Erica's Boot Camp Experience BRK

Greg Martin wrote:Erica, I think your last picture might be a muscari rather than a lupine.  Check out the leaves on this picture of a lupine.  You'll notice these leaves out there as well as there are wild lupines growing on Paul's land.

Greg, thank you! I thought the muscari were just baby lupines, but I have seen those leaves elsewhere and was a bit confused.

I am curious what this plant is trying to tell us about the soil. Maybe that the soil is compacted? Or perhaps it is an acidic environment?

Thistle is probably trying to tell you the soil is exposed or does not have enough other things growing there. Like the dandelion it arrives opportunistically on the wind and occupies any open niche. More problimatic and less desirable than the dandelion; do not let it go to seed unless you plan to collect the seeds for a supplement. .  

Post 12

This morning was gardening time. I officially have 5 potato plants. I am so thrilled. Also, the sun-chokes are coming back!  Paul and I chatted about when to use green mulch,versus brown mulch. Apparently when using green mulch,  it mixes with water and creates a nitrogen rich tea, so some plants like it, and some plants don't.

This afternoon I worked on the hand washing station I am building for the events so people can eat with clean hands easily. I'll post some pictures of that tomorrow. But for today's post, I wanted to share the signs I have been making over the past few weeks.

Hans Quistorff wrote:

I am curious what this plant is trying to tell us about the soil. Maybe that the soil is compacted? Or perhaps it is an acidic environment?

Thistle is probably trying to tell you the soil is exposed or does not have enough other things growing there. Like the dandelion it arrives opportunistically on the wind and occupies any open niche. More problematic and less desirable than the dandelion; do not let it go to seed unless you plan to collect the seeds for a supplement. .  

Thanks for the info Hans, I think maybe letting it be or smothering it so the hard work of the tap root won't go to waste.

Post 13

Wow time really flies. Today I worked on the sink for the Cooper Cabin bathroom. I enjoyed getting the round sink to fit into the cabinet. Nine is making the other fixtures in that space and did an amazing herringbone pattern with surplus paint sticks. I intend to use the same type of pattern for the door that will go on the front of the sink cabinet.

I have been making other sinks to help with feeding large groups in the classroom, one for washing dishes, and another for washing hands.The dishwashing station was challenging to figure out how to make the pump and faucet work together well. After spraying water everywhere and taking it apart completely, Mags and I figured it out. We ended up bypassing the mixing valve all together which solved all of the problems. The hand washing station was very fun to make. All the corners came together really nicely and I innovated on the location of the foot pump. It is on the ground level now so you don't have to awkwardly raise your leg to pump the water. I also learned to wait until the linseed oil has had a chance to dry overnight before testing the water pump. The towel rack is round wood that I prepped for another project that fell through, but it was perfect for this! The roundwood streched my creativity and problemsolving, which was truly delightful. It has been a long time since I got in the "can't stop, won't stop" mode, but that towel rack did it :)

I have really been enjoying getting to focus on one project at a time. I really appreciate the team here who is figuring out the day to day schedule, it makes things go so smoothly and it is alot of work so THANK YOU.

I have been clamping a square to help me get my assemblies built, which has been working pretty well, but it is hard to set up.  This corner clamp seems like it would be very useful for a variety of projects.

Enjoy the pictures!

Thank you for asking the experts about my weed. Though it may be edible I still don't like it.
I have always called these flowers Grape Hyacinths.
The lupine plant you sent has leaves like the picture in one of the following posts.

Katy Eggeman wrote:I have always called these flowers Grape Hyacinths.

Hi Katy.  Yes, that's the one!  Grape Hyacinth is Muscari armeniacum, often just called muscari.  Thank you for that reminder.  I used to call them Grape Hyacinths and somehow my brain just shifted to calling it muscari, but I suspect most folks know it as Grape Hyacinth.

No, as far as I know Grape Hyacinths (muscari) aren't edible at all, maybe even a little toxic.
The reason why I do not like them is: they spread their seeds all over the garden and then next year they pop up everywhere between my herbs. I like them as a small border alongside a path, but not everywhere!