April 27: Picked first yellow squash. They are only 3" to 4".
The first squash will not fully mature so they need to be picked.

Applied nitrogen to pecan trees. Expect rain. If it does
not rain, will have to water this afternoon.

Drought Effects --Missing Bluebonnets and Redblankets

The farm doesn't have any bluebonnets and redblankets, but they have what some people

call Rain Lily or Giant Prairie Lily (identified by Judy as Cooperia pedunculata, but taxonomists have changed its name to Zephyranthes drummondii)

garden and pictures

April 18: Has rained 7 inches the past two days. For first time in
over a year ponds are full.

April 20: Beans and squash are blooming.

NOTE: Flowers are from my pasture

Gardening Tea

I was visiting with Dad today and mentioned that the Community Garden requires only organic fertilizers be used.   He suggested I make up some "tea".   No, not "iced tea" from tea leaves, but "manure tea".   He has never used it, but said Mom and wanted him to try it over the years.   As you can tell from the blog entries, he is a big Miracle Grow user.

Here is a recipe I found:

3-4 gallons of composted manure

Soak in a garbage pail of water for one day

Remove the bag of composted manure

(In some recipes) Add to the solution 1/2 cup of ivory dish soap and 4 cups of Epson salt.

Apply 1 pt to small plants or 2pt. to medium plants.   Dip new plant roots in solution before planting.

A New England Community Garden

I have the opportunity to join a new community garden that is being established in Duxbury.  I will have a 10x12 plot which will be tilled, amended, fenced, and on an automatic watering system.   We be able to plant the middle of May through October.   This will be exciting and challenging since I've never really had a garden before.    The Wildlands Trust owns and manages the Philbrik Preserve and sponsors the community garden.  The Wildlands trust also spearheaded the campaign to establish  O'Neil Dairy Farm where Megan volunteers and works with the dairy cattle.

I'll be logging my activities and gardening tidbits with Dad's.  Mine will be in blue.

Texas Gardening

March 31: Had 7/10 inch of rain

April 4: Irrigated the garden and applied Mirical Grow to the tomatoes.

The tomatoes are about 2 feet tall and beginning to bloom.