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Weekly Garden Thread - May 2-8, 2020
May 2, 2020 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

Posted on 05/03/2020 6:55:54 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin

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.

If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located.

This thread is non-political respite. 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. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.

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 to Gardeners are welcomed any time!


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: food; garden; gardening; weekly
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To: Mariner

problem with berrys is they got thorns, you got to get in there with heavy boots to stomp the cane over and get the good berrys

It’s worth the effort


21 posted on 05/03/2020 8:45:28 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Mariner

We grew acres of strawberries its back breaking work


22 posted on 05/03/2020 8:48:15 PM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Glad you’re okay.

:)


23 posted on 05/03/2020 9:22:15 PM PDT by Califreak (If Obama had been treated like Trump the US would have been burnt down before Inauguration Day)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

YAY!!

24x4’ raised bed is 75% finished. Have to put the sides on tomorrow with the repurposed cedar fence planks. The frame is entirely scrap wood....spare lumber I never tossed out.

I have one more this size and a 16x4’ bed to build. Those will be 2x10’ lumber on the sides because I will be all out of cedar boards.

Attempting to start sweet potatoes and red potoes in growing bags. I ordered the darn bags almost 3 months ago and they just showed up! Let’s see how this goes.

My order of Heorloom 55 seeds arrived 2 days ago and my wife thinks I am cheating on her because I have had it next to me in my recliner for the last 2 days.


24 posted on 05/03/2020 9:35:09 PM PDT by TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig (Unlike Bloomberg, I have said "Fat broads"and "Horsefaced Lesbians" but cuz I luv them both.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin; All

Unusually beautiful spring weather here in north western California. We did have one day of rain and then it cleared up plus warmer temps then normal. Lady Benders flowering sweetpea seeds have sprouted plus her tomato seeds in the green house. I still have not figured out what my old password for my Fotki account. I could just do a new account but I had a lot of photos in the old one...


25 posted on 05/03/2020 10:03:10 PM PDT by tubebender
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To: sergeantdave

You also need full sunlight.

I tried them once and they did not do well because I did not have any places where they could get enough sun. I tried anyways, but not luck.


26 posted on 05/03/2020 11:35:26 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith.....)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Pepper seedlings waking up to the morning sun. Pepper seeds can be finicky, some taking 30 days or more to germinate, so I germinate them under controlled conditions in a grow dome that sits on a heat mat so the temperature inside of the grow dome is about 90 degrees F. Once they germinate I put them into recycled yogurt cups until they get a second set of leaves then I put them in larger pots for the terrace. I used to put them under a LED grow light for 18 hours/day but I don't see much difference between that and regular sunlight hours. These will go back inside before 10am so the sun doesn't fry them. All of these germinated in the last 24 to 72 hours.

seedlings

27 posted on 05/04/2020 12:40:35 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

WOW your view is fabulous where are you??


28 posted on 05/04/2020 12:42:37 AM PDT by Trump Girl Kit Cat (Yosemite Sam raising hell)
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To: Trump Girl Kit Cat
Spain, on the Costa Tropical 600 meters walking from the Mediterranean and 90 meters above sea level so we have a nice view from the terrace. Most people look at the water but if you look closely at the top left of the green hilly section there is actually a castle in front of us. To the left would be the mountains. This is the only part of Spain where the mountains come all the way down to the sea so you can get a nice view without having to put up with the hustle and bustle of the front line tourist beaches.

v1

29 posted on 05/04/2020 1:05:53 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Your seedlings are looking GOOD! :) I love how you make the most of what you have available to you.

Thank you for your kind encouragement. There are 3 and a half boxes all told*, and the larger plants are almost 6 weeks old! But I had some help, by the grace of God. For (if may bend your ear) you see it was a very warm day about mid-March, and you know, you just feel like Spring might be on the way, and you are eager to get a head start. So - and wanting to give some of the (pre-COVID captivity) neighborhood city kids outside something to do in the garden plot (as last year) - I showed them how to mark the 20oz cups and fill them 2/3 full with the homemade potting soil, then put 2 seeds in (from last year's crop), separately, and then cover with soil, pat down and then I watered them, and the "nursery workers" took a couple home.

I later took the plants inside, upstairs to sprout, but since I do not have any window to use in a warm room that gets much sun, I used grow lights for about a month. When 2 seedlings come up in one cup, I try to separate one to plant it in a new cup of soil. I also planted a few more.

About 2 weeks ago I put 2 boxes outside in the sun when it was about 53 degrees, but about half of them died, not being hardened off. After that I put the most mature ones in a cool room that gets just a few hours of sun, and they actually grew better than being in a warmer room under grow lights and less sun. Praise God.

* Seedings_5-4_PTL

30 posted on 05/04/2020 4:25:29 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Trust the risen Lord Jesus to save you as a damned and destitute sinner + be baptized + follow Him)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom
Quite the God-given view! Pretty close in latitude to some of us here.


31 posted on 05/04/2020 4:34:02 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Trust the risen Lord Jesus to save you as a damned and destitute sinner + be baptized + follow Him)
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To: greeneyes
I worked from sun up to past sundown but never touched the garden. Burned off a bunch of leaves, weed wacked the perimeter fence and grilled a bunch of meat. Today I go buy some steel. Need to make a small trailer to pull behind my small tractor. Need some side rails for my car trailer and need steel pipe fence posts which will become legs for my high tunnel. Pound them into the ground and tie some field fence to it and I won't have to see goat prints in the garden. LOL Not much in there for them to eat. Potato, like all nightshades, are poisonous to them so they don't touch that. Greens, lettuce and cabbage were sowed a week ago so they haven't popped up enough to be goat food yet. Only thing they've been eating is some grass that popped up and I'll be pulling that anyway.

Fence begats fence.

Did the perimeter fence and now I want to expand it to include the electric easement and corner of the property so I won't have to mow it. Some of it can't be mowed because of large rocks sticking up. I also need cross fencing. Also need to cut down some trees to bring in more sun and need to clean up brush piles and burn off leaves. The goats are all out of pasture. They're eating stuff as soon as it pops up, keeping it trimmed to lawn height. They came from a pasture situation evidently because they're not into going into the woods. The buck is bolder but sticks with the females. They ventured all the way to the back yesterday because I was out there so they felt safer. I don't see much poison ivy being eaten which is supposed to be a goat's favorite thing. Maybe they like it better when it's more mature. Maybe they don't know what it is. Weird. Last goats we had spent most of their time in the woods. I've seen the buck on his hind legs eating leaves but the does always have their head down like a cow or sheep. I guess they'll come around. Meanwhile the easement plus will give them another acre of pasture and save me mowing. More fence

Obligatory goat pic. Yesterday, all three of them were laying on the hood of the truck on the right, chewing their cud and soaking up some rays


32 posted on 05/04/2020 5:24:04 AM PDT by Pollard (shadowbanned)
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To: daniel1212

As far as hardiness zones go we would be the equivalent of an American zone 10b. It has never been close to freezing since we moved here in 2016. I can leave my plants outside all winter. They don’t die but they do stop producing pods. The mountains behind us also create a microclimate that keeps the area about 10 degrees warmer than the interior of the country in winter and 10 degrees cooler in summer, so it also rarely gets into the high 90’s but it does stay close to 90 most of the summer with practically no rain between mid May and mid September. We actually chose the area because of the potential views. The weather was just a bonus.


33 posted on 05/04/2020 5:36:54 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: Mariner

I’m used to growing in Wisconsin - we grew Raspberries commercially for Market for decades. Always added compost, never acidity. It was a lot of work, but lucrative - taking home $3K on a Saturday was FUN, LOL!

However, there are always differing opinions in gardening. ;)


34 posted on 05/04/2020 6:36:09 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Califreak

Between the China Flu, being locked down on the farm, missing my Dad and getting my garden in order, I’m losing track of days/time! :)


35 posted on 05/04/2020 6:38:06 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig

You are going gangbusters! So glad the Garden Bug bit you!


36 posted on 05/04/2020 6:39:16 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Trump Girl Kit Cat; Oshkalaboomboom

I’m trying to get him to adopt me! ;)


37 posted on 05/04/2020 6:42:12 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Pollard

Great pictures of the goats! Keep ‘em coming!


38 posted on 05/04/2020 6:43:17 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Oshkalaboomboom; All

For those of you who are interested in vegetable gardening, homesteading, foraging, DIY or prepping FReeper Oshkalaboomboom keeps a Knowledge Base of information many of you might find very helpful, especially in trying times.

It is organized in directories with a directory list in each one so you can get the list, see what interests you, skip over what doesn’t then come back and download it to your home, all at no cost other than a polite word of thanks if you find anything useful.

Send him a PM saying that you would like to access the Knowledge Base and he will send you a link with an access code.


39 posted on 05/04/2020 6:47:26 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: All

40 posted on 05/04/2020 6:49:45 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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