California - What are you doing this month?

I tried something different this winter, I am always finding at a loss for where to put all my veggie waste  (compost stuff) in the winter. My worms cannot deal with it all and whatever I put in my rotary composter just freezes and rots.
So this year I just dumped all my compostables out in the hoop house, which sits on a large patch of wood chips.
So it is protected from snow 

Was quite a treat to go out after getting back from my trip to find the pile ALIVE with worms.

That's awesome news on the pile, Sanderson!

Same on your worms GWN - we don't even think about issues like where you have to store your compost ingredients (we're really spoiled!)  

I have a large pile that's been cold composting all winter in a spot that I'm going to be making a n.  ew garden out of.  Every time I add my coffee grounds or kitchen waste to it it's the same thing - HUNDREDS of worms!  I've added a little fresh cow manure here and there and they have it broken down in just weeks.  Amazing little creatures

GWN and Audrey, Yes, awesome worms!

A little too much excitement around here this afternoon... a mama and baby cow went through the fence into my yard and the rest of the small herd were trying to follow them.  

The family that owns the cattle headed here as soon as they heard, but I was guarding my garden patch with a stick against a 1200-1500 lb cow with a mind to go where she wanted. 

All was fine until one of my dogs realized the cows were in the yard and went off on them.  Geesh!!!!  I had a stick and was aiming her toward the front yard where there wasn't as much she could ruin.  We had a couple close calls, but right about that time the family arrived and we were able to corral them back in their pasture.  

Baby is hiding behind momma 

And here I thought chasing a squirrel off the back fence was exciting! I can just picture you out there with a stick, trying to protect the garden. Momma cow just wanted to see if the grass was really greener on the other side of the fence.

Yeah, it was pretty comical.  I've been sick for a week so I was in my jammies and grabbed the nearest tool I could find to swing in her face.  I know she was laughing at me and didn't feel the slightest threatened 

They were supposed to be fixing the fence, fingers crossed we won't have any more unannounced "visitors!"

 Summer or winter jammies?  Your DH needs to video things like that.  My DH wanted to capture me running around the yard with my home made white butterfly net.

I'm glad you are feeling better. This is the perfect gardening weather.

Okay, found it! 

Glad you got everyone back where they belong without TOO much damage...

Sanderson - I think Mike's waiting to see me running around the yard this year w/ my tennis racket bug zapper.  I wouldn't be surprised if he videoed that...

Glad you're feeling better, Audrey.Jeanne!

Sadly, not feeling better at all.  This year's cruds that are going around last most often for a couple of weeks.

I need to keep at getting my starts planted though.  A little each day, then collapse on the couch 

I'm sorry you are still sick.

So... I planted my squash plants out in the garden and did a little weeding.  I kept seeing some rather large depressions in my hillside garden.  I was trying to figure out what had happened to create them.  Had my husband pulled some large clumps of grass and not filled in the area?  We have HUGE clumps of grass with intensive roots systems that could do that.  Did some vols come along and dig some large holes?  It's been running through the back of my head all day.

Then I discovered they moved my "Great Cow Escape" post and a little light went off in my head!  A 1500 lb. cow went through that garden, that would be where the 10 inch wide and about 8 inch deep holes came from, DDDDUUUUHHHHH!!!! 

Mystery solved 

Glad you were well enough to get the squash planted today. It was overcast and sprinkled a bit today. Just bummed it except for planting the second tote with SP slips. Also, checked on the free range worm box - more castings already! I added some of the stockpiled compost from a couple of beds to the box, watered and closed it. Fantastic setup and just from scrap wood. I was supposed to turn the pile for the third time but didn't. The core was back up to 168*F. I'll do it tomorrow, promise. I can't even recognize any of the seaweed!

Glad you solved the case of the mystery holes. Love those Duh moments.

I'm better now during the day, the night and morning are still pretty rough - but as we all know the garden cannot wait!



Here's my first 4x8 that was planted in the beginning of February. Closest to the viewer is pole beans, mixed with purple onions and Egyptian walking onions. When they are ready to climb I'll put up a pair of my white gridwall trellises for them to climb and will net off at the 3rd support as the rest need to be kept as bug free as possible.

Section 2 has 4 cabbage and 1 brussels sprout underplanted with little gem lettuce and 4 seasons lettuce.

Section 3 has 9 Dwarf Blue Kale underplante with rouge lettuce and 4 broccoli with the same lettuce.

Section 4 has 9 Chinese Cabbage with Black seeded simpson lettuce and 4 cauliflower and Oak Leaf.

Can you tell we love our salads?! I'll pick any lettuce that seems to be hampering the growth of the main items but this is allowing me to double plant and so far so good :-)

So beautiful I could weep.

Very nice, Audrey.Jeanne!

Audrey.Jeanne looks awesome!! glad to hear you are starting to feel better!

 Loved reading the humor with the cows, white butterflies and squirrels!!

you guys are a riot!

my son and I enjoyed our first spring taste of sorrel today that survived thru winter and is up doing well!....so happy as its the one thing our son really wanted to grow in his garden container!.....we are excited to try sorrel in our salads this year

happy gardening
rose

Today I finally turned the pile.  It was down to 160*F in the core, 120*F in the perimeter.  Guess what fluttered through the garden today?  A white butterfly!  Naner, naner, , I've already pulled up the last of the cole crops.  Hope they like tomatoes and peppers.

I can't believe my cousin and her hubby are coming up this weekend.   My back yard is a mess with all the pots waiting to be amended and planted.  Lovely white buckets with tomatoes.  Bags of straw, wood chips, ingredients for MM, pans for mixing, etc.  The pile of dirt and stump grindings from having the tree removed.  Not enough time to clean it all up.  And, I'm sure they will be impressed with the compost pile!  DH will be happy to haul heavy stuff around the corner, but you know, still embarrassing. They have a designer home and yard. I have ramial chips and horse manure. sigh.

I have a sneaky feeling they're coming to see you - not your compost pile, LOL!  Relax and just enjoy their company {Hugs} 

+1.  And if you feed them some of what you've grown, they'll be hooked!

Just tell them, "Excuse the mess.  It's gardening time!  Wanna play in the dirt?"

Ramial chips and horse manure are part of your designer show place of a yard and garden.  You have subscribed to a designer involved in fostering life.

Today was a high of 92*F!   I couldn't turn the pile until 6:30 this evening.

We worked on weeding our hillside last night and I over did it - today was rough with quite a set back on getting well    I'm so sick and bored of being sick.  

Especially with these high temps, I keep looking at what I need to still get done and the heat is fast approaching.  I can't have another week out of action!

One thing at a time, Audrey.Jeanne!  Set your priorities and get those done first. 

You'll be of no help to your family OR your garden if you don't get well first...

Poor Audrey. I hope you get well soon. Do you have a flu than is knocking you down? Do you have a secondary infection like bronchitis?

Thanks guys.

It's a sinus infection, likely.  Fortunately, it hasn't gone into my lungs up chest.  I felt a lot better today.  Fingers crossed I'm on the mend.