Hey... it almost felt like summer the other day ( in 80s for a while) I got my first good broken blisters on my hand working the garden all day. Have now planted 12 raised beds of favas and would like to get many more done.....it keeps raining! Collected the first fava tops from my 50' raised bed (that had row cover on it til a few days ago) Got about a cup and 1/4 fresh tops/ became about 1/3 cup dried . They are in brandy being shook daily and will make enough for about 1 1/2 month of tincture does for me. Nice to have an early start on the year. The plants already had aphids...ugh and I sprayed them with soapy dish water with soe parsley tea in it...will know on Saturday if this helped or not.
Aphids are the biggest problem I have encountered.
The two plants that I am growing in the window inside are about2 1/2 feet tall, very spindley, but alive. Gave them water that has has egg shells soaking in it for fertilizer. It seems to have perked them up alittle and one seems to finally be making a top. The experiment goes on.
I am still getting great results from the fava top tincture/ homemade fermented dried papaya, papaya that I've learned has papain (like bromelain for digesting proteins, etc) and quercetiin...which seems to also be helping Rick with his symptoms, too. Also eating strawberries and rhubarb stewed together...which also has quercetin...interesting.
We will still have possible frosts thru the middle of May and every opportunity to be in the garden is grabbed up...making more raised beds. I want the whole 1 1/2 acres to be wheelchair accessible and eventually easy maintanance. We are gettin new flooring put in and the installer said he would supply me with used carpet & even cut it the width I need for the pathways in the garden...that he would rather recycle it to a good use
Praise God...hope he comes thru on this. Wish you could all come visit someday.
Blessings to all Aunt Bean