Posted on 06/13/2020 5:50:50 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!
/SPR_2540014-growing-vegetables-without-full-sun-5abce8a6a474be00193e8d1d.png)
On the plus side, our gooseberries finally bore fruit!
Strong strawberry harvest this year, and likewise our raspberries are loaded.
God is good.
Storm front went through earlier this week. High winds almost flattened a lot of stuff but seems like they are coming back.
We had some hot days and my spinach bolted. I’m going to try cutting it down and see if it will come back with the cooler weather. Upstate NY weather has been crazy.
Headed out to the local farmers market this morning.
Wife wants beets...
We had some serious rain the other day. And now, the air is sweet and fresh, with all the yellow pollen washed away.
It’s delightful!
*Clematis 'Jackmanii' is a Clematis cultivar which, when it was introduced in 1862, was the first of the modern large-flowered hybrid clematises of gardens. It is a climber with large violet-purple blooms, still among the most familiar climbers seen in gardens.
My first zinnia has bloomed as of this morning - yay!!!
Saw the first Japanese beetles on my zinnias last evening - BOOOOOO!!!
Thanks for the reminder! My grapes re all leafed out and looking good - time to spray them with JB killer!
Beautiful! I bet it sets off the purple top siding on your house.
I nabbed the next to last bunch of beets...
Glad I got there when I did.
This is the only Clematis we have left growing out of 7 or 8 varieties we planted on our garden fence....
Not getting a lot done in the garden, so far. Happy to note that my beloved hibiscus is coming up. I picked it up at the Amherst Garden Club something like 7 years or more ago. It has spectacular blooms every year, some 3” across.
Our peonies are coming back and are starting to bloom.
Mama duck hatched six ducklings, but one disappeared. The other five are growing like weeds, and have taken over the pond.
I’m in the middle of a mini insect apocalypse. Maybe “apocalypse” isn’t the right term . . . Anyway, I’m suddenly overrun with gnats, bees and moths, with the occasional flying ant for good measure. The gnats showed up overnight in their thousands, both indoors and out. I assume they’re fungus gnats — and I live in the desert! I find those little clear adhesive strips you stick in the corner of a window work pretty well, plus I go on “killing sprees” with a damp paper towel. For the larvae, I’m going to give those granules a try, the ones you sprinkle onto the soil of your houseplants and water in.
The bees are lovely, of course, and there are a lot of them out here, both kept and wild, and they’re all greedy for water. Every dish of water I put out for the birds and bunnies is instantly swarming with bees. So I created a “bee waterer” from a dishpan and a bunch of regular corks. They love it! But they still swarm over every other water source they can find. I’m giving serious thought to discontinuing all water, except perhaps a single dish at sundown for the birds and beasts. But no more during the day. I hate to do it but . . . these bees are just too much.
At least there are no mosquitos and very few houseflies. We do have several varieties of interesting little hovering flies.
That Jackmanii has been here for 25 years. Beau has tried to kill it, but hadn’t succeeded!
When I moved out here 4 years ago I cut it all the way down to the ground, then mulched it properly and gave her a kick in the pants with Bloom Booster fertilizer.
She has rewarded me every season, since. :)
Thanks for the Duckling Report! :)
Meanwhile the garden is going well, glory and thanks be to God.
And while rain is scarce, the barrels are ready to catch much off the landlord's roof:
How very kind of you! But, I agree - enough is enough when it comes to bugs.
On years they plant soybean around us, the ‘fake’ Lady Bugs are just ridiculous! We hate to use chemicals, but Beau sprays the south side of the house with some goop that keeps them in check. There are mornings when I can sweep buckets of them off the porch. Ick!
Aside from a few select species, I really don’t worry about killing bugs. We are totally outnumbered; they’ll be here long after I’m gone!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.