DUCKS for THEE in 2023

ducks4you

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@baymule reminded me about fixing my overgrown herb garden in 2023.
I am reclaiming mine this year. Gotta get aggressive--cut down the 3 volunteer Rose of Sharon and the volunteer black walnut growing there--bc I have let it go wild!
I have a small patch of oregano growing with weeds. I need to bring in new soil from 2 year old used bedding.
I like @ninnymary's suggestion for me, to use bricks to separate different herbs and to bury the seeds end of season for herbs that won't overwinter.
That's the trick, finding what will overwinter, what will die if you use that four letter word, "S.N.O.W" in front of them, like rosemary, figuring out which herbs grow tall and will shade out the others--those need to planted furthest north--AND to figure out the right number of plants.
I gave Middle DD a gro lamp and she is currently growing herbs in her basement.
Some herbs need multiples for cooking.
Some herbs need multiples for canning, like making mint sauce, although I have a mint bed already, and I harvest from it only when it's warm outside.
I have a lovely rosemary that found it's winter home under a grow light, ~12 hrs/day and on top of the fridge, but I could use a 2nd one, so I may only want 4 rosemary out in my herb garden.
I had to move the grocery bought parsley away from the kitchen window. I cut off the crummy looking stems and put it on top of the fridge. It's doing just OK there, too. New leaves look nice, but I am wondering about the actual quality of the plant I bought.
I can also tell that I could use about a dozen parsley outside. Fresh parsley tastes different that the sprigs that restaurants put on your main course as a garnish, but that's just MHO.
I think I could use a least a dozen thyme. When I have canned chicken broth with thyme, it seems like 1/3 of my plant is gone, BUT, the thyme is happy next to the south facing kitchen window, somewhat chilly. Thyme won't overwinter outside here, either.
I once grew Bee Balm, but I don't use much, so it may be growing with some vegetables in some bed this next season.
I am thinking of growing grocery store garlic--bc the lovely garlic that @flowerbug sent me is overwintering in my big bed this winter, and the local purchased garlic is in a different spot, same bed--in my herb bed. I took
@Phaedra 's advice and tried growing some grocery store garlic in a bed last year. Kinda forgot about it, but last I looked (before the cold) it looked worth harvesting the leaves and all came up.
From the other thread, I might start chamomile, too. If it is really aggressive it might be just the thing to fill in space on one of my north of the garage beds.
Might put chives there, too, this year.
Maybe, if there is room, I should be growing onions in this bed, too.
I can change my mind later if I don't like them there. If I do, I can let them go to seed...or not.
You would be surprised at soils/bad lighting that can exist close to your buildings, and plants that are supposed to take over your lawn, sometimes die out in these places from drought and lack of light.
OR, they spread enough to be used, but not enough to take over the lawn.
Gotta check my herb seeds!!
It is certainly NO waste to start them indoors and move any transplants out mid Spring to one of my many beds.
 

digitS'

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I will be happy to hear more about Roman concrete, Steve! 😍
Here's the article ... a couple of interesting photos, also.

 

baymule

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Here's the article ... a couple of interesting photos, also.

History is a fascinating study. We think we are on the cutting edge of knowledge and technology and tend to get all puffed up with self importance. Ancient civilizations knew things we still don’t understand. Maybe they didn’t have the capability to examine things through a microscope, analyze everything down to the tiniest detail, but they knew what worked. This was a good article, thanks Steve!
 

ducks4you

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Nobody has started a 2023 thread on Seed Catalogs, but I thought this one was so pretty that I would share.
Shumways has a few items I am thinking of buying, like the Murasaki sweet potato. I took a shot inside bc I liked the sidebar with the page, and they are selling a "Cave Man bean," and I know somebody will want to comment on that.
I must have bought something from them last year bc I didn't request their catalog. Anyway, pretty catalog, even though most pages are b & w.
Shumway 2023 catalog, #1.jpg
 

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ducks4you

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When we were watching LOTR marathon, I noticed that Aragorn learned "float" after he went off the ledge into the river. It's a video game player term, and family said, LOL.
I learned a new skill today, sharing a post.
THIS is why I wanted a new bag mower. Why rake up when you can mow and send it to bag, like a vacuum cleaner/sweeper?
 

ducks4you

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ducks4you

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Electricians who did such a marvelous job at DD's house last Spring were scheduled to do work at My house this or next week.
No warning. No email, but they showed up Monday morning.
How can you complain?!?
Bad timing though bc DH's 1st cataract surgery was scheduled for yesterday. Everything went very well, and he had a new lens inserted. I can see that the new lens reflects light back. No sight report yet bc the eye doctor super dilated his right eye, so that takes time to go down. Eye drops 4x/day and a follow up appointment this afternoon.
Back to the electric guys...I gave them a house key bc the surgery was scheduled for 7:30AM but WE had to be there at 5:45AM.
Brilliant work! I only have one pancake LED in the kitchen, but I bought the new ceiling tiles they requested and I will have 7 of them tomorrow when they come back.
The outlet next to the washer WORKS for the washer. We were running our washer with an extension cord.
They bought a part AND told me that somebody in the past had put too many things on the same basement circuit. Washer outlet which has a 2nd outlet on the other side of the wall midway up the wall and behind (accessible) the stove, is now a dedicated circuit for that AND the overhead light.
Monday, I was walking back from the barn (still in the dark) and noticed that my back flood lights were working!!!! :eek:
It had been dead for 2 years now. AND the light with a pull cord just inside of the back door is ALSO now working!!
:weee:weee:weee
There were here yesterday morning but stymied bc I still need to buy some new ceiling fans to install.
They replaced the broken/dead/old photosynthetic barn light with a brand new LED one that FLOODS the front of the barn. This photo was taken this morning before dawn through a dirty west window.
Eva doesn't remember me even HAVING a light there. THAT's how long it's been dead.
Barn with new LED photosynthetic light, 01-11-23.jpg
 
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