The Garden Thread - April, 2024

April 1, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[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.

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 a 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 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/removed from our New & Improved Ping List.

NOTE: This is a once a MONTH Ping List, but we DO post to the thread all throughout the month. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks for sharing those! Your new home DOES look like a park. So glad you’re making your dreams come true! :)

[FamiliarFace]

Beautiful! Just beautiful! Remind me, please, of what part of the country you’re in? Those are some views! How many acres is your property?

[Liz]

Are you going to the RNC Convention in Wisconson in July?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Absolutely. Not. ;) My buddy Brian Schimming is the new head of the WI RNC. I’m excited for him. He’s a hard worker and a great public speaker. He gets things done for Wisconsin.

I’m more of a behind-the-scenes type these days. I’ll help with mailings and registering people to vote LEGITIMATELY, making phone calls, etc. We can’t all be Glory Hounds, LOL! ;)

[Liz]

BTS work is crucial...... gets things done.

A convention is pr.

[Liz]

Elegant Lemon Confit
Incredibly versatile when gardens start ripening. A tangy, lemony flavor in dressings, dips, soups.
Add to stir-frys, sides, on fish and chicken as a lemony topping. A quick and easy condiment.

Ing---5 lemons juiced and peeled 3/4 cup olive oil (not evo) 1 gar/clove finely minced 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions Peel into long strips w/ peeler, sans bitter white pith, just yellow exterior. Chop into smaller pieces. Bring 1 cup water to rolling boil, submerge peels 20 secs, remove to bowl. Combine peels, juice, ol/oil, garlic, salt. BTB in pan, then reduce to low simmer. Simmer soft 20-25 min. Allow to cool. Store in glass jar, covered and refrigerated til needed.

Note that lemons can be made into confit using a variety of different methods and results. Here, we heat the ingredients in oil for a fast lemon confit. And as a bonus, you can extract the leftover oil, creating a lemon-infused olive oil, which can be used for other recipes or poured sparingly over fish or salad.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I am currently reading through 'Big Book of Salads' by Cooking Light and it is probably the BEST salad book I've ever seen. Found my copy for $1.49 @ a thrift shop, but a Library may have it, or on-line. I'm impressed with the salad dressings and combos and the photos are inspiring. It makes good use of fresh herbs, too. Highly recommended.

[Liz]

A must have.

[MomwithHope]

Sorry about your beagles. Still chilly here and I am having to keep half my seedlings inside. I just started too early. Outside I have heavy Plexiglas to cover some planters with lettuce, radishes, green onions and bok choi, all doing great.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I moved everything out today AGAIN and am hoping they can make it through the next few nights with some extra protection in the greenhouse.

Good news, though! ‘Miss Peach’ is blooming AGAIN! And this time she’s blooming all over. It’s blowing me away! This is the FOURTH time she’s bloomed this season! I hope she’s not on her way out! (I have cactus soil on hand in case she needs re-potting this summer!)

Also almost all of the blooms are open on my Orchid - Six in total with one more to open. She is spectacular and is doing well thanks to your advice. :)

[MomwithHope]

Salad book looks good. The potting table way too cute and small. You would forever be cleaning dirt out of the cracks on top.

[MomwithHope]

My cactus has new green leaves all over.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

‘Miss Peach’ is going to outlive us all, LOL! She and the cockroaches will be the last ones standing. ;)

[MomwithHope]

Sounds like B movie. Cactus and cockroaches.

[Qiviut]

Full moon tonight!

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/april-full-pink-moon

[Diana in Wisconsin]

:)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

It’s very bright! Missed her rising. Clear and VERY cold by us tonight. Down to 32 degrees. I have the greenhouse buttoned up and some things have double covers over them until morning. Not the Pansies, though. Those are TOUGH!

Spring is definitely here; the fields all around me, for as far as I can see, are full of planting activity. Ryan has been hauling manure through here all day to the fields, and Beau did an awesome job with his compost pile thanks to Ithaca and Chuck - their stalls are now cleaner than clean and cooking away in the barn yard for future use on my garden beds.

I still can’t get over how that last batch of puppies we raised just LOVED hanging out with and even SLEEPING with, Chuck! And no one got squished! It’s a sad time for the puppies, though. They are learning all about Condo and Kennel Life. And they are NOT happy to have their freedom taken away. :(

My little chicks continue to put out feathers - in less than a month they’ll be all feathered out.

God Bless the future Harvest. Life Is Good. Amen!

[MomwithHope]

A nice recap! We had hail here last evening, lasted about a half hour, grape sized. Crazy. I am having to put all my seedings that started in peat pots into small pots with garden soil. Looks like after Friday maybe some of them can go outside for the day.

[Pollard]

The rocketbombplane is a better unit so I need to get it fixed sometime. The 3 cup anemometer needs more wind to make it spin and then it's jerky.

Graph is showing 0-8 mph. Being hill country, there is no such thing as a steady breeze which doesn't help. I'm sure the graph could be smoothed out to be curvy. The log is CSV which could be pasted into Excel and a graph made from that. The rocketbombplane anemometer would help too.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Remember the tip I gave you (free of charge!) about measuring outside temps with the frozen dog water bowl?

Well, when your anemometer blows away - it’s REALLY windy! ;)

I’m glad you’re having fun with all of this. It sure looks like SPRINGTIME at your place! :)