Time and tide wait for no man. Or wo-man.
Supposed to be clear today, with moderate to warm temps. Humidity will probably be Houston normal. I’m going to wish we’d gotten more done in the attic before too long…
And more done on the bathroom, and more done in the garage, and more done with the garden.
Garden is my focus today. I’m really starting to fret over food. I took a good look at the ag extension garden recommendations and I am late for getting the garden in in Houston. I’m on time for the BOL, but both locations would do better with transplants than seeds. I feel like I need to get something in the ground, even though it might not be ideal.
At the lake the area I rototilled is about 20ft x 30ft. It’s on a slight slope and the rows need to be across the slope. Unfortunately, that is 90 degrees to how I’d want them based on the sun. Instead of one row of this and one row of that, I’ll have to change plants as the row goes along, because of height and hours of sunlight. Well, to be optimal for sun I’d have to, but I might just do the rows anyway. It’s gonna come down to what’s tallest and does it block the next row…
Since fencing has gone up to crazy high costs, I’ve been watching my auctions for substitutes or “creative” things I can use. I won two lots of fencing last night. They are 4 foot tall lightweight metal grid panels, and are intended to keep kids out of an in-ground pool. They should work to fence in the garden. I might even just add a wire above the fence to help keep the deer out. I’ll have to keep watching for more to completely fence it in. Until I can get the fence set, I’ll just put metal hardware cloth over the rows to keep the grazers from nibbling, and the diggers from eating the seeds.
I got a quote from the auction to deliver the remainder of my pipes, and I’m taking them up on the offer. It’s almost break even between the trailer and the gas, and it saves me a solid 4 hours of life, and a special trip up there. It pushes the cost of the pipe up, but still FAR less than retail and they are crazy heavy and strong compared to normal fencing. So much to strong that it will be a waste to use them as fence posts but it’s what I have.
Here at home I need to get some transplants into the beds. My wife misunderstood my request and threw out my sprouted heirloom potatoes, so that won’t be going in, unless lowes has some in stock. The rest will probably be beans and peppers in different varieties. Some will be root veg if I can find space. It won’t be enough for more than a few dinners but it is something. And hey, yesterday’s dinner included a pound of collard greens from last year’s plants, which are doing great and have taken over a whole bed. Last year’s asparagus just bolted this year. Not one stalk graced my plate.
It would be nice to re-plant my “window boxes” hanging on the fence, but I might not get to them.
The blueberry bushes are setting leaves and flowers, so I need to get them back under their bird netting.
The potted lime did not come back with spring. The potted grapefruit did though. The apple tree is budding, the peach has leaves coming in. The well established orange, grapefruit, and Meyer lemon were killed by last year’s freeze. I’ve decided not to replant them. Other than the Meyer lemon, they are too hard to keep alive in the cold. I think we’re headed into long term cooling not warming, so planting cold-sensitive citrus is foolish.
Both varieties of grape vine died back to the ground with the big freeze, but both look like they are still alive. The green grape variety has always been stronger and faster to grow, and it is already climbing back up the arbor. The red is not vigorous, so we’ll see what it does this year before the caterpillars come. In any case, no grapes this year no matter how crazy the vines are.
I’ve got some tree pruning to do too. Kids are home today, but wife is at work. We’ll see how much, if any, help I get.
Get your garden started. Get your pantry filled. Get some of it offsite and secret and safe. Stack it high.
nick