u/Rea11219

Does anyone know what could be causing this red color? This is an Albion strawberry planted in a Greenstalk planter. It’s in the top tier and I did have the planter covered with bird netting while I was away for a week so maybe it’s stressed? We also had 3 hard rain storms within the past week (now heading into a heat wave). I haven’t fertilized except with BioTone and earthworm castings when I planted.

Trying to figure out these strawberries in general. Mostly the plants look good but some just keep putting out runners or growing leaves. I’ve only gotten like 5 fruits (I did miss a few while I was away for a week).

I took the chicken wire off of my bush beans to give them some room and they became someone’s dinner. I think it might be a groundhog - I’ve never seen rabbits and last year something stripped the bottom half of my sunflower that was in a 2.5’ high raised bed. Could it be something else and besides the chicken wire, any thoughts? I’m worried that if I protect my grow bags too much it’ll go after my tomatoes in the raised bed. Was thinking of planting a sacrificial bean bag at the back of the yard…

I just set up drip irrigation with a DIG raised bed kit (model ML50). When I tested, there seems to be a leak between the backflow preventer and the pressure regulator. When I test the regulator with a hose - no leak. When I test the backflow preventer with a hose - no leak. But when they’re connected like they’re supposed to be - leak. It looks like there’s a tiny chip on the male side of the backflow preventer. Could that be causing the leak?

She’s so pretty! ✨

Yesterday I started using my brand new Speedheater Cobra to strip paint off of the newel posts. I think it’s working as it’s taken off the multiple layers of paint and the what I think is red/pink lead primer (?) underneath.

Here’s where I need advice - It’s taking 10 seconds for the paint to bubble, instead of the 2-4 seconds I see advertised. And there’s still this yellow-tan residue left behind, which I don’t know what it is.

Is the longer time normal or should I not be waiting for the paint to bubble? Any ideas on what that tan layer is and should I be trying to remove? I plan to repaint these. Thanks!

First picture is from about a month ago and 2nd picture is now! Thanks to all the good advice from this group - so glad I didn’t kill her!

EDIT: Autocorrect in title - I didn’t kill my FIG!