WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD AUG. 3, 2018

freerepublic | 8/3/2018 | greeneyes

[greeneyes]

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.

This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. 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!

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 are welcomed any time-and don't have to be about gardening.

[Liz]

True....but it tastes s-o-o-o-o good.

[Liz]

Pack the salad ingredients in a circular ring for presentation.

RUTH CHRIS FAMOUS CHOPPED SALAD / Lemon Basil Dressing

METHOD COmbine 8 cups packed julienned iceberg, cup ea packed julienned fresh spinach/radicchio, 1/3 cup very thin slices red onion (or chp red onions), ½ cup chp green olives, 6 oz sliced mushrooms, 4 chp hd-cooked eggs, 14 oz can chilled hearts of palm, rinsed, well-drained and sliced, ½ lb chp fried applewood-smoked bacon. Toss well. Add cup crumbled blue cheese, ½ cup croutons. toss well. Divide among 4 dinner plates, top w/ crispy fried onions.

SERVE garnished w/ cherry tomato halves.

DRESSING cup sour cream (or use combined sour cream/mayo), ¼ cup chp fresh basil, 4-5 tb l/juice, seasoned salt, garlic pepper.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks! I’ll check that out!

I’m already stockpiling newspaper for the next step up for my seedlings for next season; I make paper pots from newspaper for the next step AFTER the Jiffy Pellets get my seedlings started.

My life is now a DREAM when it comes to starting plants from seed. No dirt in the house.

‘MERICA! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Go for it! We’ve had good production this season with Honeydew and Cantaloupe. (Did you see my pictures?)

BUT - that’s due to the massive amounts of Mule Compost Beau puts on the lower garden, AND a TON of rain to start the season AND a HEAT WAVE right when the melons needed it.

Other years? Bumpkiss!

Personally? I’d grow salad greens (Spring & Fall), peppers, tomatoes, garlic, potatoes, green beans, your basic herbs, sunflowers, cutting flowers (Zinnia and Gladiolus & bouquet fillers) and zucchini. To h#ll with all the other stuff. ;)

After 40 years of this, in MY garden you need to be Useful and/or Beautiful. You need to THRIVE with little fuss (AAS Winners!) and PROVE to me that you ARE a survivor! :)

[Jamestown1630]

That looks good! I’ve had those crispy onion strings in restaurants and they’re nice.

[Augie]

Need some rain here in Central Missouri. The 2” we got two weeks ago is long gone.

I dug up a couple potato plants earlier in the week. Spuds are still small so I’ll let them be and check again in a few weeks.

I bought two dozen new canning jars yesterday. We’ve used up most of the empty jars we had on hand, and still need to make marinara sauce, and bottle the ten gallons of sauerkraut that’s fermenting in the basement.

Mowed the back pasture and around the sunflower field yesterday, and spent a few hours hauling dirt out of the pond. We’ve gotten all of the weeds killed and whacked down around and in the cut in the dam to make it ready for dirt guy to close up. I’ll get serious about squirreling some money away for that after we get home from vacation in October. In the meantime I’ll keep hauling dirt out to make room for more water. More water = more fish and more free irrigation on my kitchen garden.

[Augie]

Dad claims that his Grandpap grew the best watermelons in the county.

Said the secret was to dig a hole a foot deep and two feet around, and fill it with fresh horse poop, make a hill of dirt on top of the poop, and plant the seeds in the dirt hill.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

That dressing sounds goo on any chopped salad! Found this a few days ago as the garden is EXPLODING and it’s too hot to cook; Chopped Salads:

https://www.tasteofhome.com/course/salads/chopped-salads/

[Liz]

They all look so good.......

I guess I'll go with the Fancy Chopped Salad w/ dressing made with a soupcon of lemon.

[Liz]

That stacked salad is one of Ruth Chris’ most famous dishes.

Now we can all have it at home.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Some of today's pepper picks. From top to bottom they are Carboneros, Fatali, Chocolate Trinidad Scorpion, Chocolate Ghost and Peach Ghost.