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Weekly Garden Thread, Volume 28 July 11, 2014
Free Republic | July 11, 2014 | greeneyes

Posted on 07/11/2014 2:15:53 PM PDT by greeneyes

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you. This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks.

No matter what, you won’t be flamed and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked. It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. There is no telling where it will go and... that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!

NOTE: This is a once a week ping list. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest are welcomed, so feel free to post them at any time.


TOPICS: Gardening
KEYWORDS: agriculture; food; gardening; hobby
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To: greeneyes; JRandomFreeper; sockmonkey; rightly_dividing; All
Here 20 miles north of Dallas, it has been high 90s and yesterday was 100 and will be again today. These temps have stopped our activity in the back garden/sitting area. It will likely be cool fall before we can revitalize the back area. I'll bring bunches of containers here at that time.

Bob knows a lot of info. on types of each food plant and I've learned how to choose the freshest veggies from stores and which fruits are the best of its type which involves knowing where they were grown in this country.

I'm still winning hundreds of dollars at the casino each week so that's a good thing.

Johnny, I showed Bob your chart for the grandkids and he said he is impressed and good for you doing that.

81 posted on 07/12/2014 10:42:10 AM PDT by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: sockmonkey

Looks delicious - thanks! I still have plenty of T’s & the C to use up. It’s a “happening” weekend (company) so I’m not sure I’ll have a chance to make the Cucuzza Cream Pie ......


82 posted on 07/12/2014 11:16:15 AM PDT by Qiviut ( One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides. (W.E. Johns)
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To: ApplegateRanch

I know, I know....what is whistle pig?


83 posted on 07/12/2014 12:21:39 PM PDT by tillacum
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To: Nepeta

Would this be the same as a “Tums?”


84 posted on 07/12/2014 12:27:47 PM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (Rip it out by the roots.)
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To: tillacum
"Sometimes called a woodchuck or groundhog, the whistle pig is a fat ground squirrel the size of a small dog."

Groundhog

85 posted on 07/12/2014 1:32:29 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: greeneyes; JRandomFreeper; Silentgypsy

Definitely NOT a gardener!

Or much of a cook, either.

86 posted on 07/12/2014 2:13:36 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
Would this be the same as a “Tums?”

That would work. My doctor wants me taking calcium citrate, so that is what is around the house.
87 posted on 07/12/2014 3:16:56 PM PDT by Nepeta
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To: ApplegateRanch
"Sometimes called a woodchuck or groundhog, the whistle pig is a fat ground squirrel the size of a small dog."

How does one get rid of these things?

I think one is living under my front porch--there are enormous, wide tunnels at both ends.
88 posted on 07/12/2014 3:19:37 PM PDT by Nepeta
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To: Nepeta

Live trap with green beans or fresh fruit for bait. If circumstances permit, shoot. Disclaimer: I’ve never had them on our property, though I MAY have their cousin, the Yellow Bellied Marmot, in the higher reaches of our east quarter. Information is second hand. Saw a couple of burrows a few years ago.

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/Groundhogs-Day-2011-Recipes/2011/02/02/id/384547/ Groundhog Recipes - Tastes Like Chicken!

http://www.wildliferecipes.net/game_recipes/small_game_recipes/woodchuck_recipes/ Woodchuck Recipes


89 posted on 07/12/2014 5:18:40 PM PDT by ApplegateRanch (Love me, love my guns!©)
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To: ApplegateRanch

Thanks, ApplegateRanch. I’ve never seen one. I know of marmots but have never seen one..


90 posted on 07/12/2014 6:53:56 PM PDT by tillacum
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To: ApplegateRanch

Lol!


91 posted on 07/12/2014 7:05:22 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (Mind your atomic bonds.)
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To: Qiviut
Zucchini Cream Pie

I thought you were joking.

92 posted on 07/12/2014 7:17:16 PM PDT by Silentgypsy (Mind your atomic bonds.)
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To: greeneyes; rightly_dividing; Silentgypsy; Marcella; murrie; ApplegateRanch; Ellendra; TArcher; ...

Hi greeneyes and everyone! Sorry for being truant for past couple of weeks. Been involved in some projects and just couldn’t make it to the computer!

While my garden is really tiny this year, I do have some things to report:

ONIONS:
I have one surviving Walking Onion. With recent rains and hot days, and its present location, it seems to be happy, and the stems are quite fat and green.

Several weeks ago, I visited that gardener I think I mentioned who gave me some of her “winter onions.” I put them into a pot right away, and they survived.... but WOW! Several days ago, I saw lots of green shoots coming up! Had no idea they would do that!

LEGUMES:
The asian trellis beans are AMAZING! I think they are my favorite experiment this year. After the feeding which I think I mentioned earlier, they really took off and started trellising! The bean pods are about a foot long! I have not eaten them as green beans, but have elected to let them dry so I can collect the seeds. I made that decision, because since they weren’t climbing, I did not want to eat the ones that were trailing on the ground. Now that I have some forming in the air, I may try them green later. I harvested some of the dry pods yesterday. They look a little like small black eye peas.

I harvested some dried pods of cranberry beans and black beans.

OKRA:
The orange jing, eagle pass, and clemson spineless are starting to produce and I’ve been including them in my soups. Yum! So far not enough at a time to be needing to give away or store. But I think it’s early yet.

SUNFLOWERS:
They have headed, and one has opened into a dinner plate sized blossom. They just make me so unreasonably happy. Didn’t expect them to continue having that effect on me!

PLANTAIN:
Growing well. I chopped a couple of leaves for salad, and they were pretty good. Letting it seed.

FLAX:
Podding

DAIKON RADISHES:
Podding!

STRAWBERRIES and BLACKBERRIES:
I thought the strawberries were done, but found a bloom yesterday. The blackberries are very small this year, and birds have been getting most of them. However, the garden sprites yesterday saved me a nice little fat ripe berry!

HERBS:
Oregano and thyme hanging in there. Parsley and cilantro also hanging in there. I do realize that when the monarchs come, I may be surrendering them, but oh well! I didnt grow that many. I’m just tickled that they are actually growing this year! I had a couple of basil plants from seed scatter from last year volunteer! They only just recently made an appearance.

PEPPERS:
My one (hotter - not fire engine, but hot) pepper plant has two maturing peppers on it which have started now turning red. They also benefited from the feeding which I reported.

SQUASH:
My plants this year are much happier than last year. I’m actually getting blossoms this year, and do not seem plagued with pests. However, while I have blossoms, I’m not seeing any fruit yet. They are also among the grateful for the luch I provided them recently!

The T SQUASH have started climbing, but no fruits yet. My gardener friend to whom I gave some seedlings, shared with me one of hers. YIKES! It was fully two feet long and a little more! I took a 4’’ section and grated a couple of tablespoons into my chicken soup and froze the rest of the shreds. OH YUM!

The white bush scallop squash and the zucchini are blooming and not producing. Oh well, at least it is progress over last year! LOL!

TOMATOES:
I have 4 varieties, and only the Purple Cherokee and the Atkins are producing. The other two are blooming and have not set fruit yet. Again, these are all deliriously happy to have been fed recently! Perhaps the other two will set something soon. I shook the branches gently since that seemed to do the trick last year.

OTHER:
Another lily which we planted 3-4 years ago bloomed as a surprise. The echinacea and day lilies are blooming. Have not been to the back yard to check the asparagus. *Sigh* I am not able to easily operate the gate which Darlin set up to keep the neighborhood urchins out! I’ve developed a sort of “you’re on your own” attitude toward them. Oh well.

I was at the farm store yesterday and bought a couple of trellises, because after seeing my friend’s T SQUASH, I knew that what I had rigged up would never work, if mine decide to take off! I also invested in a soil testing kit and that will give me another area of research to explore!

As always, I hope that everyone is having fun, or least learning a lot in their gardens this year!

MUSICAL FRUIT:
I saw that utube about the carrot clarinet several days ago. That is so cool!


93 posted on 07/12/2014 7:31:23 PM PDT by TEXOKIE (We must surrender only to our Holy God and never to the evil that has befallen us.)
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To: sockmonkey

Printed out the recipe! THANKS!


94 posted on 07/12/2014 7:33:30 PM PDT by TEXOKIE (We must surrender only to our Holy God and never to the evil that has befallen us.)
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To: Silentgypsy; Qiviut

That looks seriously good! Printed it out. THANKS!


95 posted on 07/12/2014 7:34:59 PM PDT by TEXOKIE (We must surrender only to our Holy God and never to the evil that has befallen us.)
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To: tillacum

I’ve been watching a tomato hornworm with the white braconid wasp “thingies” on it..Today, probably the 4th or 5th day, the whole thing disappeared. I hope it’s because the wasps hatched out, and not because a bird ate the whole thing.

Youtube from Purdue University of Hornworm meets Alien. Interesting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZZyJQNmOV8

I also watched some other insect vid’s on youtube, and now I’m all itchy..ugh.


96 posted on 07/12/2014 7:58:30 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of course I didn't read the article. After all, this is Free Republic.)
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To: Marcella

What are you playing, slots?


97 posted on 07/12/2014 8:25:25 PM PDT by rightly_dividing (Liberals donÂ’t think along the same lines as Americans--FReeper ScottinVA)
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To: Silentgypsy; TEXOKIE; sockmonkey

Actually, this is the cream pie recipe I was referring to, with credit to sockmonkey for putting me on to it:

http://www.food.com/recipe/cucuzza-cream-pie-101663


98 posted on 07/12/2014 8:25:34 PM PDT by Qiviut ( One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it provides. (W.E. Johns)
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To: tillacum

I just now remembered to get the tycoon and lemon boy tomato plants I bought today out of my car. They were looking a little stressed. Guess it was kinda hot in there.


99 posted on 07/12/2014 8:40:56 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of course I didn't read the article. After all, this is Free Republic.)
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To: Qiviut
I still have plenty of T’s & the C to use up. It’s a “happening” weekend (company)

I hope they are not Italians from Sicily, and are therefore totally impressed with your Cucuzzi and Trom's.

100 posted on 07/12/2014 8:45:59 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of course I didn't read the article. After all, this is Free Republic.)
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