I'll make it next time without the peel … Continue reading Armenian Cucumber Wine
Another Load Of Mulberries!
I really am loving this tree. I think this is it's third year. Amazingly productive. Takes a lot of water to clean the berries but they are full of anthocyanins, so in my opinion, worth it! My husband and I were eating them by the handful tonight! Plastic tarp under the tree. Shook a lot … Continue reading Another Load Of Mulberries!
In The Garden
Corn Blackberries Persimmons (Fuyu) Tomato in a hydroponic bucket Potatoes, tomatoes and onions I'm using for scallions Marionberries, tomatoes and iris Peppers are perennials down here. These are bird peppers from last year. These were a gift from a great neighbor who loves to garden. Cherries on the left. I replaced the apples with a … Continue reading In The Garden
Off Grid Hydroponic Buckets
I'm trying a lot of new stuff this year. I've got wicking beds started. I made huge, permanent ones for fruiting bushes. Beginning of permanent wicking beds. Find this project here: wicking bed Then I have some specialty holes I have for two trees that don't like my soil. Completely replaced soil, plus small raised … Continue reading Off Grid Hydroponic Buckets
South Texas Sun Burning Up Your Seedlings?
This is how I used to start things when I had no natural shade. You can see how I created shade for seedlings. I need to divide these daylillies and I haven't weeded or planted in here yet. (I'm really behind this year.) But this set up is ideal for starting vining plants on trellises … Continue reading South Texas Sun Burning Up Your Seedlings?
Melon Trellising
I usually grow my vining melons on a trellis. Trellising makes them easy to care for and the plants themselves are healthier. Getting melon vines off the ground keeps the powdery mildew under control and I can easily spray the leaves when the inevitable aphid explosion comes. Since I like to research things, and I'm … Continue reading Melon Trellising
Short Frustrating Day In The Garden
So, I have a sprinkler that doesn't work on one end of my yard and a giant oak that sucks up all the water on the other. The rest of my sprinkler system is not solving this issue, so: I decided to run drip line. Omg. I forgot how much I hate installing drip line! … Continue reading Short Frustrating Day In The Garden
How Much Craziness Can One Girl Get Up to In A Day?
Today and tomorrow are going to be in the 70's. Probably the last two days like this until fall. So, I'm trying to get a ton of stuff done. My husband was supposed to go after the boxwoods that are out of control. I needed to cut back the giant fig I have. Since I've … Continue reading How Much Craziness Can One Girl Get Up to In A Day?
Crazy Green Thumbs 