yes there was a slug inside the rhubarb stalk! disgusting. it’s died way back. it’s raining too often now too use sluggo though. hoping it grows back from the roots next year.
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The scene in the photo 2 before the last is very nice.
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a small update on the greenhouse. installed, almost done strapping down, started insulation, plants that are tender to below 50F moved in.
the compost heap is becoming active and warm. a good sign for winter.
squashes still ripening on the vines.
tomatoes too. but I’ll be bringing those in soon to wrap up and ripe in a box anyway
sunflowers took over
the cardboard shredder at work
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Thanks for the update 
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snow. 25-30F out there the next few nights.
everything is tucked in the greenhouse or under straw or dead or hardy and chugging along in the elements.
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my figs haven’t gone to sleep yet, I’m still getting ripening fruit from some.
slowly getting more organized inside. it’s 40-60F inside, 40 at night. I run one small heater at night, heat mats and lights in the day.
starting to lay out better shapes for the garden plot for spring.
the Meyer lemon finally has a lemon
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additional greenhouse successes:
tobacco (Massachusetts wrapper tobacco, first year growing tobacco) plenty of curled leaves already that I’m curing. I’m planting a handful of varieties next year; if I can grow and cure enough I can stop buying fancy pack smokes
lemon tree in flower. key lime baby in there next to it
sugarcane. hoping to get one or two to chew on for harvest feast this winter.
I’m loading all my garden things up on YouTube this week and might link in posts here. a lot better images of what’s going on.
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it’s doing great!
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Thanks! My first lemon ever. It’s gradually turning yellow. I had a key lime but it died. I have a regular lime and it has one bloom.
I’m so envious of your hoop house! Maybe one day.
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@resonanteye your place looks amazing. Love seeing the progress and before/after pics. Not sure how I hadn’t found this thread yet.
You mentioned in the original post about putting in some serviceberry. How are those doing? I would think really well in that climate, but who knows. They are underrated as a yard bush imho, great shape with beautiful dark green leaves and white flowers. The fruit is kind of seedy and bland but it seems to be getting popular now.
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I believe a few folks here reported on cultivars with an agreeable taste.
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all but one died, hot dry summer. I’m not sure why they won’t make it here, I see them growing locally but I can’t get them to take
I’ve had a hard time keeping replanted birch trees alive in my yard, and they grow wild on literal rocks around here. Maybe they just really don’t like having their roots disturbed, I dunno. And the serviceberries seem indestructible. During the 2021 heat dome all the other shrubs dried up and they looked great. Hopefully once you get some properly established they will do well.
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some greenhouses updates. getting more organized. and tomorrow the insulated covers go over the outside
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tobacco is flowering.
outside is my least favorite time of year to look at the garden; most things have died and there’s frost or ice but no snow yet. grey and dismal
a few things are hardy and still going despite all odds
kale, blackberry starts, strawberries and iris leaves are green. my hellebore seems to have died and my rhubarb disappeared in August and didn’t pop back at all. will have to wait for spring
the frost is intense in the mornings.
things in the greenhouse are still growing for the most part; even a few more hardy figs still putting on leaves and figlets. my compost heap went cold though! WHY. I think it needs more green. not sure what to do next as all I’ve got is pine straw, straw straw, and possibly some wood chip. ugh
other things have gone to sleep. they’ll be getting covered with burlap in the cool area of the gh
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info so I don’t forget it
Dsb zone, zone 7a, and sunset 2. still looking for more info on growing here.
some photos:
impressive rime ice on pear
I hate snow
the dogs like it.
the greenhouse is insulated, tucked and warm.
going through the fedco catalog and Johnny’s to pass the time. the snow melted today, it was 50F yesterday and today so everything is just sopping wet. emptied some rain barrel water into jugs and dragged them into the greenhouse since things were melting and I had the chance to grab it.
thinking about what winter starts I can do in the greenhouse, I’ve got lettuce and cabbages starting now, not sure what else I can throw in pots this time of year. it’s 40-50F in there at all times.
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Have you gotten your first electric bill since the heater started running in there? Last winter it was a bit more than I could justify spending, so that was one reason I moved to the “Thermo Cube TC-3” which only keeps it above about 35°F instead of ~45°F like the lowest setting on the heater itself. So far it’s been a huge savings in electric bills vs last year.
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it was about 20 bucks more than last month, but we also had the HVAC in my art shed running, so it’s been low
I think the absolute crap load of insulation helped
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