Posted on 06/24/2023 5:39:22 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Well it was so busy last week I could not respond to posts so I will do it this week in one really big post -
devane617 - Our roses are going gangbusters this year as is most everthing else.
metmom - our garlic is nearly ready (west Michgan)
Bon of Babble - Love your pics as usual. Love the back wall and nice to find out hubby left it behind for you to enjoy. Sweet!
Augie, our problem is always groundhogs and raccoons. Dispatched our last groundhog at least for this season. Still have one raccoon coming around. Want to take care of this before raspberries start to ripen.
Qiviut - our lavendar is gorgeous, third year
daniel1212- great pictures wow they are really growing.
WhoisAlanGreenspan - love those raised beds with irrigation. As far as the radishes that is one of my specialties, thinning yours out won’t help. Been there done it. Now I plants in a raised planter where I can carefully plant one seed at a time and space out.
Diana, my grandmother did all her canning outside in a big kettle over a fire.
Beans have been a challenge. I only grow the chinese long beans but I picked up a packet of green bean seeds because I had one planter pot unused. I just hate bending over and picking beans. Only two plants came up out of 7 or 8. It’s neem hot, trying to start 4 indoors.
Pollard - I have 8 shishito plants. All in the garden except one in a big pot. It’s almost 3 times the size and loaded. Photo coming
Diana - When I put those 8 bug bouquet’s of yours in the ground. I thought, I should have planted more. They looked so measley. Well most are bigger than a full bushel basket. You weren’t kidding about the borage, I tried to keep it light but they are huge. I started looking up what to do with borage and now I am happy to have so much.
Everything in general is doing great. We water a lot because it had been so dry.
Have to cut this for now as i have to get up pictures on later so I can post them.
Squirrel in the garden .... WAR!!
For some reason, I only did 4 Shisito. Could really do with about 40.
Beautiful Wisconsin summer day here! Veggie garden looks good, but too soon to harvest any. Cut the first crop of herbs on Tuesday and they have dried nicely in the sun. We are promised a rainy day tomorrow which we really need. My hubby is currently putting up red and blue lightbulbs into the strands that outline our home’s roof so we can have red, white and blue lights for July.
If you look above the garden on the slope you will see 2 wire cages. We were fortunate to watch 4 box turtles lay their eggs right up by the house, so we have 4 protected nests, expect hatchlings mid August. We also got a second mason bee house and hung it next to our full one.
Maters wilty so I turned on the pump for the drip system. Don't like watering when it's this hot but at least it's not top watering. Just gave it a little and will water deeper later on.
I think I'm ready for a timer. This will be my chance to jump into automation too.
Powered by house voltage and will switch 12vdc tank sprayer pump
Works with Home Assistant home automation software. (https://www.home-assistant.io/) Free, Open source and privacy based. No google/amazon etc.
This will be a simple timer based event, on/off at set times and just a few wires to connect.
Things I'll want to automate in the high tunnel will be a bit more complex.
The pink angel’s trumpet is glorious and the doggie is extra cute!
My tomato plants are huge and healthy and for the first time I am using Tomato Tone, on the recommendation of this gardening thread. Very hot here in WI, 90 degrees for a couple weeks and am watering all my gardens daily, all looking great.
Drought conditions here, grass is tan rather than green, thus the daily garden watering.
Much needed rain predicted for tonight and Sunday.
Looking for herbs to plant and came across this one as a substitute for tarragon:
Herb to Know: Mexican Mint Marigold
https://www.motherearthliving.com/gardening/plant-profile/AN-HERB-TO-KNOW-4/
“Mexican mint marigold has a lot to offer. It thrives in the hot, humid South, where many herbs languish; its small, bright flowers blossom in fall when other herbs have played out for the season; its licorice-anise flavor is a successful stand-in for French tarragon; and it looks good in the garden.”
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I saw it at the garden center, but since I was trying to stay on a fixed amount for the new herb garden, I got a ‘native plant’ lavender bee balm instead. When I asked about it, I was told the Mexican Mint Marigold was an annual, so I will be looking to get it next spring.
Have you tried using the Leaf Snap app? To identify unknown plants?
They like Fleer double bubble gum a lot but not, I think, to chew! Chipmunks too! Seeing a lot less of them lately.
(I pick up a lot of wrappers all over my yard.)
Does not poison the Raptors who might consume them.
What I have a lot of are rabbits, who always try to build their nest out in the open in good sections of lawn! Filled in 3 under construction nest holes so far!
Squirrel “bomb”:
Pine cone slathered in peanut butter & rolled in black oil sunflower seeds.
+ a squirrelinator trap.
That’s as ‘nice’ as I get.
No: I am still at the stage where I do not trust Smart phone apps much, but I will try it or one of the recommended plant ID apps. Thanks.
Not sure of the latin name of plants - went to the garden center looking for coral bells which grow well in my “grotto” area - they kept using the Latin term for them, which I’ll never remember. I’ll always know coral bells as coral bells and angel’s trumpet as angel’s trumpet!
I think using the latin names of plants is becoming more common (unfortunately).
Angel’s Trumpets are from the poisonous bella donna family - they grow like weeds here and take over - I have to remind my tree service every time they come to be careful when they cut them back - wear gloves, etc. My neighbor told me a tree trimmer died after cutting them back.
Thanks for the kind words. I have a beautiful white double angel’s trumpet in the front yard - I didn’t know they were so poisonous when I planted them years ago - as 4” cuttings from a friend. Now two of them are almost trees.
Thx for the reviews...Leaf Snap DOES have annoying ads on the free one...I shut my app off (best I can) after use...FWIW
I’m in Ridgeway Township - we got 1/2” and it was GLORIOUS! Possibly more this afternoon/evening?
Did you get any?
Everything looks so nice! Turtles - what a treat!
My lettuces have all bolted in the heat, so I am tearing them out and planting some bush beans in their place.
Those roses are spectacular. Mine are looking rather rangy with all of our heat. Ugh! But, were getting a break now - some rain and cooler temps on the way. :)
If my garden wasn’t shaded in the morning, I would be all over a timer system, too.
You are really getting some hot weather! We are FINALLY getting a break.
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