[KimC]

This will be my first winter with jumbo quail in zone 9b (Central California). They are outside under a fully mature orange tree and backed up close to the fence on the long back side. No place (or way) to move them in. I was told quail can handle cold better than heat, and all but one were okay this summer in our 100-degree and higher extreme heat wave that lasted for weeks.

We usually don’t get really low temps, or at least not for very long. One winter a few years ago it got down pretty low for a few hours near or at freezing for a couple of nights in the depth of winter. Their water is gravity fed from a black 2.5-gallon bucket with a lid through tubing to large yellow auto-fill cups that probably hold about ½ cup each. Maybe a little more.

If we get really cold this winter, I’m thinking I’ll wrap their cage in a thick moving blanket I got on sale at Harbor Freight and put bubble wrap around the bucket (would that even be necessary?). Think that will be sufficient overall? Or I should get a heat lamp for under the tree near their cage also just to be sure the air temp doesn’t get as low near them as in the surrounding areas? I’m a bit concerned about moving blankets (or anything flammable) anywhere near a heat lamp.

Is there some kind of plumbing insulation that could be used to surround anything that could potentially freeze (like the tubing that runs from the bucket to the cups; it’s secured to the cage and couldn’t be wrapped just by itself)? It’s probably quarter-inch drinking water quality line wrapped in black electrical tape (to keep it from growing algae from light exposure because the tubing itself is clear).

Suggestions? Thanks!

[KimC]

Just found the RAW brand phosphorus powder on sale (8 oz for $17 and change). Here’s the link: https://groindoor.com/nutrients/plant-supplements-additives/npk-raw-phosphorus-8oz/

[KimC]

Jo-Jo: Dr. Earth sells liquid phosphorus online at their web site. https://drearth.com/product/golden-bloom-liquid-fert/

[KimC]

Most of what I have here in zone 9b has habituated and grows all year, but I do have empty spots for about a dozen plants in various places. It’s still too hot (forecasted for the mid-90s this week), so I’ll be waiting a bit longer. I think the temps are supposed to go down to the 80s starting this weekend or next week, which is far better. I will likely put some dill, beets (for the greens), peas, and perpetual spinach in the empty spaces. I have a couple of kale plants and many varieties of chard that are on their third year now (they just give me smaller leaves of tender greens (which I prefer) compared to the younger plants’ larger leaves that are sometimes tougher.

I’d love to have arugula, but it is hard to keep from bolting here (even the slow bolt variety). There are a few volunteers that popped up already when we had those few days of cooler weather recently, but something’s been eating them, and I haven’t been able to find what it is yet (likely a snail that’s coming in the night).

A lot of the things I planted in spring that were stunted or did almost nothing because of the early and intense, protracted heat (various squashes, zucchini, cucumbers), are blooming like crazy now and even starting to maybe produce, so I may get an ‘automatic’ fall garden out of some or all of those. My cherry tomatoes that did almost nothing all year so far are also blooming again and have a few tiny fruits. Hopefully they will bounce back too. I started putting the liquid phosphorus on all of them again this week after watching Danny’s Porch Time video.

[KimC]

Update: Just found this on Curtis Stone’s social media. On September 24 he did three very short videos demonstrating the boiled vinegar results after the skies above his property were heavily ‘sprayed.’

https://t.me/s/shtffarmer

Hope this is helpful.

[KimC]

Thanks. Very interesting and helpful.

[KimC]

Fall lasted only a few days here (so far), and then the forecasts were back to mid- and high-90s in our 10-day outlook. Nights are finally starting to get a little cooler though, which is a good sign. Hoping it all settles in soon so my surviving plants can try and make a comeback.

[KimC]

Thanks!

[KimC]

I’ll be curious how things work out if you decide to try them. Best wishes.

[KimC]

<div>I also live in a suburban area with close neighbors, but am able to have the jumbo Coturnix quail. I got them around mid-March this year and have them under a fruit tree to fertilize the tree through my compost pile, so there is less maintenance related to keeping them. </div>

I had a few loud males that had to go to freezer camp, but did some research and found a grower online who believes the noisiness is a genetic trait, so he won’t breed the big mouths (or the aggressive ones). I thought that was interesting. The males I have remaining are quiet. The females are not even as noisy as the wild birds in the area and they make many interesting sounds that are pleasant.

I was also told that quail are considered “birds” (as in those that are kept in cages as pets such as finches or others), so they are not considered livestock in most areas. I suppose it depends on your local statutes though. I have found them to be fun, interesting and very good to raise for eggs. I have not tried to incubate any eggs yet because I don’t really have a good space to expand the quantity, but I really enjoy the eggs (and have been whisking and freezing the extras for this winter in case they’re needed). I call them one-bite wonders. They’re highly nutritions, delicious, and easy to prepare just like chicken eggs.

I hope you won’t be discouraged from trying them. It really can work, even in the city. In fact, I think they’re a great alternative for those who are prohibited from raising chickens.

[KimC]

I think Kevin and Sarah (Living Traditions Homestead on YT; Danny and Wanda know them) buy from such a place. She wears a lot of their shirts. Might be a company to check out?

[KimC]

Much appreciated, thanks!

[KimC]

Oops, sorry. My bad. Thanks for the tip on searching for the manual. I still would appreciate tips and any recipes if you’re willing. I need something to get me started (including encouragement). Thanks, and again sorry about the name, Mart.

[KimC]

Martha, would you please message me some recipes and ideas? I inherited a bread making machine with NO instruction book or information about how to use it. I would really like to be able to make bread, but have been too intimidated about it to even try since I’ve had NO previous exposure to this kind of device (and have never made bread from scratch either; please don’t judge me for that! I buy sprouted multi-grain, whole grain bread, but it’s really getting expensive). Thanks!

[KimC]

Thank again. Much appreciated.