November 8, 2008

2008
*set out semi-dwarf apple trees: William's Pride, Mollies Delight, Stayman Winesap, & Arkansas Black
*cut back raspberries bushes
*harvested 14 pounds unshelled pecans
*harvested mustard for supper & to freeze
*planted 5 hickory nuts in a pot after soaking 5 days; planted only those that sank; discarded those that floated

November 6, 2008

2008
*set out semi-dwarf Liberty apple tree; first in west to east line on north side of woodlot

November 5, 2008

2008
*rain: 7/10"

October 30, 2008

temperatures: high 76, low 47

October 28, 2008

2008
*first solid frost; 31.2F at 7:20 am - dropped from 32F at 6am - low for the night

October 26, 2008

2008
*forecast calls for freezing temperatures tonight; spent the day after church getting ready for freeze
*harvested remaining tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, raspberries
*built cold frame from hay bales, fence posts, and 4-mil plastic sheeting in Keeping Garden around mustard & lettuce; built small square clotch from pvc pipe & 4-mil plastic - placed over spinach
*harvested remaining Fuji apples: stored 65 in flats in spare bedroom - heat shut off to room; stored 23 in plastic bags in fruit crisper in frig; holding 3/4 of 5-gallon bucket in spare bedroom until I can process them, probably as applesauce
*gathered zinnia seed & globe amaranth seed
*Love cleaned chimney
***weather update: home thermometer shows overnight low of 35.4F; noted spotty frost on lawn & some exposed plants

October 25, 2008

2008
*harvested trailerload of pine straw from nearby roadside; spread on paths in Kitchen Garden; will spread remaining straw on blueberry patch
*harvested 9 1/2 pounds pecans, unshelled -- more on ground
*continuing raspberry harvest (waning)
*harvested 3 pounds apples for caramel apple jam

October 22, 2008

2008
*rain: 8/10"

October 19, 2008

2008
*set out semi-dwarf Red Haven peach tree (just south of Brown Turkey fig) & semi-dwarf Keiffer pear tree (just south of peach) from Lowe's. Both varieties are recommended for Arkansas by UA, but I am concerned about the quality of bargain trees. So, this is an experiment.
*first pecan harvest of the season (2 1/2 lbs, unshelled)
*harvested 3 cucumbers - last of the season?
*harvested 5 lbs jalepeno peppers
*harvested 2 1/2 lbs bell peppers
*moved remainer of irises from Keeping Garden to Kitchen Garden

October 15, 2008

2008
*rain: 1/10"
*raspberry harvest: 1 cup, mostly Heritage

October 14, 2008

2008
*rain: 1/10"

October 13, 2008

2008
*moved Joseph's Coat and Golden Showers roses from temporary Keeping Garden to north end of Kitchen Garden, positioned to climb the fence on the south side
*moved irised from Keeping Garden to Kitchen garden (temporary location until they can be positioned in the Cottage Garden in the spring
*ordered apple trees from Johnson Nursery in Ellijay, Georgia: Stayman Winesap, Liberty, Arkansas Black, William's Pride, & Mollie's Delicious. Should ship in or after December.

October 12, 2008

2008
*Set out Felix Crousse peony & Festiva Maxima peony in the Cottage Garden. These were purchased for $1.50 each off sale table at Harps' this summer & kept in pots under the blueberry bushes. Also Monsieur Jules Elie & Sarah Bernhardt, which I set out in the Cottage Garden earlier.

October 11, 2008

2008
*set out White Cap peony in Cottage Garden (from Chotkowski's)
*set out Red Delicious Semi-Dwarf apple from Lowe's in line north of Fuji apple
*1st harvest of buttercrunch lettuce
* raspberry harvest dwindling, but beautiful berries

October 6, 2008

2008:
*rain: 2 2/10"

October 5, 2008

2008
*1st mustard harvest
*probable last cucumber harvest - 2 cucumbers - only very tiny ones remaining on vine
*dwindling raspberry harvest

October 4, 2008

2008
*rain showers -- no measurable amount
*transplanted garlic into new kitchen garden beds
*planted Buttercrunch lettuce in new kitchen garden beds
*dwindling raspberry harvest
*harvested 10 pounds of Fuji apples for applesauce

September 14, 2008

2008
*rain: 2 3/4" - remnants of Hurrican Ike
*gathered 10 pounds of windfall Fuji apples for applesauce

September 13, 2008

2008
*weeded & hoed part of overgrown section of temporary vegetable garden
*planted small section of Bloomsdale spinach, Buttercrunch lettuce, Imperator carrots & Tendergreen mustard
*mustard planted Sept 6 is up
*harvested cherry tomatoes & chocolate bell peppers
*continuing raspberry harvest: picked 1/2 cup from Heritage red bushes
*picked off 4 hornworms from tomatoes & peppers

September 12, 2008

2008
*continuing raspberry harvest: picked 2 cups from red Heritage & golden Anne bushes

September 11, 2008

2008
*continuing raspberry harvest: picked 2 cups from red Heritage & golden Anne

September 7, 2008

2008
*continuing raspberry harvest: 1 cup of Heritage berries

September 6, 2008

2008
*pulled up and discarded strawberry plants between raspberries & blueberries. Plan to start over next year in the Kitchen Garden with new plants.
*weeded the Berry Patch. Mulching made this quick work.
*installed 3rd post for blackberries and strung 2 wires between 2nd & 3rd posts. Tied plants to wire.
*weeded vegetable garden.
*planted Tendergreen mustard in gap left by discarded Sweet Millions tomato.

September 5, 2008

2008
*continuing raspberry harvest - picked 1 cup from Heritage bushes

September 4, 2008

2008
*rain: 3-day total of 4 & 7/10" - remnants of Hurricane Gustav
*continuing raspberry harvest - picked 2 cups today from Heritage bushes
*began selective harvest of Fuji apples as dessert apples -- slightly green taste, but good -- plan to continue slow harvest to reduce stress on heavily laden branches

September 1, 2008

2008
*picked first berry from golden raspberry 'Anne' bushes

August 15, 2008

2008
*rain: 1"

August 10, 2008

2008
*rain: 2"

August 1, 2008

2008
*Replanted cucumbers in Keeping Garden.

July 31, 2008

2008
*fertilized cherry tree on advice of fellow from organic gardening store in Johnson. He assures me that the tree will make cherries next year, even if it never has.

July 30, 2008

2000
*2nd apple tree brown [died]
*pears gone - harvested one
*froze 9 pts peaches from #2 tree
*canned 1 pt of pickled jalapenoes

1999
*Enterprise apple tree brown [died]
*birds eating pears (covered with netting 8/2)

1994
*canned 5 pts picante ketchup