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The Garden Thread - June, 2024
June 1, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

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.

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!


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: food; garden; gardening; hobbies
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To: Liz

Yes!! Great idea!


21 posted on 06/01/2024 9:55:26 AM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: FamiliarFace

Betcha the peaches will taste even better......chuckle.


22 posted on 06/01/2024 9:56:24 AM PDT by Liz (This then is how we should pray: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name . )
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To: Bon of Babble

There is our favorite duo. So cute the cat goes along. Always like your pictures.
Still getting asparagus about 6 spears every other day. Just had some cut up for lunch along with some bok choy. Super thin spaghetti. Melted some butter, added my homemade Lawrys seasoning, pepper, onion powder. Sautéed the veg. Cooked the spaghetti , drained, added a touch of sesame oil and soy sauce and butter. Tossed and then added to the veg. Also picked out first Little Gem lettuce. Just had that plain sprinkled with a little Maine coast sea vegetable flakes.
We have some small tomatoes already. Life is good.


23 posted on 06/01/2024 10:06:08 AM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: Liz

Our local orchard exchanges produce with Southern states some, so they get in freestone peaches from Georgia or South Carolina in late July. Those are my favorite kind and I wait for them, as patiently as I can. They are worth the wait every year. The orchard grows several of their own crops, so it’s great to shop at that little market. Strawberries are coming in now for pick your own, but that’s just the beginning of the fun over there!


24 posted on 06/01/2024 10:46:20 AM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

This has been an awesome spring here.

No late frosts to kill off flower buds on the fruit trees.

There should be a good fruit crop.

The woodchuck has not been seen in over a week. Still watching for him though. The garden is unmolested.

The asparagus is growing nicely and the new one I put in are going gangbusters. It seems that the asparagus beetles are under control. No new eggs on the spears.

I’m harvesting lots of romaine and the tomatoes are growing like I’ve rarely seen. I’ll need to water them but it will be soaking the roots. The bigger they get and more they produce before blight gets them, the better.

It’s going to be very warm and dry until Wed when we are forecast to see about 4-5 days of a decent amount of rain.


25 posted on 06/01/2024 11:19:28 AM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: AFB-XYZ

Whatever works! :)


26 posted on 06/01/2024 11:22:49 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Bon of Babble

So glad you got that much-needed rain. Everything looks LOVELY! :)


27 posted on 06/01/2024 11:24:30 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Greetings from southern New Hampshire!

We are in the midst of the gardening kick-off and I am busting hump supporting the boss. I cleared the hardware from Murderers’ Row and need to clear the pathways and weed.

I finally got my string trimmer repaired and operational. Now, I need to get the walk-behind lawn mower running so I can clear the paths between the raised beds.

The asparagus bed I planted last year is pushing up bounty, which of course will be allowed to grow.

Our first duckling debuted two days ago. We have five hens setting and hopefully, we will have a nice addition to our flock this summer.

I am working on the two posts I am adding to our back deck next to our new sunroom. They are ready to attach to the side of the deck, and then add railings and panels. It will give us an easy and straight-forward access to the deck. This sunroom sure adds to our house. Makes it seem so much more spacious and bright.

I need to change the watering system in the greenhouse. Barb ordered an Alexa enabled smart two zone unit and I am going to attach it to the extra hose bib that I added when I repaired the water system in April. It will allow for irrigation of the new half-barrel raised planters in two groups of four planters each. If it works, we will add them to the other side of the greenhouse and eventually to the area where we have the bog filter planter beds.

Well, I better finish hydrating and get my butt in gear.


28 posted on 06/01/2024 12:34:08 PM PDT by Redleg Duke (“Who is John Galt?”)
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To: FamiliarFace

Nothing is as good as a Georgia peach.


29 posted on 06/01/2024 1:12:34 PM PDT by Liz (This then is how we should pray: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name . )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

What’s the best kind of fertilizer nutrient ratio for asparagus and garlic?


30 posted on 06/01/2024 1:16:59 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
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To: FamiliarFace

Yeah, we were supposed to get about an inch of rain and we got about 3” in maybe 12 hours. So, it’s not Noah’s flood, but it’s enough to flood parts of our yard.

That pump when working properly is great. It is rated over 8000 GPH @ 5’ head, and actual head isn’t even 2 ft. The 2” exit elbows and then feeds a 3” pipe. The flow has blasted out all the sediment in the 3’ pipe, so I for now went back to passive flow down the 3” pipe. The drop is only about 1 foot over 20’ of 3” pipe, so it’s slow, but ultimately it’ll get the worst of the flooding out. (There’s not more drop because typical water levels in the ditch after even modest rains don’t justify more drop! I was out there a few minutes ago, again: Not even 1/3 of the exit end of the 3” pipe is visible over the water in the ditch, and the water in the ditch has gone down a lot.

I’m gonna change clothes and pull the pump out: Maybe something is stuck in the impeller. Despite being rated to handle 2” “solids”, the impeller blade clears the housing by maybe 1/8”, and I’ve seen a small chip of wood jam it. I may need to put the whole thing in a screen “sock”.

Ah, the fun(s) of living on a flat, old flood plain, with clay soils.


31 posted on 06/01/2024 4:57:53 PM PDT by Paul R. (Bin Laden wanted Obama killed so the incompetent VP, Biden, would become President!)
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To: FamiliarFace

Yup. Small, narrow wedge shape pebble stuck between impeller and housing. Apparently the water flow is “violent” enough to somehow carry such in there. Will HAVE to mitigate.

I think I’m gonna get a section of 2” flexible drain pipe. It occurs to me that when the ditch is full (or even the side yard) I could use this thing as a “blaster” to clear culverts and such. Use a section of 2” PVC or PE pipe as a “wand”, 1-1/2” if I want higher psi (but less flow).


32 posted on 06/01/2024 5:43:50 PM PDT by Paul R. (Bin Laden wanted Obama killed so the incompetent VP, Biden, would become President!)
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To: Paul R.

Man, I feel this! We live on a very sloped yard, but if we don’t direct the water flow the correct way, we end up with a near pool where you don’t want one. We hired someone to install a drain that redirects the water to a ravine. That was money well spent.

One of these days, I’d almost like to have a natural pool. That maybe is a pipe dream, or else very expensive, but it would be cool to have a rocky creek path that leads to a pool at the bottom. I bet somebody with a creative brain could help us do this, but it would probably be a pretty big project. Just dreaming here.


33 posted on 06/01/2024 6:05:48 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Liz

Georgia peaches,
Texas cactus,
We play (name the team)
Just for practice.

Lol.

I love Georgia freestone peaches more than just about anything. Soooo good!


34 posted on 06/01/2024 6:09:17 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Redleg Duke

We’ll be in Fitzwilliam next weekend for our granddaughter’s hs graduation, so I’ll be waving to you and Metmom from the top of Mt. Monadnock. :)

We’ve had a wet and rather cool spring, but the garden is finally planted, except for a few more marigolds. The usda map says we’re in zone 6b, but just barely, so I use 6a as my guide.:) This week is supposed to be rainy, so I figure that it will be time to start weeding and thinning the corn, when we get back.

Love this list and read it daily, just not much of a poster. Will try to post every now and again since there doesn’t seem to be anybody else from my neck of the woods on here. :) (southeast part of north central WV)


35 posted on 06/01/2024 6:22:50 PM PDT by Mrs. Ranger (lamenting the death of "common sense" )
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To: FamiliarFace

In winter months, when fresh were unavailable, my Mom would buy canned freestone peaches.

They were delicious served w/ pour cream for dessert or in breakfast cereal.


36 posted on 06/01/2024 6:43:13 PM PDT by Liz (This then is how we should pray: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name . )
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To: Liz

I hear ya. I guess we were raised the same way! Canned items when the fresh ones weren’t available.


37 posted on 06/01/2024 6:48:05 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Let’s see...planted 4 zucchini in my cedar raised bed and they have grown 4 times in size, taken over the 2 x 4 bed. All the veggie plants — cantaloupe, zucchini, cucumbers and eggplant have grown, but not like the cucumbers. Soon they’ll be ready to stake up. The flowers are amazing. I’ve got 55’ of fabulous roses, plus the strawberry plants I planted in the rose raised bed in the backyard. The neighborhood kids have now asked for a backyard “garden tour”, but it’s to steal my ripe strawberrie, heh heh. I only let them take the ripe ones. I am building a protective cage around 3 pots of strawberries to protect against squirrels from taking a bite and discarding them. The shady side of the yard is brimming with pulmonaria, fuchsia, hosta, heuchera, Japanese ferns, columbine, etc. The hydrangea bush is getting as tall as the fence. It will be blooming soon. The monarda, echinacea, and carnations will be blooming soon. The front yard has dianthus, delosperma, Japanese hollies, and various annuals in the stone planter. The 4 mini crape myrtles are waiting to bloom. The birds in the backyard like their feeders and the fountain made from salvaged galvanized tube and a solar powered pump. I just added a sunflower, because I like them. So, we have a good potential garden.


38 posted on 06/01/2024 9:19:30 PM PDT by EinNYC
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Wildlife update (some acting badly):

Friend has a juvenile bear terrorizing the neighborhood: destroyed his hummingbird feeder & knocked over his Green Egg grill. He had been grilling earlier & hot coals spilled on his wooden deck. Luckily, he was home & could clean it up before anything caught on fire (dog chased bear away). Other neighbors are having similar issues - same bear. One neighbor is Fish & Game who has been getting complaints from all the neighbors - gave friend rubber bullets to give bear an unpleasant experience if it comes back, but if it persists (and it is already rather habituated to finding food around humans), it will be euthanized.

Brother & SIL spotted a bobcat walking down the middle of our road the other morning. Worrisome because they are usually elusive - hoping nothing is wrong with it (rabies).

Coyote spotted chasing 3 deer out of our back field last night. Distressed rabbit call did not call it back in - will probably try again.

Coyotes & bobcats do not bode well for fawns, speaking of which my niece has spotted 2 brand new fawns in the last couple of days - one wobbling after the doe, so new it could hardly walk. The other was a doe who had probably just dropped her fawn - in a fairly open area & the fawn was trying to nurse.

Our white “Angel” deer could have a fawn this spring, but not expecting a white offspring.


39 posted on 06/02/2024 6:27:13 AM PDT by Qiviut (If the genocide was unintentional, they would have pulled the poison vaccines, long ago.)
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To: EinNYC

I’m so glad you’ve been able to get gardening in a bigger way than on your apartment balcony! Sounds lovely. I like sunflowers too and have a LOT of volunteers in my garden this season. Same with Calendula.

I have the same problem with my strawberries, but it’s those darn CUTE Chipmunks taking bites! We have ‘Earl & Pearl’ the Squirrels, too - but they prefer raiding the bird feeders.

Two raccoon were trapped and relocated in the past week, too. They like the suet baskets.

If I build it, they will come! ;)


40 posted on 06/02/2024 7:04:46 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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