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!

[Pollard]

My new lottery winner neighbors just bought a dozer to clear their little 7 acres. They're about to find out just how rocky that 7 acres is. I thought they had rented or borrowed it until I talked to my buddy up the road who knows them. I need to get them to come over here and knock some trees down.

Got my gadget for reading the wind monitor but evidently the wind speed part of the wind monitor is dead. I guess the coil is bad. Found a test for another brand that said an Ohm reading between the two coil wires should be 6-700 Ohms. Even though mine's not the same brand, it's the same basic design/concept so I should be able to measure some sort of resistance. I get no reading. Must be a burnt out spot in the coil windings.

Oh well. Still looks cool and reads wind direction.

Just ordered a 3 cup anemometer which look like toys to me but they do make good commercial ones and I found someone on ebay that refurbishes them. Very knowledgeable helpful guy. $30 and if it works, I'll grab another to have as a spare.

They use these models on big cranes so they know if they need to shut down operations due to high winds.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

New toys (tools!) for you! :)

I always shut down operations due to high winds; I hate grit in my teeth! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Note To Self as we go into, 'The Crazy Season':

[Pollard]

I inquired about the part needed to get the rocketbomplane wind monitor to read wind speed. The most recent parts list on their website says $68 as of Jan 2023. Probably won’t hear back until next week of course. Meanwhile I have a refurbished three cup anemometer on the way.

Next on the tech list is at least one of the linear actuators that will open/close the sides and gable vents. They’re like hydraulic cylinders, but electric.

That will have to wait for fence rail to braces and then a bunch of other stuff to be able to get plastic film put on.

Ran through the numbers and between budget and time, this thing’s going to take the rest of the year. I’m little front yard gardening again this year.

[Qiviut]

Beautiful day in the neighborhood! Sun is coming & going among some dramatic clouds, cows are mooing for breakfast & you can almost hear the grass growing. The woodpecker is still pecking, but we're working on that issue!

One of the surprises at the new place as things bloom:

Sunlight shining through some ruby red baby maple leaves - my phone camera just doesn't show all the leaves & how beautiful the tree looks all 'lit up' like a jewel in the morning sunlight.

Pole shed cleanup is underway. Fresh gravel will be put down once the debris is all removed.

[Pollard]

Will be interesting to see what other blooming surprises you get. We resurrected an old farm house that no one had lived in for 30 years. Come spring/summer, we found out that the old lady had planted a bunch of shrubs and trees that attracted hummingbirds. One of the shrubs was right outside the bedroom window so we woke up one morning to the sight of a dozen of them buzzing around.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The pink bloomer is a pink flowering Dogwood! (Cornus florida f. ‘Rubra.’) Lucky you! :)

That Pole Shed makes my heart beat fast, LOL!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

16 DIY Salad Table Ideas to Get Fresh Salad With Little Garden Space

DROOLING over this idea!

https://morningchores.com/salad-table/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

https://morningchores.com/salad-table/

[daniel1212]

There’s 9-10”m of snow on tap for Wed and Thurs.

Rain here, but sun Tuesday! Thank God. And I am about 2 weeks or more behind. Hopefully, the lettuce can go in once that melts.

i actually have some lettuce seeds. Never grew it. Have to look up the when, where and how.

[FamiliarFace]

I’m looking forward to having hummies around for the spring and summer again. Usually it’s late late April or May before they arrive here in central Indiana, but this year Spring has been early, so maybe I will make up a batch of nectar to start setting out.

[FamiliarFace]

Thanks for the ping.

Here’s a link to an interactive map for the hummingbird migration.
https://www.hummingbird-guide.com/hummingbird-migration-map-2024.html#spring-migration-map-2024

[left that other site]

Good morning! (Raking Leaves)

[metmom]

I had not heard that but it’s interesting if true.

I’ll have to start collecting rainwater, too. Distilled water ought to work as there are no minerals in it.

[Liz]

A succulent beef recipe pour vous. Tres French----uses two sauces.

Filet Mignon in Morel Bordelase topped w/ Bearnaise Sauce / Serves 2

Ingredients 3/4 ounce dried morels 2 teaspoons butter or olive oil salt and pepper 1 cup chicken or beef broth 2 tablespoons demi-glace (veal or beef) 1 cup red wine (or use white) 2 small shallots, finely diced 2-4" sprigs fresh thyme 1 small bay leaf 1 tbl butter 2 tbl sour cream

Bearnaise Sauce ----- Rehydrate morels in warm water 15 min. Drain and pat dry. Saute chopped morels in butter or olive oil until warm, 5 min. S/p. Set aside. Heat and whisk the chicken or beef broth with the demi-glace in a small saucepan until blended into uniform consistency. Remove from heat and set aside. Place red wine, diced shallots, thyme and bay leaf on medium high heat and reduce near-dry about 10 minutes). Offheat discard thyme and bay leaf. Add demi-glace mixture and morels. You can prepare the sauce up to this point earlier in the day and store in the refrigerator.

STEAK 2 six to eight ounce filet mignon rubbed with olive oil; season with coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, grilled to desired doneness.

BERNAISE Just before steaks are done, return the sauce to the stove on med. Once warm, stir in the butter then whisk in the sour cream and reduce if a thicker sauce is desired.

Spoon Morel Bordelaise sauce on plate, filet mignon on sauce; top with a dollop of Béarnaise sauce. Excellent w/ Potato & Leek Gratin and Glazed Carrots with Tarragon.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

My Oriole and Hummingbird feeders are cleaned up and ready to be filled the first time I see or hear either of them. I normally hear the Orioles, first. They have a very soft, ‘whispery’ call that’s quite distinctive.

We had a day-long soft rain last week and the Robins were singing so much while hunting for worms & bugs, it was like an orchestra in the house yard! :)

So glad my Spring & Summer Friends will be back again. :)

[Qiviut]

I felt bad the other day - sitting on the front porch with brother & SIL who had brought up some things for me & mom. My SIL noticed a hummer buzzing around the end of the chain where I had a feeder hanging last year. The hummers are back & it was looking where it remembered the feeder. All my feeders are at the new place now. The hummers will have to go next door to my SIL’s - she has several feeders out now. I will miss ‘my’ little guys, but hope I have some at the valley house. We are hanging feeders from the edge of the front porch for viewing visitors from the bay window in the kitchen eating area. It will be shady & the nectar stays fresh longer, too.

[FamiliarFace]

I cut some daffodils for the sunroom table around St. Patrick’s Day. They are all finished blooming around here, and I’m happy to see lots of other early spring plants coming up and blooming. The bleeding hearts made it through the hard freeze earlier in the week, and the brunnera are going strong. My bachelor buttons have blossoms and should begin opening soon. As long as I deadhead those periodically through the summer, they should rebloom until November.

[FamiliarFace]

Thanks for the book titles. I need to find those.