ken zirkel

It’s time to set up the pool again …

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For the third time, a robin has built a nest right outside our side door. Here, the parent bird brings a giant worm for one of the babies.

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A robin’s nest has appeared near our side door. Four blue eggs inside.

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I was dissatisfied with my previous garden irrigation system — a combination of soaker hoses and spray hoses — and I knew I had to expand to include two new raised beds. I was also a bit afraid that the distance differential would create pressure differentials in the beds. So I decided to look around [...]

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My garden plans this year are the most ambitious I’ve ever planned. I’ve got two 3×10 beds (new this year) and two 3×12 beds (previously established). I’ve already got a huge crop of seedlings growing. In fact, I probably planted the tomatoes and pumpkins too early, they are getting to be giants in their little [...]

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The mice appear to have been vanquished, or perhaps they are regrouping for another attack. In any case, my seedlings have been doing very well. Below, left to right: Brussels Sprouts, Tomatoes, Basil, and lettuce.

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We made another snowman today.

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Well, the garden is reaching its most productive time. Many, perhaps most, of my crops were disappointments or failures: peppers, corn, brussels sprouts, completely died. Lettuce never grew. Even zucchini have produced but a few fruit. There is one major bright spot: the tomato plants are doing superbly. The plants are up to six feet [...]

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Our garden has had its ups and downs. Most notably, a hailstorm in late June devastated several plants, tearing leaves and stripping branches off of the green peppers and several other plants. But when we got back from vacation, we were greeted with our first big harvest. We had several cherry tomatoes, large tomatoes, chard, [...]

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