Posted on 06/01/2024 6:22:03 AM PDT by 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.
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“I’m bound and determined to have some kind of lettuce with a little crunch to it, plus nutritious leafy greens, at the same time I have ripe maters.”
Of all the lettuce varieties out there, and they are legion, boring old Romaine has the highest nutritional value. And even then, that’s not much!
Favorite lettuce of starving Supermodels, the world over. ;)
Remember in May I asked about chitting potatoes? Well, I did that and planted some small red potatoes, having no idea if this would work or not. It might not, but when I got back from my week-long family visit today, I did a quick walk through my “garden” (ie, front walkway, mostly herbs), and saw that green sprouts have grown above 3 of the 4 potatoes I planted! Hurray! I still don’t expect much, but now it looks as though there might be something down below growing? Whatever happens, this is a fun learning experience for me.
Side note, nothing to do with gardening: We returned from our trip a day early, because our sweet, feisty cat became ill just before our trip. At the time of our departure, we had no idea he would be terminal just one week later. Thyroid or kidney issues were suspected. Turns out it was an aggressive cancer. Because he’s 14 years old, we decided it was very likely time to let him cross the Rainbow Bridge. So, unless I use FR as a diversion, I won’t be posting tomorrow, as we will be allowing him to cross the bridge. Losing a pet is so hard. We’ve lost 2, and still have 1 more after this fella goes. I don’t know if we will ever adopt another cat or dog after this. Maybe.
We still say, “Who rescued whom?” These pets give unconditional love.
I’ve got greens for nutrition. Tatsoi has more vitamin C than an orange and over 100% DV of vitamin A.
If those supermodels were smart, oh, nevermind.
Speaking of crunch. Just noticed I have a tab open to rareseeds.com for an elongated red radish and I meant to get that too. Hate to make them just ship one packet when they ship for free. Might have to look around for one or two other items. I’m gonna have a regular seed bank before too long. I’ve got over 6 types of watermelon. The tunnel area might become a melon field soon.
I’m so sorry for your loss. ((HUGS)) We just lost our Beagle, Chief, and I miss him so very much. (Just old age; if we’re lucky, we all catch it!)
My hardest loss ever was my Basset Hound, Rufus. 15 years - never sick a day. Massive stroke; that was all she wrote.
“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” ~ A.A. Milne (from ‘Winnie the Pooh’)
I always say ‘No more pets’ but there’s always another one that seems to find me. ;)
Thank you. I’m sorry about your losing Chief, too.
There will be a certain void after this fighter goes. Both of our cats have doppelgängers that show up in our yard from time to time. I expect I will get “visits” periodically. :)
Today’s chores include, but are not limited to:
Mowing the hay field that is my house yard.
Puppy wrangling and all that entails (massive cuteness!)
General dog chores, exercising, training and kennel cleaning.
General Household straightening - to make it look like I’ve accomplished SOMETHING while Beau was off fishing.
Watering the garden at some point. We’ve had three days without rain! Yay! :)
Fertilizing the roses. 2nd round of three for them. Black Spot is a problem with the wet Spring we’ve had, but the blooms are perfect.
Uploading photos so I can PROVE to you all that I’ve really been raising puppies! ;)
Other duties as assigned, because something ALWAYS comes up that needs my attention...
Oh, so sorry about your Chief...love that name. I have had to leave my gardens for 2 weeks...on a trailer trip w/hub...set up timed sprinklers...last time I leave garden in summer!! Had a head of cauliflower and berries, etc about ready. Hear a bear is wandering our area...do they eat flilowers or veggies?
After decades of trying different leaf lettuce, Little Gem has done the best. Slow to bolt, crunchy, delicious, and really green. It beats Paris Cos. We also like the Yugoslavian red butter lettuce. We have grown it three years now and it does well.
God gives many gifts. He also gives comfort and meets needs at just the right moment. Your post is proof of both. :-)
TY for the ping!
“Hear a bear is wandering our area...do they eat flowers or veggies?”
Just as an appetizer to eating people! ;)
I suppose they’d eat anything if they were hungry enough. I’ve had the steer walk through my garden before. Just stomped on a few things and left some fresh ‘compost’ for me to clean up!
Ha, I just pulled out the packet of Little Gem I have. I was thinking it an was iceberg but it’s romaine.
I had 3 of them growing already and one baby little gem is now part of today’s salad along with salanova, mustard, tatsoi, baby bok choy, wasabi arugula, a few shisito and four sunsugar cherry maters.
Just simmered my onion/pepper relish and added some water and brown mustard to make it into dressing. Put it in hot jars and one jar is in the freezer. Should be cooled off enough in an hour for dressing.
Meanwhile I’m snacking on oiled and broiled shisito peppers. I have about a dozen more I need to pick.
Once the sun is down past the trees today, I’ve got an empty bed to sow a little bit of everything salad worthy. I have a tray of some things and will direct sow the rest. Bit late but I had to wait for the bok choy to be out of the way. Shade cloth is up and I did it over the whole garden instead of just the back half.
My condolences on the loss of your sweet cat.
We who choose to surround ourselves with lives more temporary than our own live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan. The life of a horse, often half our own, seems endless until one day. That day has come and gone for me, and I am once again within a somewhat smaller circle." - Irving Townsend "The Once Again Prince"
Glorious, Diana. Brilliant find.
Oddly, I agree. Growers are supposed to like rain but it was a bit much at times this Spring. Our last "good" rain was a about a week ago. A few of the sunsugars were ripening but none split. That's supposed to be their main improvement over sungold and having grown both, plus many other cherry maters, I'd say they done good. Definitely a sweet tasting mater. Good with tangy dressings or just salt.
My to do list is pretty similar, minus the canines.
Not time to post much, but I found good prices and free ship if over $29.00 : https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/espoma-organic-tomato-tone-to8-1292420
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/groundwork-1-cu-ft-cow-manure-and-compost-2332916
Thanks be to God.
We have yet to pick out first shishito, soon I hope. That sounds like a yummy salad.
Thank you, that was most touching.
Putting one foot in front of the other today.
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