Ducks4you for 2022

ducks4you

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Didn't know where to start for this year. I'd LIKE to talk about the 15 sweet pepper plants downstairs and growing---2 have flowers--that NEVER SHOULD HAVE SURVIVED 1/2 of last year, but I will be sad if muck it up and kill them. Not to be a downer, But, I have sweat equity work to do on 6 out of 7 plants currently growing in my basement.
The Surprise success is the seemingly ever hardy citronella plant I bought on a whim. It seems to love life, but what will happen to it in the future is a mystery. I don't know if it wants to become a bush, if I can start pruning it back, if I will need to divide it next year to keep it manageable. Didn't pay a lot for it, but it's fun when they LIVE!! :lol:
TT to middle DD, who had hosted New Year's Eve for her sisters and friends. They have 3 inches of snow. WE have 3 inches of rain. BAH!!!!
I went internet shopping for a tabletop seed starter, bc that's what she needs. Something that won't take up a lot of real estate, and none of her house windows really works for lighting.
THIS is what I found:
At ~$33.00 I am thinking it's a good deal. Just Thursday I saw that grow mats are still $24.00/each. I have to go into town on Monday and I plan to buy one more before the prices start jumping.
This package doesn't have a gro light, and nobody has the one I like, so I will probably buy/ship it to middle DD, and she can PayPal reimburse me.
Seeds don't want anything but water and heat for the first week, anyway.
I FULLY expect seeds and supplies to disappear, so if you haven't bought, do so ASAP.
DId myself a favor, watersealing the top surfaces of my wooden picnic table and bought it a new tarp, so it will be out of a lot of the weather this winter. I provided a block for my faucet with the blue heated hose attached. The winds will freeze it fast, and I hope this helps. You can also see that the spent okra is still out there.
If I Don't dig them out, they are "winter interest"! :gig

Picnic table, covered, 2022.jpgFaucet protection, winter, 2022.jpgOkra, spent spears, winter, 2022.jpg
 

ducks4you

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I had this 6' x 9' tarp down, for...dunno...drying out weeds?...I Guess.
Anyway, I wanted to clean it up, AND the towels I used to clean up the Eva dirtied basement floor, TOTALLY :sick:sick:sickso I tied it to the fencing to let the weather work on it for me. When it gets clean and dry I can cut the baling twine and store it or use it. More "winter interest"! :lol::lol::lol:Barn, cleaning the tarp and towels, winter, 2022.jpg
 

Zeedman

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I had this 6' x 9' tarp down, for...dunno...drying out weeds?...I Guess.
Anyway, I wanted to clean it up, AND the towels I used to clean up the Eva dirtied basement floor, TOTALLY :sick:sick:sickso I tied it to the fencing to let the weather work on it for me. When it gets clean and dry I can cut the baling twine and store it or use it. More "winter interest"! :lol::lol::lol:View attachment 46527
There's no cleaning like snow cleaning. ;)
 

ducks4you

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Been busy, but no pictures to tell the tale. Weather is nasty...freezing drizzle to freezing rain, a coat of it on the sidewalks and even on the frozen dirt that the ponies almost slipped on coming in to their stalls.
Truck was back in the garage before the freezing rain started.
I unloaded and put away from my truck the following beFORE I spot cleaned the stalls:
1) 8 (50 lb) bags of sweet feed--now my cans are all full
2) 17 (40 lb) bags of pine pellets, (the ones for livcestock)
3) 30 (35 lb) bags of fine pine shavings
Do the math...I unloaded and poured in OR stacked over 2,000 pounds of bedding
REALLY feeling it.
Salted the steps and sidewalk before I came in for lunch. Had to Resalt same.
Ice is accumulating. This is our normal winter.............ice.
Opened the garage door and salted where it meets the cement. I have had this door stuck before.
 

ducks4you

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Bought a cheap terrarium at WM last week, $15.00. I intend to transplant my sweet peppers to pots and put the glass cover (recycled from a truck topper window) on it and grow them in it. I may prune them, too, to keep them short.
I kept the Other "fish tank", but it leaks, so I will need to line It with some plastic before using.
Easy to tell the difference since the older one has pink/purple gravel in it.
Off shopping today, and I will be taking the plunge and buying one more heat mat.
Seed starting begins soon...
There Will be pictures!!
PLEASE get your seeds NOW!!!
Not to brag but I Have all of the seeds I want to plant for 2022.
Word out is that many companies still are out of stock from last year, and word out is that inflation will kick in with a vengeance in March.
Maybe worm composting is in your future?!?!?
 

ducks4you

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I hate to shop. REALLY, I do, that's why I wear an analog watch when I shop.
Made my list, used Samsung notes dutifully on my phone, Just like DD's always do, so it looks like I am LIVING ON MY PHONE...like everybody else.
Anyway, I DID find potted herbs at Schnucks (grocery store chain) today.
I bought thyme, basil, purple basil and sage.
They will go on top of the window, with the lemon thyme.
Btw, I HAVE been cooking with it. I put it up there a month ago and brought it down last week to water. It had a lot of new growth, so I guess it's happy.
Lemon thyme, new growth, Jan 2022.jpgDuck with lemon thyme, jan 2022.jpgLemon thyme, winter 2022 home, on wooden cover top of window.jpg
 

ducks4you

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Don't pitch the cheap seeds. They are probably older than the package says, BUT, only onions and leeks (I think...) have a short germination rate. You can always do the test where you put 10 seeds on a wet paper towel and inside a baggie, then give them a week on top of the fridge to determine germination %.
What did you buy from Baker Creek?
 

Rhodie Ranch

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Southern Washington State, 8b
Zucchino Rampicante Squash1$3.00
Lemon Squash1$3.00
Patisson Golden Marbre Scallop Squash1$3.00
Sweet Dumpling Squash1$3.00
Free Seed Variety 1
SKU: FR101
You Deserved It!
1$0.00
Delicata Squash1$3.00
Black Cherry Tomato1$3.00
Rosita Eggplant1$3.00
Diamond Eggplant1$2.75
California Blackeye Pea Cowpea1$3.00
Yellow Pear Tomato1$2.75
 

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