Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Weekly Garden Thread - May 21-27, 2022 [The Language of Flowers Edition]
May 21, 2022 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

Posted on 05/21/2022 6:57:35 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 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 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!


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: food; garden; gardening; hobbies
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-125 next last
To: Diana in Wisconsin

My wife has a coupe of Sun Gold tomatoes ready to pick, and my cabbage is just about ready.

Another week or 10 days for the apricots.

Greetings from the Big Valley, zone 9b.


21 posted on 05/21/2022 8:26:24 AM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

More rain here in the Ozarks and this one is bringing in a cold front. Lettuce, peas and brassicas will love it. Maters and peppers not so much. Low of 47 tonight. Lost electric a couple of times in the past few days. Was windy the first time but yesterday just rainy. Unhealthy trees getting waterlogged and falling over. Happens every Spring.


22 posted on 05/21/2022 8:31:31 AM PDT by Pollard (Don't ask if there's a conspiracy. If you're not in one, you need to start one. CA Fitts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: who knows what evil?

My tomato plants look good too. But I was out of town for 12 days.
Grass has set in and spending day tilling grass out of garden with walk behind tiller. Home grown tomatoes are worth the effort.


23 posted on 05/21/2022 9:01:41 AM PDT by tennmountainman ( Less Lindell CONS, More AZ Style Audits)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin; Pollard; little jeremiah
Cold and watery....Not a garden plant, but something that can be grown, pitcher plants grow in Missouri and they do well in boggy areas. When I was young I hiked across a lake in Northern Wisconsin that was almost covered in spaghnum. You could jump up and down on it (carefully) and feel the the sphagnum mat sloshing up and down. There were all sorts of pitcher plants growing on top of the bog!

https://www4.uwsp.edu/biology/courses/plantid/cp-dicot-a/cp-dicot-a-063pitcher.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/pitcher-plants/growing-pitcher-plants.htm

"Types of Pitcher Plants There are around 80 types of pitcher plants found in the genus names Sarracenia, Nepenthes and Darlingtonia. Not all of these are suitable for outdoor growing, as Nepenthes are tropical pitcher plants, but purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea) has a zonal tolerance of 2 to 9 and is exceptionally adaptable to a wide range of areas. The northern pitcher plant is another name for the purple type and grows wild in Canada. It is suited for temperate to cool regions.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Growing Pitcher Plants: Learn About The Care of Pitcher Plants https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/pitcher-plants/growing-pitcher-plants.htm"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure how bad the newly released monkey pox will be, but this is an interesting article;

https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/rediscovered-native-american-remedy-kills-poxvirus/3003420.article

Sarracenia purpurea

"Herbal medicine used to treat smallpox in the 19th century found to halt viral replication in vitro

An old herbal remedy for treating smallpox that is thought to have been used by native Americans in the late 1800s has been rediscovered and found to kill the poxvirus. Smallpox has been eradicated, but the finding offers a possible treatment for poxvirus in the unlikely event of a bioterror attack or increased incidence of similar poxviruses such as monkey pox. .... Snip....

The team made extracts of S. purpurea and found that it was highly effective at inhibiting the replication of the virus in rabbit kidney cells. They then looked at the replication cycle of the virus and found that the herb inhibits mRNA synthesis, halting production of proteins vital for replication. ’Other drugs are being developed against smallpox, but S. purpurea is the only known therapy that will target the virus at this point in the replication cycle,’ says Langland.

’The extract blocks early transcription appearing to have a distinct mechanism of action from that of two other antivirals currently in clinical trials,’ says Mark Buller, a virologist at Saint Louis University, Missouri, US. ’The results are very compelling, and support the need to further evaluate the purified active ingredient in small animal studies.’

’With smallpox, it is obviously impossible to see if this herb is effective in the human body unless a bioterror release of the virus occurs,’ says Langland. ’We are in the process of doing animal studies to confirm our results in at least this type of whole animal system.’"

More at link.

Not being a Herbalist I cant really say how someone would process this...Tincture maybe?

24 posted on 05/21/2022 9:14:42 AM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: daniel1212

Hi, thanks for checking in. I thought if you just the other day. Glad you explained why no pictures. Nice of you to plant tomatoes for someone else.


25 posted on 05/21/2022 9:28:51 AM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Grammy

26 posted on 05/21/2022 9:49:19 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

I don’t harvest any spears less than a pencil thick and several of them flowers and I had little red berries all over the place. Would well composted manure and wood ash work, too?

I know it takes a few years for the plants to become really well established. It’s just so frustrating waiting for that.

The new owners of our NY house are enjoying a fantastic asparagus crop. Glad for them but not for us.


27 posted on 05/21/2022 10:01:59 AM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith… )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: metmom

If your patch is new, just go with the 10-10-10. Compost is all nitrogen, and I don’t know the ratio to mix that with wood ash. Also, remember that these crowns are BABIES - you can do damage by over-feeding them, too ya know!

You think YOU left behind treasures at your old place? I had a well-established 40 foot row of asparagus that I had to leave behind, as well as all of my mature and producing fruit trees, raspberries, blackberries and all of my gorgeous Hydrangea. (I added 5 here this season; more to come!)

That’s the only bad part of leaving a farm of 25 years - you can’t take all the good, mature stuff with you! However, I sold my other farm within days due to the 25 years of effort I put in there. ;)


28 posted on 05/21/2022 10:27:29 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Pee on your plants: human urine can be used as an effective and sustainable fertilizer

https://freerepublic.com/focus/news/4065190/posts?page=1


29 posted on 05/21/2022 11:56:24 AM PDT by Pollard (Don't ask if there's a conspiracy. If you're not in one, you need to start one. CA Fitts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

Since almost all cases of monkeypox (and there haven’t been very many) are “men who have sex with men” I think the vast majority of us are safe unless GatesofHell/etc intentionally release it via another vector.


30 posted on 05/21/2022 12:06:03 PM PDT by little jeremiah (Never worry about anything. Worry never solved any problem or moved any stone.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
Please add me to your ping list.

My son recently purchased 18 acres in east Texas.

I have been watching gardening/off grid/homesteading videos like a loon!

Even to water glassing eggs!

Looking forward to moving there in a few years. He's already started a well.

31 posted on 05/21/2022 12:06:29 PM PDT by spankalib
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission
Interesting article. Sarracenia purpurea is available in oral drops from India and takes about four weeks to receive. There is a sanitarium study on the net where a military officer treated his troops with smallpox using the Pitcher plant and most recovered. It is my understanding that fifteen drops in half glass water daily treats smallpox, of course our gov will not be telling you this. Thx
32 posted on 05/21/2022 12:20:21 PM PDT by Colonialman (Trust but verify)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: little jeremiah
I am not terribly worried about it monkey pox. I suspect a lot of fear porn. Small pox on the other hand.....

Fake--Picture of Monkey pox = picture of Shingles?

Just some advance just in case information.

33 posted on 05/21/2022 12:34:32 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Colonialman ; little jeremiah

Thank you! That is worth knowing!


34 posted on 05/21/2022 12:35:43 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission; MomwithHope
"Daniel; I hope your neighbor will be happy! Will you be sharing your tomatoes with him?" Yes, as they are mainly for the residents of the 3 decker and the LL (who gave me permission), and whose GF took the most last year.

" What varieties did you plant?" 4th of July and some Big Boys from last years plants. But sometimes I get seeds mixed up. The cherry tom seeds (in the bag marked as such) are larger than the 4th of July and Big Boy sees so I am not sure!

"(Will you be releasing another squash plant on him?)" Yes, though I just started them this week. But the Latino residents want the baby stage squash for pupusa (many variations though. And the soil is not exceptional (stones are NE best crop).

Thanks, for asking, and for God for what we can do as workers together with Him in Christ.

35 posted on 05/21/2022 12:55:29 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save U + be baptized + follow Him!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: daniel1212
Good deal! I hope you are blessed with an enormous crop!

In late June the Hardware stores should start to sell their left over seed packets! That might be a good time to go out and get some new tomato seed and squash seeds at a reduced price.

Here is somethings I tried this year with my patty pan squash. The bottoms of the little cups are cut off and pushed down in the ground and I plant the seed inside. Keep the top up off the straw and the bottom in the ground. It keeps the sow and pill bugs from destroying the seedlings until established. Someone gave me the little cups. I think larger ones would work just fine. Pollard had something like this with sawtooth cuts that he pushed down into the dirt to protect his plants from them.

I covered it with a couple of $1 colenders that I bought at the Dollar store: They protect against hail, wind, and excessive rain and keeps the squirrels and chipmunks off your squash for a few days until its up out of the ground and established. (Then I put chicken wire around it!)

(Note... I had cut off the handle and rim to use for something else, but these were left over so I repurposed them.)

36 posted on 05/21/2022 1:39:47 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Size comparison: Great White Shark vs. jaws of an ancient Megalodon



37 posted on 05/21/2022 3:18:50 PM PDT by LibWhacker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

What a great idea!


38 posted on 05/21/2022 5:12:08 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith… )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: metmom

“Speaking of buying plants, I checked a couple places for pepper plants, like Lowe’s and some garden centers. What ridiculous prices. Lowe’s didn’t even have the 6 packs. They had individual plants for $4 each!!!!!! $4 for one tomato, one cucumber, one squash, whatever. And they were pathetic looking things.”

I lucked out that my local Southern States co-op plant prices were about the same as last year and nice looking plants too. Our Lowes seems to be the last stop for the plant truck. ;)

Got the tomatoes and peppers all planted today. It seems to work best for me if I plant a variety, so I put in some Early Girl, German Johnson, Mortgage Lifter, Red Brandywine and Romas.

Beans and corn are coming up. Potatoes are hilled. Now, I’ll have a couple of weeks to play with flowers and herbs before I have to start weeding.


39 posted on 05/21/2022 5:43:55 PM PDT by Mrs. Ranger (lamenting the death of "common sense" )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Mrs. Ranger

For tomatoes I got some heirloom seeds, so I could save them.

I have Heinz sauce tomatoes, Old Brooks, 10 Fingers of Naples, Slava, and a grape variety called Red Pear.

Most of them are indeterminate and have good blight resistance.

The Heinz are determinate and the blight tends to get them every year, but they are great sauce tomatoes. Great flavor and they ripen pretty much at once time, so you get the crop in, can up the tomatoes, and then can pull up the spent plants.

I put them in super early so should have a good crop.


40 posted on 05/21/2022 11:40:19 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith… )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 121-125 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson