# Spring Preps!



## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

Spring is, basically, upon us. Just wondering if anyone has things they do as far as prepping goes when the weather gets better.

Do you rotate food stocks, pull out camping equipment and check it, clean your guns, work on new prepping projects, vehicle maintenance?

So let 'er rip. Tell us what you do. Maybe you can inspire a fellow member.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Got my fire wood supply all cut and restocked for next year. So it can dry out good. 

Just switched to summer vehicles. Fixing what got destroyed over the winter. Brakes and steering on wife's car, front ball joints and axle joints on my truck. Never like to put away a rig broken or in disrepair.

Stocked up on pork and beef while on sale before prices go up cause of the flooding. 

Still have a lot of snow and frozen ground so I'm limited at this time. Range is finally melting off so will be making some noise and sighting in a couple rifles in. Get some practice with the ole CCW.

Spring isn't here yet but we can see the end of winter coming, finally.


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## Toefoot (Jun 21, 2017)

Got all my gardening tools out of the shed

This weekend will do my starter seeds for my tomatoes and work the ground outside with a truck delivery of alpaca manure

Need to bring up all the canning supplies from the basement and also setup my outdoor kitchen for the canning process. Nothing better than canning outside.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Heirloom broccoli, tomato, peppers, cabbage started.

Pruning the orchard, berries, grapes. New apples, peaches, pears, blueberries ordered.

Still too wet to do lots, frost in ground. Have tons of cow poop on the way.

Tractors, mowers, chain saws, get tune ups/oil changes.

Clean out eaves troughs again.

See what is left in root cellar, plant that spring.


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## Toefoot (Jun 21, 2017)

Chipper said:


> Got my fire wood supply all cut and restocked for next year. So it can dry out good.
> 
> Just switched to summer vehicles. Fixing what got destroyed over the winter. Brakes and steering on wife's car, front ball joints and axle joints on my truck. Never like to put away a rig broken or in disrepair.
> 
> ...


Your area looks wonderful.


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## NewRiverGeorge (Jan 2, 2018)

Plowed garden, onions in the ground, starting tomato seeds this weekend...man I can't wait for summer!


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

NewRiverGeorge said:


> Plowed garden, onions in the ground, starting tomato seeds this weekend...man I can't wait for summer!
> 
> View attachment 97045
> View attachment 97047
> View attachment 97049


Frost still 1-2' deep here. My garlic is in since fall. Still making maple sugar.

Nice stuff from summer.

Here is some fall mine:

I need to buy stuff like buckwheat, clovers, vetch.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

I already have some seeds started and all trees and bushes pruned. Currently working to move 5 yards of mushroom compost into my raised beds. Still lots left to do. Roll the yard, service mowers, start flower seeds, driveway repairs, install new supports to solar panel array........ etc. Spring brings lots of extra work but it is nice to be outside!


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Mad Trapper said:


> Frost still 1-2' deep here. My garlic is in since fall. Still making maple sugar.
> 
> If were doing fall


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Pull winter clothing and traction mats out of the truck, put sun hat back in truck.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Got my space ready for peppers and tomatoes, going to fire up the generator, check my LP storage, lanterns and communications for hurricane season. Double check my food storage and rotate cans goods.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Dumping winters worth of chicken crap and bedding that has been piled up over winter. It will get worked in a flowed bed that is in serious need of soil improvement.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

Boy did I screw the pooch! I came up with the brilliant idea to cover my seedlings and grow lights with aluminum foil. I figured the foil would reflect additional light. Well I cooked my seedlings. It is late now to be starting over again from scratch. How could I be so stupid.


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## Joe (Nov 1, 2016)

My tomatoes, beets and onions are all thriving under the grow lights. Pruned my neighbors apple trees for him. He was a paratrooper in the Korean war and doesn't get as much done as he used to. In turn he gives me all the apples I want. I paid 200$ for an old troy bilt horse and my brother is rehabbing it for me so it will be ready to tear up ground once it is dry enough. Things are still wet and cold here in Ohio. Tomorrow I will run the garage downspouts into my storage tanks to store water for the garden. I empty the tanks in the fall so the water doesn't freeze and bust the tanks. As soon as the dandelions bloom I will put the supers on my hives and let the bees draw them out. Looking forward to sunshine and dry weather.


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## NewRiverGeorge (Jan 2, 2018)

Chiefster23 said:


> Boy did I screw the pooch! I came up with the brilliant idea to cover my seedlings and grow lights with aluminum foil. I figured the foil would reflect additional light. Well I cooked my seedlings. It is late now to be starting over again from scratch. How could I be so stupid.


That wasn't a bad idea in theory Chief. What type of light are you using? LED light might not have generated as much heat.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Our basics are covered pretty well year over year but this spring my biggest headaches have been WASPS

These damn White Anglo Saxon Protestants are really starting to get on my nerves...(IRRITATING SOUND OF A VINYL RECORD BEING SCRATCHED...):vs_whistle:

Just Kidding! I'm talking the flying stinging insect kind of Wasp!

These little bastards somehow got out of control last fall and built multiple nests. I've been on a quest to eliminate them and so far I think I've done pretty well. Find the nest, spray the shit out of it, knock it down, rinse repeat....and repeat.

So then I got to researching the interwebs and Mother Earth News had an article about Decoy Wasp Nests so I invested a few bucks on some decoys from an outfit called AMAZON...and WAAA LAAA the fake nests arrived two days later!

I hung them in strategic locations around Slippy Lodge in hopes of deterring the little red mo-fo's from rebuilding nearby. Jury is still out so stay tuned!
























Sugar Snap Peas are growing!








Even the Bottle Tree is blooming!








And the Azaleas are still in full bloom in early April!

Yes indeed, Spring has Sprung all over Slippy Lodge!


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Hey @Slippy ! Let me know how that hornet thing works out. I go to war with those ornery critters every spring. I truly hate hornets and wasps and I will kill them with extreme prejudice every chance I get. I see absolutely no reason for hornets and wasps to be on the planet. Anything that flies and stings I kill.

My wife says one day they will all gang up on me behind the garage and take their revenge, but not! before I take some with me. :devil:


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Prepared One said:


> Hey @Slippy ! Let me know how that hornet thing works out. I go to war with those ornery critters every spring. I truly hate hornets and wasps and I will kill them with extreme prejudice every chance I get. I see absolutely no reason for hornets and wasps to be on the planet. Anything that flies and stings I kill.
> 
> My wife says one day they will all gang up on me behind the garage and take their revenge, but not! before I take some with me. :devil:


10-4 Good Buddy!

I put 1 of these decoys under the eaves right near a spot where they tend to build nests as well as 2 in the garage and carport, 1 on the back "Grilling Drinking Thinking Deck" and finally one under the deck where they tend to build nests every year. Hope they work..

https://www.amazon.com/wasp-decoy/s?k=wasp+decoy


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

We have 1-2" of snow


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

NewRiverGeorge said:


> That wasn't a bad idea in theory Chief. What type of light are you using? LED light might not have generated as much heat.


I was using LED strip lights.
I won't bore everyone with a long post, but in years past I have used a very sucessful method of starting my seeds. This year I got lazy and took a shortcut and then came up with the hair brained foil idea. So today I gathered my remaining seeds, ordered a few more new packs, and gathered up my materials to duplicate my tried and true method from years past. So I will start over again and may have to delay my planting a little. No matter. It just means I will be canning tomatoes and sauce a little later in the season. My main concern is sweet peppers. I raise varieties that are not available here as plants from the growers. And sweet peppers usually take longer to germinate than my other seeds.

Gardening is a life long journey. At 68 years old, I am still learning. I guess that is part of the fun of gardening.


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## NewRiverGeorge (Jan 2, 2018)

Chiefster23 said:


> I was using LED strip lights.
> I won't bore everyone with a long post, but in years past I have used a very sucessful method of starting my seeds. This year I got lazy and took a shortcut and then came up with the hair brained foil idea. So today I gathered my remaining seeds, ordered a few more new packs, and gathered up my materials to duplicate my tried and true method from years past. So I will start over again and may have to delay my planting a little. No matter. It just means I will be canning tomatoes and sauce a little later in the season. My main concern is sweet peppers. I raise varieties that are not available here as plants from the growers. And sweet peppers usually take longer to germinate than my other seeds.
> 
> Gardening is a life long journey. At 68 years old, I am still learning. I guess that is part of the fun of gardening.


I would be very interested in hearing about your method of germinating that you have found success with. I too had an issue with seeds this spring. I planted a flat of bell peppers a month ago and not one have germinated, this is the first time that has happened to me. It's too late to try them again so it looks like I will be heading to the greenhouse for the first time in years.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

NewRiverGeorge said:


> I would be very interested in hearing about your method of germinating that you have found success with. I too had an issue with seeds this spring. I planted a flat of bell peppers a month ago and not one have germinated, this is the first time that has happened to me. It's too late to try them again so it looks like I will be heading to the greenhouse for the first time in years.


NRGeorge,

Sometimes we use an off the shelf Germinating Kit. The last one we used was made by Burpee the seed company so I assume that the soil mixture has all the right stuff in it for seeds to germinate.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

NewRiverGeorge said:


> I would be very interested in hearing about your method of germinating that you have found success with. I too had an issue with seeds this spring. I planted a flat of bell peppers a month ago and not one have germinated, this is the first time that has happened to me. It's too late to try them again so it looks like I will be heading to the greenhouse for the first time in years.


First, I plant the seeds in peat plugs. Walmart sells em, Jiffy brand, I think. They fit into individual cells in a plastic try that comes with a clear plastic cover. I get a large cardboard box, big enough that I can fit the tray of peat plugs inside. I use a heat mat in the bottom of the box and a thermometer. I try to keep the temp in the box around 80 degrees F.

I have 3 24 inch LED grow strip lights that I put inside the box at 6 or 8 inches above the peat plugs. Lights on about 12 to 16 hours per day. I keep the plugs well watered with a spray bottle. My basement is unheated so I keep the box lid closed but adjusted to maintain the 80 degree temp. Tomato seeds usually germinate in a week. Peppers sometimes take 3 weeks. After the seedlings reach 2 inches high, I plant the whole peat plug into larger plastic pots using miracle grow potting soil.

That's my tried and true method. This year I skipped the cardboard box and didn't monitor the temperature.


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## NewRiverGeorge (Jan 2, 2018)

Chiefster23 said:


> First, I plant the seeds in peat plugs. Walmart sells em, Jiffy brand, I think. They fit into individual cells in a plastic try that comes with a clear plastic cover. I get a large cardboard box, big enough that I can fit the tray of peat plugs inside. I use a heat mat in the bottom of the box and a thermometer. I try to keep the temp in the box around 80 degrees F.
> 
> I have 3 24 inch LED grow strip lights that I put inside the box at 6 or 8 inches above the peat plugs. Lights on about 12 to 16 hours per day. I keep the plugs well watered with a spray bottle. My basement is unheated so I keep the box lid closed but adjusted to maintain the 80 degree temp. Tomato seeds usually germinate in a week. Peppers sometimes take 3 weeks. After the seedlings reach 2 inches high, I plant the whole peat plug into larger plastic pots using miracle grow potting soil.
> 
> That's my tried and true method. This year I skipped the cardboard box and didn't monitor the temperature.


Nearly identical to what I do, I transfer mine to Styrofoam cups and keep in those black plastic coke trays under my light until I transplant.


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## Chiefster23 (Feb 5, 2016)

I have used styrofoam cups, yogurt containers, peat pots, and now I have a bunch of plastic pots for transplanting. Right after I discovered my dead plants I was really pissed at myself. But I used the setback as an excuse to order some new tomato varieties from Burpee. I hate paying $7 each for a pack of seeds but that’s what Burpees charges for new hybrid varieties. Hiway robbery!

So this morning I set up my box, heat mat, and grow lights correctly. Just waiting on the new seeds to restart The project again. Today I will finish topping up the raised beds with fresh mushroom compost. Next week I’ll pick up some cattle panels to fab into tomato cages and bean towers.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Prepared One said:


> Hey @Slippy ! Let me know how that hornet thing works out. I go to war with those ornery critters every spring. I truly hate hornets and wasps and I will kill them with extreme prejudice every chance I get. I see absolutely no reason for hornets and wasps to be on the planet. Anything that flies and stings I kill.
> 
> My wife says one day they will all gang up on me behind the garage and take their revenge, but not! before I take some with me. :devil:


But the Spider vs Hornet wars are a thrill to watch

I'll take off my MasterCrap Courser AXT's that are on the Trailblazer, and put the BFG Long Trail M&S's on for the summer season Sunday.

I can still get another winter out of the Courser's


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Slippy said:


> Our basics are covered pretty well year over year but this spring my biggest headaches have been WASPS
> 
> Just Kidding! I'm talking the flying stinging insect kind of Wasp!
> 
> ...





Prepared One said:


> Hey @Slippy ! Let me know how that hornet thing works out. I go to war with those ornery critters every spring. I truly hate hornets and wasps and I will kill them with extreme prejudice every chance I get. I see absolutely no reason for hornets and wasps to be on the planet. Anything that flies and stings I kill.
> 
> My wife says one day they will all gang up on me behind the garage and take their revenge, but not! before I take some with me. :devil:


Wasp Decoy Nest Experiment-SUCCESS 
@Prepared One

Last spring I put up a handful of these Wasp Decoy Nests in areas that Wasps usually build their nest; Porches, Barn, Garage, Carport etc.

I am pleased to report that they are a success. I maybe had 2 or 3 instances where wasps/hornets tried to build a nest near one of these decoys where usually the little bastards overwhelm me every year. I did make sure (with the help of both of my sons, that we eliminated ALL the wasp nests before we hung the decoys.

I was especially pleased with the success in the garage/carport where the rafters and underside of the roof is exposed. Wasps and Hornets usually end up building a handful of nests every year and I seem to remember only one or two attempts and that was under the soffits out of line of sight of the decoys.

Slippy Approved!


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

https://www.peststrategies.com/reviews/wasp-products/best-wasp-deterrents/


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Slippy said:


> Wasp Decoy Nest Experiment-SUCCESS
> 
> @Prepared One
> 
> ...


This spring I will give them a try. I hate Hornets and Wasps with a passion. Thanks Slip.


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