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Weekly Garden Thread May 9-15, 2020
May 9, 2020 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

Posted on 05/09/2020 7:08:22 AM 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: farm; garden; gardening; hobbies; weekly
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To: greeneyes

Thanks for posting that!

Gobs of great and very timely information!


41 posted on 05/09/2020 7:05:39 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: Califreak

You betcha. Glad you like it.


42 posted on 05/09/2020 7:06:35 PM PDT by greeneyes ( Moderation In Pursuit of Justice is NO Virtue--LET FREEDOM RING)
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To: ridesthemiles

I was going to do this back in 2010. Had several tires in the garage, and thought it would free up some space in the garage and make the most of a small area for planting.

Hubby nixed it-said the tires were too good. Here we are-10 years later and those tires have never been used again. They were studded for use in winter, and I don’t think we even have the vehicle anymore. I retired a few years earlier and no longer drove to St. Louis for work-hence no need for studded snow tires.


43 posted on 05/09/2020 7:27:01 PM PDT by greeneyes ( Moderation In Pursuit of Justice is NO Virtue--LET FREEDOM RING)
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To: dayglored
growing up, every July 4th we'd head up from Binghamton past Ithaca to Cayuga state park on the lake....we'd establish our bank head on picnic tables and then head up to pick cherries....of course we'd stuff our little faces while we picked....

nice memories...

44 posted on 05/09/2020 9:33:37 PM PDT by cherry
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Out for our designated walk. They have different times set up for people with children, athletes wishing to jog, people over 70, etc. There are miles and miles of promenade along the seafront, some rustic sections like this and some that are right along the busy tourist areas. Today we decided on a nice peaceful walk, just us and the crashing sound of the waves. I had spent the early hours of the morning watering and weeding so this was a nice break.

beach3

45 posted on 05/10/2020 5:41:36 AM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

It’s been cool here in Central Missouri over the past week. Cool enough there was a bit of frost in some of the low-lying areas a couple nights ago. I moved my tomato plants into the potting shed for that.

Planted two varieties of cucumber seed on Friday, and tossed some dill seed on the ground in a corner of the garden. I usually have plenty of volunteer dill, but it invariably comes up in a place that I want to plant something else and winds up getting plowed under.

We pulled the cannas and elephant ears out of storage and have been sticking roots in the ground all over the place. I put ten or a dozen cannas on the pond dam. I want to put some iris out there too, but I need to wait until they’ve finished blooming to move them.

The new rhubarb looks good a week after being shoved into the dirt. I’ve not had good luck getting potted rhubarb to survive, so this time I used some rooting hormone. It’s still too soon to know for sure if it’s going to go, but it looks good so far.

Mrs. Augie and I were supposed to be on the beach in sunny Florida right now, but the covid panic wrecked that, so we’re having a nice stay-cation here instead. We’ve taken the boat out on the Missouri River a couple times, and caught a nice mess of bluegills out of a neighbor’s farm pond. Might go boating again today. Waiting to see if it’s going to warm up enough for it to be comfortable on the water...


46 posted on 05/10/2020 5:47:13 AM PDT by Augie
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To: All

New record low set this morning: 33 degrees (previous was 36). Fairly substantial frost on the ground. Tonight should be a low of 48, colder Monday night at 41, higher 40’s Tuesday night, nice temps of 52 Wed night, then low 60’s the rest of the week. Finally, we might see some garden-friendly temps.

Plastic will come off the beds later this morning & we’ll see what things look like. The only thing I truly care about is my tithonia/sunflower bed. Radishes - meh. I’m replanting tomatoes, so if my one remaining, sickly looking plant doesn’t make it, I won’t be grieving.


47 posted on 05/10/2020 6:28:17 AM PDT by Qiviut (Don't be an 'irony'.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
okay diana....here's a question or for anybody that knows....

those bags of bark they sell....you know the "red" back that is supposed to be so attractive...

are the colorings in the bark bad for your garden generally?....I'm trying to be more organic as I go along....

48 posted on 05/10/2020 10:23:55 AM PDT by cherry
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Anyone have any thoughts on the concept of cooking pie pumpkins and eating them like squash, rather than making pies out of them?


49 posted on 05/10/2020 11:37:41 AM PDT by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: cherry

Iron Oxide is what is used to dye the mulches different colors. It’s not toxic to people or plants.

That said, I usually buy mulch without any dyes. Dyed mulch is more expensive and they don’t contribute anything to the soil as they break down anyway, so why pay for it, other than it matches your house color or something.

My favorite mulch to use is Cypress because I can easily lift it and lug it around and it covers well. :)

And then, of course, you have those screaming that I’m destroying the Everglades if I use Cypress, but these are the same people that are anti-peat because they think we’re destroying the peat bogs in Canada. *SHRUG*

Believe me, I’ve heard EVERY complaint about EVERY product I had to sell from one side of the fence or the other. *ROLLEYES*

You know what? Do what you want. It’s a free country, LOL! Don’t like using peat? Don’t buy it! Don’t like colored mulch or using Cypress? Don’t use it! Want to recycle? Fine! Do it! Think recycling is a scam? Then don’t bother! Don’t want to compost because you’re afraid you’ll attract vermin? Don’t compost, then! But don’t complain about MY compost pile! ;)

All said with a huge SMILE, of course! :)


50 posted on 05/10/2020 12:11:49 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: cherry

P.S. And the pros and cons of whether to use wood chip mulch for Vegetable gardens brings some people to fisticuffs, LOL!


51 posted on 05/10/2020 12:15:40 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: DuncanWaring; Ellendra

The only difference would be the spices you use for flavoring.

Pie pumpkin flesh with butter, salt and pepper tastes like Butternut squash to me. *SHRUG*

I find pie pumpkins easier to process, but with a smaller seed cavity there are less pumpkin seeds to roast. :(

Two of my faves are, ‘Winter Luxury’ and ‘Rouge Vif D’Etampes’ (Cinderella Pumpkin) if you have the room. I think both are heirloom varieties.

Let’s ask The Pumpkin Queen, shall we? Ellendra? :)


52 posted on 05/10/2020 12:27:10 PM 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

So beautiful! :)


53 posted on 05/10/2020 12:28:03 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Augie
Since you appreciate fishing like I do, here's Beau with the Walleye he caught up near Green Bay, WI a few weeks back:

That last package has four fillets and all of the 'fish cheeks' which are like yummy bits of lobster. It was during the spawn so they were allowed two fish per man per day.

54 posted on 05/10/2020 12:42:15 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: dakine

We’ve all made that mistake. Even in the greenhouse, my Peppers haven’t been all that happy. These next two nights I’m covering things even in the greenhouse just to be sure.

Don’t want my ‘babies’ to be the least little bit inconvenienced, LOL!

Year before last, before I had the greenhouse, I moved everything to our dining room table every night for a week!


55 posted on 05/10/2020 12:46:24 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Impy; campaignPete R-CT

56 posted on 05/10/2020 12:49:08 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: DuncanWaring

I replied on the other thread, but I’ll post it here too, in case anyone needs to see it.

Pumpkins are, technically, a type of squash. Each variety tends to have a different flavor, but they can be substituted for each other. Your recipe might need to be adjusted for the varying levels of sweetness.


57 posted on 05/10/2020 12:57:36 PM PDT by Ellendra (A single lie on our side does more damage than a thousand lies on their side.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
So beautiful! :)

If you kept walking toward the horizon of that picture you would come into a busier area where the hotels, a beach and the restaurants are. That is the beach that is a closest walk to our house and where we parked this morning for our walk.

beach4

Another view of that same beach, but seen as if we were heading back to the house. When we are actually at the house all of that is blocked by the green hill, something we prefer. As you can tell by the people on the beach this was taken before the lockdown. Now everything is deserted except for walkers like us. Notice the trees at the edge of the beach? That is where the promenade is.

20190819-210706

58 posted on 05/10/2020 1:10:27 PM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: Oshkalaboomboom

What a slice of Heaven! Keep the pictures coming! :)


59 posted on 05/10/2020 1:24:43 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Ellendra

We’ve got a few crossed threads here this weekend! :)


60 posted on 05/10/2020 1:25:54 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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