Posted on 03/02/2024 6:26:35 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
The MONTHLY Gardening Thread is a 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.
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I’m getting ready to start a few tomato and pepper seeds right now. I’m about 10 days late but oh well. Hopefully it won’t be another year of early starting heat wave.
Most of my seeds come from Baker Creek who has oversized seed packets about an inch taller and half inch wider than standard. Must be some kind of marketing strategy to have a larger photo on the front. I don’t think they’d fit in the fried onions containers without bending/folding but they do fit in a small 0.30 cal metal ammo box.
20-40 mph gusts everyday for the next 5-6 days so I’m going to have to set up a wind shelter to harden off my Choy and Asian greens plants. BTDT Got about 40 plants in all that need to go in the ground next week after Monday’s thunderstorms. For now, I opened up all the windows in the seed room and have the plants sitting on the table to catch a breeze.
Just came up from trying to clean out the asparagus bed. Only two inches of wet soil, frozen underneath. But I did manage to get half done. It was all chickweed so they came up easy with a hoe. Ammo box would work well.
That is a great idea!
I have my seeds sorted in one of those over-the-door shoe organizers*. I zip-tied it to the back side of my grow light stand, and it’s out of the way and organized. I have two pretty boxes I found in my travels that hold all the flower seeds and seed-starting supplies like tags, my favorite marking pen, a pencil for poking a better hole in the Jiffy pellets and...Jiffy pellets!
There’s no right or wrong way to do it as long as your seeds stay dry. Whatever works for your situation. Mice aren’t a problem for me with two cats in the house.
*Shoe organizers - also have one in the under-the-stairs pantry that holds whatever over-flow there is from ‘The Stash’ but it’s usually salad dressing and other condiments and another on the back of my office door that holds crafting supplies. Actual SHOES? Those are just scattered everywhere throughout the house, LOL!
America’s Patriotic Victory Gardens
During World War I, a severe food crisis emerged in Europe as agricultural workers were recruited into military service and farms were transformed into battlefields. As a result, the burden of feeding millions of starving people fell to the United States.
In March of 1917—just weeks before the United States entered the war—Charles Lathrop Pack organized the National War Garden Commission to encourage Americans to contribute to the war effort by planting, fertilizing, harvesting and storing their own fruits and vegetables so that more food could be exported to our allies. Citizens were urged to utilize all idle land that was not already engaged in agricultural production—including school and company grounds, parks, backyards or any available vacant lots.
Promoted through propaganda posters advocating that civilians “Sow the seeds of victory” by planting their own vegetables, the war garden movement (as it was originally known) was spread by word of mouth through numerous women’s clubs, civic associations and chambers of commerce, which actively encouraged participation in the campaign. Amateur gardeners were provided with instruction pamphlets on how, when and where to sow, and were offered suggestions as to the best crops to plant, along with tips on preventing disease and insect infestations.
The endeavor was so well received that the government turned its attention to distributing canning and drying manuals to help people preserve their surplus crops. In addition to the appeal to men and women, the federal Bureau of Education initiated a U.S. School Garden Army (USSGA) to mobilize children to enlist as “soldiers of the soil.” As a result of these combined efforts, 3 million new garden plots were planted in 1917 and more than 5.2 million were cultivated in 1918, which generated an estimated 1.45 million quarts of canned fruits and vegetables.
By the end of World War I, the campaign promoting home gardens—which by then were referred to as “victory gardens”—had dropped off, but many people continued to maintain them.
Shortly after the United States was drawn into the Second World War, victory gardens began to re-emerge. Once again, commercial crops were diverted to the military overseas while transportation was redirected towards moving troops and munitions instead of food. With the introduction of food rationing in the United States in the spring of 1942, Americans had an even greater incentive to grow their own fruits and vegetables in whichever locations they could find: small flower boxes, apartment rooftops, backyards or deserted lots of any size. Amid protests from the Department of Agriculture, Eleanor Roosevelt even planted a victory garden on the White House lawn.
https://www.history.com/news/americas-patriotic-victory-gardens
It’s hard to believe March is about over already. Our redbuds are in full bloom and just gorgeous this year. The tulips are blooming now ... daffodils are in decline as are all the white blooming trees which are transitioning to green as they leaf out. Lots more trees blooming ‘pink’. As I’ve been on the road, I’ve seen lots of goat kids & lambs in some very green fields as the grass is now fast growing - they’re adorable. One lamb was so teensy tiny ... must have been less than a day old. The birds are really singing this morning, so happy - it’s a gorgeous spring day.
A Blessed & Happy Easter to all!
Good morning, happy Easter (tomorrow)!
We’ve returned from our California trip to see our newest grandson. He is the spitting image of his father, and I had a lot of flashbacks! We got to go to the toddler class to read a book and bring snacks for our other grandson’s birthday. That was a heckuva lot of fun! What energy!
Needless to say, we both have developed colds after being around young kids for 7 days straight. Mine is very mild and has just gotten started. Hubby’s is worse but still pretty mild.
When we got home we found that it really looks like real spring here. Daffodils are still blooming and the later opening ones have bloomed. All the neighbors have their lawns cut, so I expect that will be happening today or tomorrow depending on the rain and the sniffles. The redbud trees are budding. I love seeing them.
Some of my tulips were eaten by bunnies, but there are about a dozen or so that look like they will blossom soon.
The bluebirds were active while we were gone and I see two eggs in their house. Some finches are building a nest on our front porch so I’ll have to keep an eye on that spot.
We sure enjoyed our visit to the Bay area, but I’m also glad to be home.
Have a blessed Easter weekend everyone!
Sounds like you’re a few days to a week ahead of things here. I’m looking forward to April.
Well, we got 2 1/2 feet of snow last weekend. We’re just starting to see the grass again.
But at least part of the garden is ready to go. The seedlings are coming along nicely.
I have lettuce seedings up. How much of a freeze/frost can lettuce handle?
We’re in for another 6 “ of snow midweek...
UGH!!!!!!
Enough already!!!!!
Love that poster....Early Easter Blessings to all. It is a gorgeous spring morning here...my radishes came up this week...hoping peas are up shortly. And, the fir trees have started shedding cone “fluff.” I do not think I have ever seen these trees so loaded with cones.
You’ve got your grass chute cobbled up like I do. I like a higher clearance, but on a windy day, be prepared to eat some grass while mowing, LOL!
Lettuce can handle a light frost - down to 28 degrees. Otherwise, I’d cover it at night (plastic, an old sheet or towels) and take the cover off during the day, if sunny out.
Bonfires on the eve of Easter were an ancient European tradition. There's the story of St Patrick burning a bonfire at Sláine to mark Easter even though the pagan warlord 'way downhill at Tara had forbidden it. The warlord was so impressed with Patrick's courageous defiance of his edict that he listened to the gospel from Patrick and was eventually converted. Patrick lived in the 5th century A.D.
Awesome tip; thanks!
I have something similar hanging on the back of my office door for craft supplies. It was made for that, have had it forever.
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