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]

Knowing this

0% open (5.0vdc)
25% open (6.5vdc)
50% open (8.0vdc)
75% open (9.5vdc)
100% open (11vdc)

Close enough and observation will do from there.

I had that backwards. 11 vdc is actually retracted and 5 vdc is extended. Scaling that will make it 0% = open and 100% = closed. My brain will never deal with that.

Now I have to figure out how to reverse the numbers. From what I gather, it's called an Inverse Function in algebra but I never could get my head wrapped around algebra. Video preview screens don't look promising.

Just spent 5 minutes redesigning the mechanical aspect of the tunnel sides so that when the actuators retract, it opens the sides. Now it will be 0% = closed and 100% = open; as soon as I rewatch a video tutorial on linear equations aka scaling. Gable vents and my seed room will be easy as they're small. Just add a 4" arm sticking out 90 degrees at the top and pull it down to open instead of pushing out on the bottom. It will actually work out better because the 4" actuator is 14" long and would stick out into the room that far. Had no idea how I was going to mount it like that. Now I can just mount it vertically against the wall. For the gable vents, I can mount the base end to the bottom of the vent frame.

I'm already using an arm on the sides so the redesign was simply mounting the stationary end of the actuator in the opposite direction to pull the arm instead of push. Way easier than algebra. Either way, it was going to need a counterweight like old house windows had as a helper. I'm going to set it up so I can open them by hand easily and then add the actuator.

If an actuator fails, I can pull the pins to detach it and open the side by hand. I can make an adjustable rod to use in it's place. One tube that slides inside another with holes for a pin to lock it in different positions. I fact, I think I'll do that to start so I can open/close manually until I can afford the motorization components. I already have the specs for the long actuators with distance between mounting pins when retracted/extended.

[Augie]

I’m very happy Good Neighbor Dave was able to get my hay baled yesterday. We got another .7” rainfall early this morning.

It sprinkled on us a bit while we were at the racetrack but they skipped all of the normal race night TV-time-filler stuff and got the program completed by 9:00 which got us home before 11:00.

This morning I need to make a fuel run so Mrs. Augie can cut the grass this afternoon. It’s too wet now to work in the garden patch so the sweet corn and pole beans will wait to be planted for another day or three. Every day now is another day closer to the end of earworm season so I’m not hurt about waiting a bit longer to plant.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Which Plants Like Milk?

Top 5 Plants That Like to be Watered with Milk (Who knew?)

Tomatoes
Roses
Citrus Trees
Peppers
Cucumbers

https://ecofamilylife.com/garden/which-plants-like-milk-top-5-plants/

(Use a 50/50 ratio water to milk)

[little jeremiah]

Yay milk.

:-)

[goodnesswins]

Even starts? (I need to dump some milk before vaca)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Magenta flower....Bee balm? Daughter purchased, and I planted one in my "Woodland" corner of the yard.

Possibly Joe Pye weed? Should form a substantial "Drift". (Rabbits won't be able to reach those flowers!)

JoePye weed

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Thanks Liz, peaches work better for me. For some reason melons always seem mess with my digestive system!

[Qiviut]

The magenta flower is bee balm. The butterflies love it.

The fireflies have really been out the last couple of nights. The chestnut trees are blooming & the blooms are fairly busy with fireflies! Chestnut trees are not on the list(s) of trees that attract fireflies, but they certainly like my chestnuts.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Humm. Hi Di! Lackadaisical?

Why You Should Embrace a Chaotic Garden

There is a garden or two in there somewhere!

Freelance writer Amanda Blum Amanda writes about smart home technology and gardening.

(Happy gardening technique or lack of discipline? You decide!)

"If the eyes are the Window of the Soul" (Lord Byron) where does the Doorway of the Garden lead?? (I know...comparing apples and carrots or something!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

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

Had friends with a 3rd wheel who seemed to travel across the country from rec vehicle lot to rec vehicle lot replacing tubes or tires!

[AFB-XYZ]

I now have six tiny parsnips germinating (vs. 4 last week), but if they poop out soon from the heat, I’ll survive, & count the days till fall-ish. :-)

Tomato plants (from seed) coming along well so far, as are the Sugar Baby watermelons (my sister gave me some more seeds out of sympathy). So far no blister beetles or gophers.

Gotta keep an eye on myself, so that my small victories don’t give me a swelled head!

[AFB-XYZ]

Had no idea about that! I’m going to try it on my tomatoes and any peppers I get from the seeds I sowed. Thanks for the great info.

[Qiviut]

Why is nothing ever easy?? And I thought I would finish this project today ... ha ha ha!

[Liz]

Peach sorbet will be delicious.

[Pollard]

Full screen with the browser makes the tunnel PC look like a control panel.

This little display came with the rain gauge. The little arrow is pointing to where a decimal point should be (0.52). Only three digits so I don't know what happens after 9.99 inches.

Finally got the rain gauge connected to an input module. Every time the tipping bucket tips, a reed switch sends a pulse of voltage. The input module counts the pulses just like the display did. The 0.30" of rain reading below was just me tipping the tipping bucket back and forth to get a reading. I could tip it back and forth 22 more times until it reads the same 0.52 inches. Took a few tries tipping it several times at a time to get the reading to show which is why it made it to 0.30(30 tips at 0.01).

Tweaked the default colors in the browser and made it easy on the eyes.(screenshot) Reality looks mostly like this but a little like the phone pic above.

Now I have to figure out how often to reset the rain counter and how often to take a log and whether the log taking will be based on time duration like weekly or triggered by a value like 1.00 inches - or both.

[Pollard]

There, 0.52 as it was

[leaning conservative]

I was worried when I clicked on FR later in the morning & your Saturday post wasn’t up. Glad you’re okay!

[metmom]

My garlic scapes are coming in.

How can I save them for future use?

Freeze them? Dehydrate them?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks for the concern! I am ‘in charge’ (HA!) of ‘Abandon All Hope’ Farm while Beau is off fishing in Canada. My workload has DOUBLED for the next week. ;)

I’ll be in and out. :)