DUCKS for THEE in 2023

[ducks4you]

... a la
Christmas Story

 

[ducks4you]

So, in the front bed in 2021 I purchased and planted Italian garlic.
I was so disappointed when I tried to harvest!! I hadn't amended the bed, so it was hard clay.
Then, they were so tiny it seemed a shame.
Last Fall I tried harvesting a small amount of it.
SOMEHOW I had left the clump of dried tops and tiny garlic on the porch.
I was going to throw it into the burn barrel, but I realized that maybe 25 of the bulbs/cloves were still viable and about 4 of them are currently sprouting!!!

 

[baymule]

Give ‘em some compost!

 

[ducks4you]

I moved the peppers to the top of the fridge. Now they are no longer looking pinkish.
I used a 72 cell seed starting tray that I bought clearance impatiens in in 2021. I used a cover that lost it's base from aNOTHER seed starting tray underneath it and I have been pouring water into that.
The dome has a few vents but it looks like a pepper rainforest.
They sure take longer for peppers than tomatoes.

 

[ducks4you]

I thought that I was growing radishes and lettuces and carrots and spinach in my small 3 x 6' bed.
Nope.
A few radishes.
Little patches of carrots.
A whole bunch of little burdock seedlings came up. I discovered that when I tried to chew on a leaf.
Not surprised, considering where I got the composted dirt!
Got them pulled out, stupid buggers with 2 inch leaves and 6 inch roots.
Hope the carrots do well. I really worked on the soil in this bed.

 

[ducks4you]

This weekend I Finally started some of the grape tomatoes that @Zeedman sent me!
I learned from last month to not plant too many seeds/cell, so I have plenty to save for 2024.
I used a 36 cell seed starting tray that has been kicking around here, planted grape tomatoes on one side and planted some of the Italian garlic on the other side--no need for labelling. I wrapped it in a white plastic decompostable garbage bag to start, although I will move to a shallow dome soon.
They are on a heat mat, top shelf of the basement seed starting shelving unit, the one with the pink gro light.
I will check on them for watering and hope to see sprouts in about a week.

 

[flowerbug]

So, in the front bed in 2021 I purchased and planted Italian garlic.
I was so disappointed when I tried to harvest!! I hadn't amended the bed, so it was hard clay.
Then, they were so tiny it seemed a shame.
Last Fall I tried harvesting a small amount of it.
SOMEHOW I had left the clump of dried tops and tiny garlic on the porch.
I was going to throw it into the burn barrel, but I realized that maybe 25 of the bulbs/cloves were still viable and about 4 of them are currently sprouting!!!


View attachment 56996

some garlics are pretty tough to kill. i've grown the one variety (of garlic that i sent you) for years and some of it has grown ok in mostly clay. it won't get as big as it will in a better drained spot with some compost worked in, but it won't die. repeated mowing takes years to do it in, i've ended up going out there and digging the clumps out that i don't want in that area any longer.

i made the mistake many years ago of spreading half a five gallon bucket of scapes in that entire garden and then a few years later i harvested a bunch of bulbs, but still had many thousands to remove, eventually Mom started mowing when i could not keep up with that garden. we're still mowing it and there's still some garlic in spots, but it's getting smaller and spreading out instead of getting bigger bulbs. that's ok, eventually it will all either get removed or turned under. i'm reclaiming that garden as much as i can when i get time. i hate mowing and would rather weed, but the grasses have to be removed first. quackgrass is the worst.

 

[ducks4you]

I need to load up my old phone with music and weed with ear buds.
It's not bad when you have a rolling garden seat and can work at the soil, maybe using a shovel to coax some seeds out.
I always toss mine to the grass bc it will be mowed/mulched within a week. Then it's fun to work the soil clumps into fine particles that your seeds like to cling to.

 

[ducks4you]

House sitting while the handyman is replacing DD's kitchen drop ceiling. It collapsed last summer due to bad construction, a LOT like the extension cord that somebody was using in the DR for a ceiling fan, the old drop ceiling held things up with bent nails and such--probably a few bandaids, too. Bad wiring is gone now.
Handyman brought a purchased kit, which I have seen at the local hardware stores.
My drop ceiling has eye bolts sunk into 2 x 4 's.
I bought the tiles which the electricians used for the seven pancake lights now in my kitchen. I still have to replace 3 clear plastic tiles in the ceiling. I have kept the other plastic squares and I even put several on top of my porch pot since it has no drain holes and the cats have made it their plant playground. The one side of these tiles is spikey and that discourages even landing on it.
I kept the seven 65 watt flood lights in the drop section of the kitchen ceiling, where they give good light to the countertops.
As soon as the new drop ceiling is complete DD's will have the electricians back to reinstall and their kitchen will be bright as day, like mine now is.
I will need to take a good look at their asparagus bed. From the kitchen window it looks nonexistent, while my 5 plants are 3 ft tall +.
Had to take another benedryl this morning. I guess I will need to rewash the bedspread.
DH's is saying throw things away, but I can't throw Everything away!
I broke down and bleached all of my underwear and it was, surprisingly, colorfast. Who Knew?!?
I didn't care.
I bleached the cream sheets now on the bed. They are a little bit blotchey, but they have that fresh bleach smell.
Sorry I didn't buy only white sheets bc I love bleached clothes out of the dryer.

 

[ducks4you]

Packed up my laptop this morning sans mouse.
Now I have to finger everything. Sounds rude...
Family went to see, "Guardians of the Galaxy, 3" last night.
Good movie, but a bit disturbing. LOTS of animal CG, the villain is a "Dr. Mureau" who has cruelly experimented on animals.

The Island of Dr. Moreau

Librarian note: An alternative cover for this ISBN can …

www.goodreads.com

Part of H.G. Wells imagination.
The GOTG story would be hideous if it wasn't character driven.
Last week Nathan Fillian wore a "Guardians of the Galaxy" t shirt in his tv series episode. Now I know why.
He has a cameo.
He has a reputation for hiring friends to be in his projects and everybody remembers how "Firefly"

Firefly (TV Series 2002–2003) ⭐ 8.9 | Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

45m | TV-14

www.imdb.com

was stupidly cancelled after 2 seasons. If you are looking for good scifi, watch some episodes.