Phaedra's Garden 2022

[Phaedra]

We have new family members - quails! They will stay in my FIL's garden.

Compared with chickens, they are so small and gentle.

They are very used to humans.

Happy to have them in the garden!

 

[digitS']

Pharaoh quail in Phaedra's garden?

You may know or find out that they are little laying machines - turning eggs out as well as any laying hens.

I have had them twice - as a caged, garage flock and as a pair of Button Quail. The latter didn't work so well because a) DW wasn't happy about them being indoors, b) the male died within days, and c) DD couldn't imagine them as pets. The female lived out her time (not all that brief), in a cage in the pigeon coop.

Steve

 

[Phaedra]

Pharaoh quail in Phaedra's garden?

You may know or find out that they are little laying machines - turning eggs out as well as any laying hens.

I have had them twice - as a caged, garage flock and as a pair of Button Quail. The latter didn't work so well because a) DW wasn't happy about them being indoors, b) the male died within days, and c) DD couldn't imagine them as pets. The female lived out her time (not all that brief), in a cage in the pigeon coop.

Steve

Yes, eggs are the major reason I decided to have them. But I didn't realize that they are so cute~~

The garden in Cologne is pretty small, and the house is right next to all the other neighbors. So quails are the best choice. Besides, I learned that they are even hardier than chickens. The weather in the city is usually more friendly than where we lived so they should be able to enjoy a good life here.

I am still waiting for the necessary materials to build their playground. Can't wait for the coming spring.

 

[Phaedra]

Seven quails - but they look like seven huge eggs running here and there.

 

[Phaedra]

Day of planting and transplanting - garlic and some veggies were transplanted into one raised bed, and tulips "Ballerina" were planted into another two.

I still have one bag of tulip bulbs - tulip "Menton"

Like last year, I also made simple tents to reduce the potential damages caused by hails, or later by blackbirds.

This week I will clean up the greenhouse for the coming spring sowing - onion, more broad beans, lettuce, spinach, early cabbage, broccoli, peas for shoots, kohlrabi, and beetroot.

For the cut flower patches, I also checked Dahlia Tubers that I stored last year. Those I kept in the plastic wrap remained in quite good conditions. Later this week, I will look at those directly stored in the cardboard.

 

[ducks4you]

I like the storing in cardboard.
Many years ago, at the Amish small animal auction, I tt someone who had just bid on/purchased about 50 quail. I asked, 'Is it hard to pluck them?" He said he didn't pluck them, he skinned them.
That is how I processed my chickens.
Gonna have MORE this year...

 

[meadow]

Day of planting and transplanting - garlic and some veggies were transplanted into one raised bed,

I am so intrigued by your transplanted garlic!

Do you start the garlic in individual cells like your other transplants? When do you start them?

 

[Phaedra]

I am so intrigued by your transplanted garlic!

Do you start the garlic in individual cells like your other transplants? When do you start them?

Yes, because I used bio garlic from supermarkets, not from seed companies. Most of the garlic in supermarkets here is from Spain so I guess they are soft neck varieties - not hardy enough to survive frosty and rainy winter.

After losing all garlic plants last spring (they just sat and rotten in the soil), I decided to plant them in individual cells in November - the daylight hours started to dramatically decrease. and the temperature dropped. So far they grew slowly but healthy. I didn't know how good this method can be, but till now it looks promising.

 

[meadow]

Yes, because I used bio garlic from supermarkets, not from seed companies. Most of the garlic in supermarkets here is from Spain so I guess they are soft neck varieties - not hardy enough to survive frosty and rainy winter.

After losing all garlic plants last spring (they just sat and rotten in the soil), I decided to plant them in individual cells in November - the daylight hours started to dramatically decrease. and the temperature dropped. So far they grew slowly but healthy. I didn't know how good this method can be, but till now it looks promising.

The young garlic seems to be thriving! Thank you for the explanation!

 

[Phaedra]

I harvested some flower sprouts this weekend, and they are lovely treats for both eyes and taste buds. I will absolutely plant more this April and May.

The colors are stunning.

Outer leaves for the chickens

Some early Tulips

The second batch of board beans, the 3rd day in the boiler room