California - What are you doing this month?

 Hahaha! It was a bit like that here for the deep summer....nothing like you guys are enduring.....good one!  

Glad for ya!

With this cool weather, I'm finally able to get some needed work done.  Installed a trellis for the snow peas (not shown), 2 beds cleaned, amended and put to bed for the winter.  Covered the 2x8' TT with tulle.  There were at least 20 green caterpillars on the the kale and broccoli that had to be dispatched first.  about the thickness of hair and 2 mm long, hiding along the veins!  Patio shade covers taken down (one still showing in the photo), washed and put away.  I still need to sow the carrots and parsnips.  All of the winter crops are in one area of the back yard!  Yippee!  As soon as the winter squash and cantaloupes finish, one way or the other, I can put those beds to sleep. Here's the winter crops in TTs (2 small beds of snow peas are off the other side of the patio).

I haven't been on in FOREVER.  Sanderson you reminded me to get some tulle over my beds!  Question ... we  built a table top bed for my husband's grandma in the spring.  I would like to put some sugar snap peas in it but I obviously can't put a 6 foot tall trellis on it.  Can they just fall over the side like the cucumbers?

Keeper! Missed you!

Good question. My snow peas were getting tall and collapsing because I was late getting the trellis up. This is just my suggestion: go to Dollar World /99 cent store and buy the cheap little wire flower bed borders. Collapsible, 3-piece things that can be separated. That would give them something to climb up and get out of the soil. After that, they can fall over the sides. I'm thinking that the peas collapsing on the soil could create a mold situation for the stems.

How about a photo or two. What have you been up to. Hope everything is okay.

For the last 3 gorgeous days, I have been putting up herbs, making chicken broth and freezing with the Food Saver.  Small triplicate jars are for the daughters at Christmas.  The bag of sunflower seeds are what I saved from this summer.  The seeds are small and I don't know which of the neighborhood birds eat these.

First batch of chicken broth.  I chopped up the carcass bones and a new package of wings for the second batch and it was nicely gelatinous.

I was late getting a triple trellis in place for the snow peas but I managed to get one up and I'm happy with the new design (for me).

New Zealand spinach just keeps producing, about 16 months old from one (1) seed!  Pest, disease, heat and freeze resistant.  What more can I say.

Battered winter squash and cantaloupes crawled out if their respective boxes and met up at the tomatillos.  Surprise, late fruits.


That's all for now as I need to get outside and build the frames over the newest table top.

I love those surprises!  I was really disappointed in my muskmelon and watermelon until I came upon my surprise fruits!   Nice!

Personal size!  Sweet and juicy!  This is the one up in the pot and it came away so easily.

Yum ...  

I just had one of those this week. It was hanging there one day and fell off over night. I found it and brought it in the next morning. It was tiny and delicious.

Sorry I've been gone for so long. I have been sick for a month. I had blood work done last week and see my doctor for the results, tomorrow. I'll post again, then, when I finally get some answers (I hope). At least I'm feeling a little better, now.

CN, I hope you get well soon!!!

Hope you get well soon, there's no joy in being ill for a month, CN

Sanderson, your garden is doing so well now! What do you attribute that to? All the hard work you've put into it? Change of seasons? I need all the helpful hints I can get!

CN, glad you're feeling betrer. Will check in tomorrow for you results.

CC

CC,  Thank you.  I want to say that the change in season revitalizes both the plants and the gardener.

For the new winter beds, shown clustered together with bridal veils, I did add some of the following as additions to more home made compost. I have no idea if it will make a difference next for next summer. Kelp, crab, bone and blood meals, powdered milk and bagged composted manure. I will be conducting some experiments but that will be a different topic.

MmmMine

sanderson wrote:Personal size!  Sweet and juicy!  This is the one up in the pot and it came away so easily.

Minnesota Midget?  Yummo!

Almost everything is dead in the garden. I don't know why, since I never missed a watering and our weather seems fine to me. Some of our nights get down into the mid 40s, but I didn't think that would be too cold. Obviously, I don't know much.

I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. I haven't had sweeteners or carbs in over a week and still feel lousy. Cholesterol is high, but everything else checked out okay. Next is the cardiologist. I'm so sick of being sick. All I do is play XBox and watch TV. This isn't living.

countrynaturals wrote:Almost everything is dead in the garden. I don't know why, since I never missed a watering and our weather seems fine to me. Some of our nights get down into the mid 40s, but I didn't think that would be too cold. Obviously, I don't know much.

I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. I haven't had sweeteners or carbs in over a week and still feel lousy. Cholesterol is high, but everything else checked out okay. Next is the cardiologist. I'm so sick of being sick. All I do is play XBox and watch TV. This isn't living.

So sorry to hear this   I'm reading a fantastic new book, written by a doctor that deals with end stage diabetes patients that have kidney failure.  His name is Dr. Jason Fung (from Canada).  He was tired of seeing failure out of the standard treatments and did in depth research on how the body deals with weight, blood sugar, insulin etc.  It's called "The Obesity Code."  Super readable yet scholarly.  You can also look him up on Youtube where he has a lot of videos. 

I started following his information in Mid-May and am down 30+ lbs and feeling so much better.  I have diabetes on both sides of my family and didn't want to go down that path.  Sending {{{{HUGS}}}} your way!

countrynaturals wrote:Almost everything is dead in the garden. I don't know why, since I never missed a watering and our weather seems fine to me. Some of our nights get down into the mid 40s, but I didn't think that would be too cold. Obviously, I don't know much.

I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. I haven't had sweeteners or carbs in over a week and still feel lousy. Cholesterol is high, but everything else checked out okay. Next is the cardiologist. I'm so sick of being sick. All I do is play XBox and watch TV. This isn't living.

Suz, we have more important things to think about than the garden...it is what it is.  

You however, need to get it together!  Only you can do this.

Let's get you on track with a plan to handle your new normal, carb counting, exercise in moderation according to your fitness profile. This is a do able lifestyle especially since you have a garden! 
I am in your corner!

Scorpio Rising wrote:

countrynaturals wrote:Almost everything is dead in the garden. I don't know why, since I never missed a watering and our weather seems fine to me. Some of our nights get down into the mid 40s, but I didn't think that would be too cold. Obviously, I don't know much.

I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. I haven't had sweeteners or carbs in over a week and still feel lousy. Cholesterol is high, but everything else checked out okay. Next is the cardiologist. I'm so sick of being sick. All I do is play XBox and watch TV. This isn't living.

Suz, we have more important things to think about than the garden...it is what it is.  

You however, need to get it together!  Only you can do this.

Let's get you on track with a plan to handle your new normal, carb counting, exercise in moderation according to your fitness profile. This is a do able lifestyle especially since you have a garden! 
I am in your corner!

I don't mind counting carbs, giving up sugar, and exercising. I've been doing it all for over a week. I'm just tired of being sick. When do I start seeing results?

audrey.jeanne.roberts wrote:

countrynaturals wrote:Almost everything is dead in the garden. I don't know why, since I never missed a watering and our weather seems fine to me. Some of our nights get down into the mid 40s, but I didn't think that would be too cold. Obviously, I don't know much.

I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. I haven't had sweeteners or carbs in over a week and still feel lousy. Cholesterol is high, but everything else checked out okay. Next is the cardiologist. I'm so sick of being sick. All I do is play XBox and watch TV. This isn't living.

So sorry to hear this   I'm reading a fantastic new book, written by a doctor that deals with end stage diabetes patients that have kidney failure.  His name is Dr. Jason Fung (from Canada).  He was tired of seeing failure out of the standard treatments and did in depth research on how the body deals with weight, blood sugar, insulin etc.  It's called "The Obesity Code."  Super readable yet scholarly.  You can also look him up on Youtube where he has a lot of videos. 

I started following his information in Mid-May and am down 30+ lbs and feeling so much better.  I have diabetes on both sides of my family and didn't want to go down that path.  Sending {{{{HUGS}}}} your way!

I'm not overweight, but I have dropped 2 lbs already, just by giving up sugary drinks and snacks. Is there more to "The Obesity Code" than weight loss? 

Sanderson? Is there a way to move these posts somewhere else, since we're so far off topic?

Remind me tomorrow. I will try to make a sub forum on nutrition for health problems. Then I can move these. I just found out my cholesterol is 230!!

sanderson wrote:Remind me tomorrow.  I will try to make a sub forum on nutrition for health problems.  Then I can move these.  I just found out my cholesterol is 230!!

Mine is 246. I guess we both have some work to do.

countrynaturals wrote:

sanderson wrote:Remind me tomorrow.  I will try to make a sub forum on nutrition for health problems.  Then I can move these.  I just found out my cholesterol is 230!!

Mine is 246. I guess we both have some work to do.

My problem is low good cholesterol and border line bad cholesterol. My doctor put me on fish oil and cod liver oil.

My HDL is low, also.

sanderson wrote:My HDL is low, also.

Same here. 

Fish oil? I'll check on that.

countrynaturals wrote:

sanderson wrote:My HDL is low, also.

Same here. 

Fish oil? I'll check on that.

It's the omega-3 fish oils.

My triglycerides are sometimes in the bad range as well.