Rainy day

I actually did not see much of the garden today. Started the new job, so left home while it was still dark. Got home and it was rainy and cold. Took what was intended as a short nap and woke up 6 hours later, after dark. Least I don't have to water today!

The chickens are getting bigger and run through (or spill and contaminate) the water dispenser I have for them, which they're getting too big for. Need to devise a larger water dispenser and also a larger feeder for them. Though I'm going to start letting them out of the coop this week, probably starting tomorrow. They seem interested in the elm seeds and ate all of the ones where I placed the coop, so no complaints there. Long as it does them no harm.

My daughter and I have seen a few ladybugs in the garden, which was something we never saw last year. That's a good sign. When I can afford it, I'll buy a bunch of them, as well. Keep the aphids at bay. Between that and sunflowers planted a distance from the main garden, it should help.

I like the new schedule. Nice getting off work at a time when I can either get and extra job for a few hours or can work around the house and get things accomplished, while not being exhausted from 12-13 hours at work. Plus, numerous hours of daylight left to get things done. At this rate, getting the garden laid out and planted the way I want and then solarium built becomes a real likelihood, instead of a dream. I need to get some areas of shade built for the house and garden by late June or early July. I may now be able to do this, which I had questioned with my old schedule.

I now have over 114 tomato sprouts started inside. The trays with the ammonia and vinegar solution are doing the most poorly. Though they are also planted in egg trays, while the rest are planted in styrofoam cups, so I'm not sure what difference that makes, if any.

Strawberry seeds are doing best in the loosest soil I have in their container. Going to get more berries later and just try planting in regular potting soil. I had used a mixture of garden soil, some of which is rather sandy. This also tells me I need to still add more mulched straw to the garden soil. The sand in my soil is extremely fine and it compacts too easily. But the strawberries which are growing are doing rather well so far. Have to transplant them once they have enough roots.