The Garden Thread - June, 2024

June 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]

https://www.cubcadet.com/en_US/prior-year-models/ltx1042-kw-cub-cadet-riding-lawn-mower/13WG93AS210.html

Bottom of the page, bottom of the list of manuals.

MANL:PARTS:CUB LTX1042/45:2012
MANL:PARTS:CUB LTX1042/45:2014

Looks like 2012/2013 and then 2014 and later are two different parts manuals. The spring could be the same on both.

Maybe something like this part 12? (Cable, Engag, Deck)

If so, they are indeed different based on mfg date. 946-04618A or 946-04618C

A search for 946-04618 - without the A or C gives back this - https://www.cubcadet.com/en_US/prior-year-models/ltx1042-kw-cub-cadet-riding-lawn-mower/13WG93AS210.html

One result and it's 946-04618C with the C. My best guess if the updated/improved version. Who knows what happened to plan B?

A search for 946-04618A gives the same result.

I'd like to solve the puzzle Pat. The answer is; What You Need.

You can get it from Cub Cadet or elsewhere - https://duckduckgo.com/?q=946-04618C+cub+cadet+spring

[Paul R.]

Hmmm, it looks like the spring only comes as part of the 946-04618C engagement cable, for $42.26. That’s it (the broken spring), lower center of their picture of the assembly. So instead of just buying a $10 spring ya’ gotta buy the entire assembly. Crap. Especially because there’s no real reason to design it this way, except to make money on replacement parts.

Anyway, now I know what I’m up against! (Mainly, coming up with the bucks.) My Dad had two other CC mowers (presently inoperable), but they are different models and likely the assembly is somewhat different in every model... I may try to research them anyway.

Thanks much!!

[Paul R.]

When I tried to freeze some 2% milk a few years ago, for a camping trip, it thawed sort of “granular”. Like part of it was trying to become fine grain cottage cheese. It still tasted ok, but looked kinda weird. It seems like I tried skim too, without that effect. I won’t swear I don’t have that backward.

???

[Paul R.]

What does Beau catch? If walleye, I’m jealous!

[Paul R.]

No such thing as a slope here... :-(

[Paul R.]

Maybe onions just don’t like clay even if it has a nice spot dug out and replaced with better “soil”? I’ve tried several types of garden soil and potting soil. Maybe I just made a big fancy / too often from rain soggy bucket in the ground. The tomatoes like it though. At least there is that. :-)

Wild onions seem to have no problem. Figures.

[Pollard]

If it was me and money was tight, I’d grab this from ebay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/312731529462?itmmeta=01J02HCYANV144DC5AP10WCTDY

$10.98 - free shipping - coming from CA which means it’s straight off the boat from China but the original Cub Cadet part was probably made in China. Seller has 99.8% positive feedback and that’s out of 27,000 + ratings.

If you don’t do online shopping, just find a local mower shop and see what they want for a 946-04618C deck control cable. Or find someone who does ebay and have them grab the $10.98 cable.

An OEM cable is probably a little better, even if OEM and aftermarket are both China. The OEM cable was sold to mower companies but the China aftermarket scene is a bit of a free for all and they probably cut corners with no USA based company to deal with. The US based company just designs a new model and the last model becomes obsolete. Just the way of the world now thanks to fedgov’s free trade open to China.

I’ve got a 1970 Sears Suburban Garden Tractor, two speed with 4 gears so 8 speed technically. The thing will pull a full size truck around or mow the lawn. Sears carried parts for 3 decades and they were made in the USA. It all thoroughly disgusts me.

[Paul R.]

OTOH, last Thursday evening I had a moment of real fun:

(copy / pasted from my e-mail to my local fisheries biologist, with slight edits / deletions specific to the pond I was at)

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

...I had a quite large LMB inhale an 8” redear* I had on a stringer. Not surprisingly the redear went in head first (end of tail fin still visible) and as I was pulling the stringer in, the redear’s fins sort of stuck in the LMB’s mouth / throat. So, I had the bass halfway up on the bank B4 the redear finally pulled out, tail first. Mr.(?) Bass was not so large that the redear could have “turned” in the LMB’s mouth, but, I got a pretty good look: There seemed to be some gape left: I’d guess the bass was good for maybe a redear close to 9” long. Pretty darn impressive for a pond bass: I’ve certainly never caught a LMB that big, anywhere!

*Measurement after I took the redear home. Right at 8” or a sliver more.

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

I must admit, I don’t know if a largemouth bass that big is actually “good” for a pond. You generally want the predators taking out the small panfish, not the 8” bluegill and redear. But, LMB that big out of a somewhat turbid pond are not going to taste good, and would likely be high in mercury too. I’d not want to get it mounted unless it was a state record, and I don’t think this fish was THAT big.* Nor would it have been caught on hook and line - legally I might have to release it anyway.

*Granted I’m not sure what the weight of an LMB that can chow down on 8” redear would be. ;-)

Well, it’s a moot dilemma because the fish got away anyway. But if it hangs around a certain bit of “structure” I might go after it deliberately... :-)

[Paul R.]

Ah thanks! I’m so freaking busy this week I hadn’t even had time to check further, since my last post.

I’ve made hundreds of purchases on eBay, so, no problem with “process”. :-)

Yes, quality from China is a crapshoot, but this thing should hold up for at least a summer, and maybe with the broken assy. out, I can conjure up a “better than new”, find a lightly used part, etc.

Thanks again!

[Paul R.]

All the feedback for this particular part from this seller looks good too. Granted, none is after a few years of use.

Likely problems are the same sort of break (material fatigue / poor material) and corrosion of the cable and it’s sheath (hit ‘em often with anti-corrosion lubricant.)

Ordering tonight. :-)

[ArcadeQuarters]

Help! Can anyone identify this insect? It's about half an inch long. I thought slugs were eating the cabbage but when I went out last night these things were crawling all around. They were also on the flowers of a cucuzza vine. So far they have not damaged peppers, corn, tomato plants, honeydew or cantaloupe. Maybe I'm just lucky so far.

Sorry about the image quality. They kept wriggling away.

[ArcadeQuarters]

An image search says this a European earwig. Nasty creatures but there are organic insecticides available.

[MomwithHope]

We have zero clay but I think there is a way to break that up. Lime? IDK. Adding sand for an onion bed should work.

[Pollard]

I would be even more poor than I am without ebay. It's time for tires for the car, past due time for a pair at least. Back ones are real thin and make me nervous. Just grabbed a pair this morning. $110 delivered to my door.

I've had good luck with Kelly tires holding up well on the gravel roads. Better than high dollar names. That's all advertising dollars.

I've got a little manual tire changer from Harbor Freight that works ok for small car tires so for $110 and less than an hour labor, I'll have two brand new tires. Seller's only got 5 pair left now and at this price, I better get two more soon. Will have to run the budget tonight to see if I can get them this week but I think I can swing it. If not, definitely next week.

Then I can go back to spending on the high tunnel.

[central_va]

We need import tariffs badly. A 20% import tariff would be a good start.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Walleye, Muskies and Northerns. The Walleye they keep to eat, the others are just for pictures, then released. I think they’re looking for the 48” or above, which are pretty rare, even up in Canada.

Best fish I ever caught was a Large Mouth Bass. Man, that thing was a fighter! But, it was off season - I was just fishing for pan fish, so I had to let her go. :(

I like Walleye, but my favorite fish is the Haddock he caught up in Alaska. He’s one busy Retiree - but he deserves it. I’ve known him since we were both 28; he’s always been a hard worker. We met again when we were both 50, both after long-term marriages. He was widowed, I had been divorced for a few years.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I don’t have any diagrams, and some of the duct tape I’m using isn’t sticking properly, but I hung solar lights in my greenhouse and it looks SO COOL! So, there! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Re: Freezing Milk. Yeah, that’s the fat separating. That’s why those clinics that ‘freeze off your fat’ work so well, LOL!

I’ve frozen soft cheeses before and the same thing happens. It’s still usable/edible, but the texture is off a little.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Yes, that’s an Earwig. They like cool, shady and damp spots to hang out. I’ll find them living UNDER a garden pot, most times.

“This creates a conundrum for gardeners… Should earwigs be allowed to remain in your garden to eat up aphids and other pests? Or should they be removed before they turn their attention to your plants? Generally, earwigs do not cause enough damage to be worth fighting. However, if you do see large numbers of them around your plants, you can consider taking action.”

Old Farmers Almanac says:

https://www.almanac.com/pest/earwigs

[Augie]

Well, since last month I have had 2 power outages, one for several days, and an intermittent electrical problem in my car.

Power outages are no good. I'm shopping portable generators now. The 6kw Kipor that came with the camper let its smoke out last fall. I don't need a 6kw generator in the camper but it was nice to have the capacity in case we had an extended outage to the house. I've almost talked myself into buying a 3500w unit for the camper and installing a Generac that's big enough to run the house. Decisions, decisions...