2025 gardens

[MossRoad]

I've never liked the taste of blackberries for some reason. I do like black raspberries, though. I usually make some jelly out of that every year or two.

 

[walhondingMF]

Man what a harvest we had thus far for blackberries and just starting blueberries. They are about 10 days early for us.

I myself have harvested over 40# of blackberries. One row produced 12.5# Saturday after our pickers left (they picked I think it was 40#).

With my new ninja juicer I juiced the 12.5# and made 12.5 cups of the purttiest juice. There is over 6 cups in each of the gallon bags. Also after this I rejuiced the pulp it was so thick almost like a milk shake. Lots of pectin in that rejuiced stuff.

How are you covering your blueberries to keep the birds away?

 

[DJ54]

My thoughts on hail cannons: snake oil. Think about it. Thunder is a bazillion times louder than any hail cannon, yet hail is formed in thunderstorms.

All I can say is what I have seen here with it going off. It may disrupt the updraft that carries drops of water up into colder air to form hail. I remember them telling me it was good for approx. 80 acres in a radius around it, but at a 1/2 to 3/4 away here, never seen anything bigger than ice chips, or an occasional pea size in the mix.

Several years ago, we had a lot of hail in a storm. 3 miles to the South it destroyed roofs on 1–2-year old houses, and broke vinyl siding on them too. Here with the cannon going off, it looked like you shoveled crushed ice in the yard. Maybe just a fluke, but I feel a little more comfortable when it's set off. My early warning system too, to head for the house.

 

[dj1701]

This year does not look promising. I mulched with straw this year for the first time. Looks ok, keeps some of the weeds down but keeps the ground cold and wet. The broccoli is all but gone because of slugs. I hate those SOB's. Tomatoes died in one raised bed and the others are not lookin good. Peppers are being eaten by slugs. Planted some zucchini in the raised bed that the tomatoes died in. We will see if they do anything. Put some potatoes in this year. First time in may years. Nothing yet.

On a positive note, The blueberries are looking good, and the garlic is going nuts. I did plant some tomatoes along the chain-link fence to the dog park. Figured I try to train them along a support I already have. They are looking good, just have to be careful with the weed whacker.

Between the clay soil, late frosts, and more rain than I can remember, it's been a losing battle.

Dave

 

[MossRoad]

All I can say is what I have seen here with it going off. It may disrupt the updraft that carries drops of water up into colder air to form hail. I remember them telling me it was good for approx. 80 acres in a radius around it, but at a 1/2 to 3/4 away here, never seen anything bigger than ice chips, or an occasional pea size in the mix.

Several years ago, we had a lot of hail in a storm. 3 miles to the South it destroyed roofs on 1–2-year old houses, and broke vinyl siding on them too. Here with the cannon going off, it looked like you shoveled crushed ice in the yard. Maybe just a fluke, but I feel a little more comfortable when it's set off. My early warning system too, to head for the house.

Reminds me of a hail storm we had on a Father's Day one year. Wife, one child and I left the family gathering to run to the pet store for cat food before it closed with intention to return to gathering.

We came out of PetsMart and heard this pinging noise. Started getting really loud, but it was sunny! Looked across the parking lots and saw a wall of large hail coming right at us. Golf ball sized and larger. The pinging was it bouncing off of the cars. YIKES!! It was so loud!

Jumped in the car just in time. Told the wife and kid to stay out from under the sunroof and back window. Lasted close to 10 minutes. Stripped the leaves off all the trees. Damaged thousands of cars across that part of the county. Several car dealerships, too. Tore holes in roofs and any vinyl sided houses got their south and west walls destroyed. Punch hole right through awnings, a rubbermaid pool box, yard barns, you name it.

Every piece of sheet metal on our 2000 Impala was dented multiple times with the exception of the two right-side doors. Insurance said there was $4500 damage on a $5K car, so they didn't total it! Sent it to paintless dent removal. They replaced the fiberglass hood, and got all the dents out. However, a few weeks later, all the paint cracked off the rear trunk lid. The entire lid had to be replaced and that was over $500. So, they should have totaled the car in the first place. Anyhow, the car looked fine after that and we drove it another 100K.

 

[masseyrider]

It's OFFICIAL. NO GARDEN 2025.
Maybe ever. I'm getting acclimated to the condo I bought. Sorting out the nosey Nellies and gossipers.
I still have the "ranch" for the time being.
This was going to be the swansong garden year anyways. It has been wet and cold. The ground is still below normal temps.
People I know who have planted are having miserable results.
Warm loving crops really suffering.
The sunflower field should be close to knee high. 4-5 inches is the best it has done.
I might put in some late corn and beans just to say I tried.
The grass has hogged all the attention. Twice a week around the yard and every week and half in the meadow areas.
Sump pump has given a good return on investment.
60+ years of self sufficient summer produce done.

 

[MossRoad]

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Got our fence up this week. Planting 650 more sweet corn and 120 more pumpkins today. Will have 180 pumpkin plants and 2400 sweet corn, 300 bush beans, and other assorted veg.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

An acre of buckwheat will bloom in three weeks to darken our honey crop.

 

[MossRoad]

I joke with my wife many years ago that we have $500 worth of fence for $35 of vegetables.

But it sure is nice to eat stuff you grow yourself.