Showing posts with label Bunnies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bunnies. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Midwest Gardening 2024:Vegetable Garden Heat, Rain, Critters and BUGS

Ad-Free Blog
Along with the BEASTLY temperatures most of the country is suffering through, we now are having Gallons---What's a Cubit, Lord---Rains! 

Along with the rains, comes voracious BUGS,  after the bunny/mole/vole/chipmunk spring planting infestations. I've worked so hard, and am cursing all along the way.

oldnewgreenredo

This is one day's damage, they were perfectly fine when I weeded a day ago....Miss GREEN here just drowned the entire garden in bug killer--(safe for animals and vegetables) which will work only until the next deluge and then will have to be sprayed again.


oldnewgreenredo

Here's our garbage can  full of potatoes, almost ready for some more dirt. They seem to be bug free at the moment.

oldnewgreenredo

Luckily the planter boxes have been pretty immune to the crawly bugs. Radishes are done, but the lettuce keeps going. The pot on the ground is a cherry tomato.
I have two planted along this fence with marigolds to attract the b

oldnewgreenredo

These flowers are the last things I have planted in the garden during the heat wave to attract pollinators. 

oldnewgreenredo

The Broccoli on the left is also nibbled on, first by bunnies (I now have netting all around them) and now the bugs, hopefully the spraying will work. The greens are  different kinds of chard which is doing okay...I need to weed them again.

oldnewgreenredo

Along the fence under the planters is a whole line of asparagus, which are seeding nicely. Hopefully we will have a crop next year-(12 plants 2 years old now and the seedings) 

oldnewgreenredo

The beets in front and the carrots in the back are almost ready to thin. I pulled weeds and in one day of heavy rain everything has doubled in size.

oldnewgreenredo

The back trelesses are starting to support climbing Kentucky Wonder beans. I've planted Balsam and Tall Marigolds  between them. NONE of the Sunflowers made it through the critter niobbling.

oldnewgreenredo

This corner has Winter Squash plants, I got the varieties mixed up in the greenhouse so we will see what happens.


This is my CORN patch......LOL...no corn just weeds, tomorrows project.

oldnewgreenredo

We only have three Zucchini plants this year...but they look very happy and are caged.

oldnewgreenredo

I have two bean plants from 2 packages of bush bean seeds. JEESH, something got at the seedlings immediately when they came up---this planter is two feet off the ground. The spinners deterred no critters at all.

oldnewgreenredo

The other side of the long raised planter has Pickle Bush Cucumbers, which are HAPPY, and blooming like crazy. Won't be long (next week) and we will have cucumbers for PICKLES.

oldnewgreenredo

Two days ago, I severly trimmed back the Heirloom Tomato plants. I removed all the secondary stems (without blossoms) that weren't supporting assistance for the plants. This gives more growing energy to the tomatoes. We have only 8 plants this year since I still have so many canned tomatoes.

oldnewgreenredo

In the center of the garden is the large bedspring trellis. This year the plants are in pots, and we are growing climbing Cucumbers in these pots. on the corners are 

oldnewgreenredo

Green Pepper and Carnival Pepper Plants. These are all blooming and starting peppers already.

oldnewgreenredo

There has been minimal bug issues here, but I sprayed anyway.

oldnewgreenredo

The other side of the trellis is full of climbing Green Beans. I may have to thin these out---as those pots are really full.
I didn't get photos of the Pumpkin plants which are blossoming and the Rhubarb which is ready for it's third cutting I'll use for JAM!

Goals tomorrow: weed, and replant the Corn field (with a new fence around it), replant the depleted pots with radishes and onions...and I'm not sure what I will try in the large raised planter, maybe more onions and I may try some eggplant there, as the ones along the east fence aren't doing much. Also have to replant the fence line planter not shown with Asian Purple Beans---which were also eaten the first time. 

At the price of seeds---this has been a very expensive year...8 packages of Sunflowers, 6 packages of Beans, at least 6 packages of flowers of Balsam, Marigolds, and Zinnias  have simply fed all the greedy critters around here with no food or beauty for us. SIGH!

We've invested in some additional small hole plastic fencing and some netting. The first roll of netting saved the broccoli, and then it just was eaten by bugs...very weird year so far and we seem to be on the losing side.


WHO ARE YOU SHARING YOUR GARDEN WITH???
LOL! 

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thanks always for visiting. 
I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi


Wednesday, February 28, 2024

It's 2024 and Spring is still Elusive and Angry here in Chicago

 Ad-Free Blog

Chicago is stubborn and holding on to winter...in temps and weather, TODAY!

YESTERDAY in FEBRUARY we had 70's and then a sweep of tornados barreled through Chicagoland. One passed to the east of us, less than 4 miles, then landed on an apartment complex in Mundelein, Illinois. Thankfully there were no injuries in all the 5-6( correction 11 tornados in Chicago area after assessing) tornadoes and high winds everywhere...thanks to the TV News teams keeping us posted on the fast moving mess that went through. 

Today our front porch is covered in ice, sleet, and misery. I had cleaned out the greenhouse yesterday, and knowing we were going to have rain...I put a lot of trays and starting trays outside to get washed. They got tossed around a bit, so I'm letting most thaw until tomorrow and I'm just starting the bulbs I had soaking today. Peppers were already started 2 weeks ago. 


oldnewgreenredo

I'm Wishing for Eggs, tulips, pansies, bunnies and more!


oldnewgrenredo


oldnewgreenredo
Love all these old pieces with tulips on them.
oldnewgreenredo
With Easter being early, our kitchen will be decorated with planting trays and seedlings instead of bunnies.

oldnewgreenredo

Can we say PEEPS PLEASE!? My favorite Grandma's jar filled with peeps.

oldnewgreenredo

My mom's favorite face, filled with Daffy's, not now, they are barely peeking out of the ground now.


But, I love Daffodils!
 From the Chicago flower show-years ago.

oldnewgreenredo

Flower shows are a God send in winter!
This one is usually in March! 



oldnewgreenredo

And Tulips....

oldnewgreenredo


oldnewgreenredo

I think I will skip the bunnies this year,
and just do Birds! 

oldnewgreenredo

Casual Easter Dinner!

oldnewgreenredo

Antique French Fish poacher, a purchase my mom made, winking at me and saying it will be yours, soon. I think this was the last antique
she purchased before she passed!

oldnewgreenredo

Aren't these gorgeous---I planted them somewhere out in the garden last year---can't wait???

oldnewgreenredo

Carrot cake....for Easter! I so screwed with the recipe---I can't even find what I started with!
I know I added raisins, coconut, oatmeal, carrots and chopped apples-- (no nuts) 

I can't wait to get out onto our porch---it will be probably a month or more though and then I have to deal with the 50 some totes stored there from our basement debacle, last year!

oldnewgreenredo

The entire family loves to lounge and relax out here!

oldnewgreenredo

oldnewgreenredo

My porch is filled with garden accessories.

oldnewgreenredo

Old tablecloths made into cushions!


oldnewgreenredo

Another bird! 


oldnewgreenredo

Currently the Ivy tree is in my bedroom...too early to go outside.

Oldnewgreenredo

Easter is so early this year....? 

oldnewgreenredo

Table cloth, Danish made by my two spinster great-aunts, Moster and Dagne.

oldnewgreenredo

Crispy bunnies---for everyone! I'm forced at this point to make these each year, for everyone---

unknown source
Pansies were my Great Grandmother's favorites.

oldnewgreenredo

Pansies are the first plants I buy in April! 

oldnewgreenredo

This arrangement was in late April, everything from the yard. 

oldnewgreenredo

Pansies are so gorgeous paired with  Coleus

unknown source


oldnewgreenredo

Love this color!

oldnewgreenredo

I still haven't polished this teapot...it's just too cool!


oldnewgreenredo

We start plants every year, beginning with tomatoes, peppers, coleus, and some bulbs this year.

oldnewgreenredo

This is what will be in a month---hubby is heavy handed with the seed...lol.

oldnewgreenredo

Love this wreath but it blows off the door, so now resides inside!

oldnewgreenredo

One of my favorite thrift finds...even though I'm not fond of pink, so elegant in shape!


oldnewgreenredo

All family favorites. Coffeepot is Danish, the salt&pepper are Dutch, the bell is German, the shoe to the left Holland Michigan, and the planter is unmarked.


I pick up tiles...all the time!  

oldnewgreenredo

Cream and sugar is Japan...probably from the 50-60's.
.
Teapot purchased on Etsy, probably from the 70's, thick and porcelain, holds heat very well.


oldnewgreenredo

It may be 'Tulip Time' on my platter, but outside it's still barren, cold, and wet.

Here's hoping Maybe Spring will arrives soon, hopefully--in a month or so!

If you enjoyed this post please follow this blog by blogger or 
FOLLOW IT which you will find in the upper right hand corner of this page.