GrandpaâÂÂs Garden is a collection of hints and tips to help you get more enjoyment out of your garden. Grandpa in his native habitat - the garden. Suggested Grandpa's Garden Articles The Third Planting of Cauliflower Are Ripening They actually look better than the lettuce leaves because they are larger and make a more uniform cover. I'm getting picky with my mulch aesthetics now because the garden is getting crowded. I Trapped Another Rat In The Same Place It was the same size too, and I'm wondering if I got two adults or two adolescents. I guess I'll find out by resetting the trap and waiting. Weeping Wand-o-Water Pending). I can't seem to turn it off. Critters in the Garden They are formidable adversaries because they are highly intelligent and dexterous. Their front paws can open containers, gates and latches. Use a Machete To Harvest in the Fall Stand facing what you want to cut and swing the machete in X's in front of you. It slices the stems instead of hitting them head on and makes twice as many cuts as my old way. Swiss Chard Is Such An Under Rated It's always in my garden, in various stages of harvest, winter, summer, spring and fall. The only reason we don't eat it is when we have so much other stuff available. Had a Prankster Visit the Garden Last Night I found the zip lock bag that I keep my bar soap in shredded. Half the bar is missing and what's left is full of teeth marks. I Guess The Last Direct Seeding I'll Do this Fall The spinach came up so I've got two boards available. I would be wise to pick up a couple six packs from our local gardening center, but I've still got half a pack of lettuce seeds. Well the Frost Was On the Pumpkin It seems early, but with 70°days in the extended forecast, maybe I'll get my Indian Summer after all. I don't actually have any pumpkin again this year. After I Finished Bad Mouthing My Brussels Sprouts Lo and behold I found tightly formed, aphid free sprouts hiding below. Mid August in the middle of a heat wave and I'm picking Brussels sprouts. My Gardening Journal Indicates It's Time It also reminds me that spinach, lettuce and the cole crops are planted indoors 6 weeks before transplanting outdoors whereas cucumbers, melon and squash can go out in 4 weeks. I guess the roots develop faster in the summer crops. Brussels Sprouts You don't want to start them in early spring because they won't form the little heads in the hot summer. We plant them early to mid summer so they will ripen in the cooler weather of fall. More Gardening Articles