You’re so punny.
Show me your gardening Progress
- Thread starter Ozarks Mountain Brewery
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Deer don't like fragrant soap like Irish Spring, You can put peeling on them and they should leave them alone. A potato peeler works well to make the shavings.
Brian
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I've been told my humor can be pun - ishing...
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Pinching buds and pruning bottom leaves on the cherry yellow pears tomatoes..sweet bannana peppers getting some height. My leaf mulch experiment clearly is showing better results on the older side...on the left. Each row has the same variety.
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Sorry, but what was the experiment?
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Oh duh...so I have been tilling as much oak leaf mulch into just one bed each year so last year's leaves are in the bed on the right. About 4 inches deep tilled into the soil. But it's the older bed on the left where the everything is doing better, that side's batch was from two years ago. The right side actually gets more light but you can see that doesn't seem to matter! Going forward, only add leaves to one side while alternating between sides each year.
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Oak leaves take too long to break down by themselves and are nitrogen negative until they compost or break down.
They can also affect the pH and make it a not so friendly environment for the crops.
Lucky for me, I only have 1 oak tree and most of the leaves don't fall off until the garden is put to bed for the year.
If you can mix them with a high nitrogen product and compost them, they could be ready to apply without any harm in a short time.
Cheers
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Interesting, they haven't changed the pH too much and the composting is underway by I don't have much green to mix with the brown so there's that.
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Im a huge fan of grass clippings.
They also can be directly applied
Got home late Monday night, unpacked on Tuesday, and started cutting grass on Wednesday, but an idler pully on the mower deck grenaded, which forced me to finish the rebuild I started back in the spring (new arbors and blades and some welding repairs). Replaced both idlers, blade brakes, and gauge wheels in the wee hours of Saturday (about sun-up), and got the grass cut.
Today's efforts will be edging and trimming. Thank goodness for a TroyBilt Trimmer Plus and different attachments. Trimming this time will take something a little more robust than string thanks to the neglect (because the step-son couldn't remember if the trimmer took mixed gas), and I also have some hedges to shape/trim.
I have another dead pine overhanging my shop that's gotta go, too. It just died this spring (borer beetles), so not rotten yet. Gonna require a little more than just cutting it down (it's leaning toward the shed). But I've got rope, snatch blocks, and rigging, so should be able to pull it over with little threat to the shop.
Today's efforts will be edging and trimming. Thank goodness for a TroyBilt Trimmer Plus and different attachments. Trimming this time will take something a little more robust than string thanks to the neglect (because the step-son couldn't remember if the trimmer took mixed gas), and I also have some hedges to shape/trim.
I have another dead pine overhanging my shop that's gotta go, too. It just died this spring (borer beetles), so not rotten yet. Gonna require a little more than just cutting it down (it's leaning toward the shed). But I've got rope, snatch blocks, and rigging, so should be able to pull it over with little threat to the shop.
got gifted some pond liner (made in US not seen that in a long time)!
so over the weekend me and the pick and shovel got well acquainted
man I was really wishing I'd kept the homebrew bar after digging that hole!
I've had a bird bath pump type situation going in a big plastic storage box for a couple of years running on a little solar pannel. a bit of a trial to see if it's worth the time and money in making something more permanent.
there she be
I'll let this water dechlorinate before adding my bird bath and fish from that bucket.
I'm expecting this'll clear right up in a couple of weeks.
that's Mary River Rock around the edge of the pond nice and Natural
anyhow cheers everyone.
so over the weekend me and the pick and shovel got well acquainted
man I was really wishing I'd kept the homebrew bar after digging that hole!I've had a bird bath pump type situation going in a big plastic storage box for a couple of years running on a little solar pannel. a bit of a trial to see if it's worth the time and money in making something more permanent.
there she be
I'll let this water dechlorinate before adding my bird bath and fish from that bucket.
I'm expecting this'll clear right up in a couple of weeks.
that's Mary River Rock around the edge of the pond nice and Natural
anyhow cheers everyone.
Let the chicken math begin!
The missus picked up 6 chicks at Tractor Supply on Friday, as it was one of our priorities after we got back from vacation. I built a coop and run this spring before we started planning our holiday to NZ and OZ, but didn't want to have to have someone taking care of young chickens while we were gone on vacation. All went well until this morning, when my granddaughter found one wasn't doing well. By lunch time, unfortunately, it died. No apparent issue with the other five, and I'm hoping it stays that way. So now, they're on the way to a different Tractor Supply to get TWO more chicks so that we can integrate them before the ones we have get old enough to be abusive to them. That will leave us with 7 chickens, not the 6 that I thought would be plenty and so designed the coop and run for. Methinks I'm going to need a bigger run.
In case you're unfamiliar, chicken math has absolutely no rules of operation, zero logic, and closely resembles Common Core math. Close enough, as long as there's an excess. There's no such thing as a correct solution, except maybe for NEVER GET STARTED.
The missus picked up 6 chicks at Tractor Supply on Friday, as it was one of our priorities after we got back from vacation. I built a coop and run this spring before we started planning our holiday to NZ and OZ, but didn't want to have to have someone taking care of young chickens while we were gone on vacation. All went well until this morning, when my granddaughter found one wasn't doing well. By lunch time, unfortunately, it died. No apparent issue with the other five, and I'm hoping it stays that way. So now, they're on the way to a different Tractor Supply to get TWO more chicks so that we can integrate them before the ones we have get old enough to be abusive to them. That will leave us with 7 chickens, not the 6 that I thought would be plenty and so designed the coop and run for. Methinks I'm going to need a bigger run.
In case you're unfamiliar, chicken math has absolutely no rules of operation, zero logic, and closely resembles Common Core math. Close enough, as long as there's an excess. There's no such thing as a correct solution, except maybe for NEVER GET STARTED.
OK I'll bite! my mind went straight to how many hens will you end up with.
it's a bit of a gamble when it comes to cocks and hens when it comes to chick's.
you'll remember we got 4 fertilised eggs from a supplier last October and wacked them under a broody hen.
well we only have one left lol.
one fell victim to a python
one I suspect a kookaburra
one was a rooster so I dispatched him.
ones happily laying eggs now who matildas named speckles.
so 25% survival rate here Roadie.
good luck I'm looking forward to some little chick's photos...
Pythons? And here I thought copperheads were worrisome.OK I'll bite! my mind went straight to how many hens will you end up with.
it's a bit of a gamble when it comes to cocks and hens when it comes to chick's.
you'll remember we got 4 fertilised eggs from a supplier last October and wacked them under a broody hen.
well we only have one left lol.
one fell victim to a python
one I suspect a kookaburra
one was a rooster so I dispatched him.
ones happily laying eggs now who matildas named speckles.
so 25% survival rate here Roadie.
good luck I'm looking forward to some little chick's photos...
But even I know, once they have a name all bets are off...
Copperheads won’t typically bother chickens unless the chickens are pretty small and the copperhead is pretty much fully grown. One of the reasons for keeping young chicks off the ground for several weeks. Most snakes won’t bother with something they can’t swallow, and a chicken get pretty big pretty quickly. The last stupid mistake any snake will make (unless it’s a really big snake) is to go into a coop with half grown or older chickens. They’ll peck it to death and eat every scrap. Chickens are vicious when a new critter comes in their house, including other chickens. That pecking order thing. Never mind that they’re scavengers and will eat ANYTHING that doesn’t eat them first.
Growing up, we had a couple dozen chickens, including one very agressive and sassy Bantam rooster (for his novel yet annoying crowing). My sisters were scared to death of him. He had spurs nearly 3” long which accentuated his rather proud strut,and what he lacked in stature, he made up for in attitude. I wound up being the chicken keeper because of my sisters’ chicken phobia. I went in the coop one day and he decided he’s gonna put me in my place. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t notice the stick I had in my hand (to whack any rats I found). I caught him mid air and sent him back out into the run in a less than graceful flying pattern and a very ugly landing. Fortunately for me, I didn’t kill him, but he was pretty wobbly for the rest of the late afternoon. I don’t think Pete Rose coulda done any better for a base hit, but killing the bugger woulda been very bad for me. From that day forward, the little bantam would just herd the hens behind him at the far end of the run, ruffle his feathers at me, and start crowing like crazy. We had an understanding. I wouldn’t use him for batting practice if he’d just let me collect the eggs, put out some feed and water, then leave them in peace. There was a new world order.
I’ll try to get some photos of the little fellas sometime today. Gotta ask the missus what it was she bought last. Pretty sure they’re chickens, but no idea what breeds. All I know is that 3 were purchased to replace 1. One’s an oddball and a bit larger than the rest, whom Makaila has named Stevie Hawking because its plumage resembles a hawk. Did I ever mention she has a strange thought process? One of the little Rhode Island Reds is a bit of a runt, but will attack any human hand like a rottweiler, then climb into it and chill. The other ones don’t mess with the little one. Very strange how chickens work that stuff out. The missus calls it Lemon. There’s been some discussion about naming the rest things like‘Schnitzel’, ‘Parmesan’, ‘Pot Pie’, etc. Makaila ain’t havin’ any and doesn’t like our sense of humor. Her favorite is a Rhodie she calls Pumpkin. I think we have two left with no moniker. Almost wish we did have at least one Leghorn rooster. Obviously his name would be Foghorn in deference to the late Mel Blanc. The neighbors would likely complain though. No roosters permitted in the city limits.
Current count iis:
2 ea, Rhode Island Red, Lemon and Pumpkin
3 ea. Plymouth Rock, Torey, and the others’ names escape me
2 ea. Australope, names unknown to me
1 ea. Americana, Stevie Hawking because it’s colored like a hawk (or so Makaila claims). Looks more like an owl to me.
Makaila has taken charge of naming them and I think she’s already started a family tree for the annals of her progeny. She is VERY serious about the chickens.
Sorry for the poor quality, but here’s a family portrait. One decided to be camera shy and ran out of the picture just as I snapped it.
While it may not be gardening, they’re certainly going to contribute to the compost pile and the garden. Gotta figure out what to do about a dust bath and a feeder for some oyster shell when they’re old enough to get off the crumbles and on regular unmedicated feed, cracked corn, etc Might have to do a few no sparge batches for some fiber to mix in with their feed.
2 ea, Rhode Island Red, Lemon and Pumpkin
3 ea. Plymouth Rock, Torey, and the others’ names escape me
2 ea. Australope, names unknown to me
1 ea. Americana, Stevie Hawking because it’s colored like a hawk (or so Makaila claims). Looks more like an owl to me.
Makaila has taken charge of naming them and I think she’s already started a family tree for the annals of her progeny. She is VERY serious about the chickens.
Sorry for the poor quality, but here’s a family portrait. One decided to be camera shy and ran out of the picture just as I snapped it.
While it may not be gardening, they’re certainly going to contribute to the compost pile and the garden. Gotta figure out what to do about a dust bath and a feeder for some oyster shell when they’re old enough to get off the crumbles and on regular unmedicated feed, cracked corn, etc Might have to do a few no sparge batches for some fiber to mix in with their feed.
Not quite 2 weeks later and we’re giving the girls field trips to their future home, Cluckingham Palace.
I wound up doing some tree trimming so we can see the run from the deck. Just in cas a REALLY stupid critter decides to harass them while they’re still small. It will not go well for the critter.
Got a pic from the deck of the palace, but too far away to see the girls. They had a blast and discovered lots of things to do in the run. Still not interested in the coop yet, despite having the finest of chicken furniture in it.
I wound up doing some tree trimming so we can see the run from the deck. Just in cas a REALLY stupid critter decides to harass them while they’re still small. It will not go well for the critter.
Got a pic from the deck of the palace, but too far away to see the girls. They had a blast and discovered lots of things to do in the run. Still not interested in the coop yet, despite having the finest of chicken furniture in it.
Released them inside the coop today. The first 7 had to be persuaded to go out through the auto-door but the 8th got really unhappy about being alone and ran out by itself. Still got some teaching to do so they’ll go in the coop at night and come out in the morning. I can program the door for a later closure, but that sorta defeats the purpose of an automatic door to defend them from predators. Keeping them safe is the hardest part of having them at all.
