Posted on 09/01/2024 6:06:00 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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Boy, you are not kidding about the tough schedule!
'Bama on 9/14
USC the very next week,
...your last 5 games are against Penn State, Iowa, Oregon, Nebraska, & Minnesota. YEEIKES!
Unexpected good news, though...Jack Del Rio is on Coach Fickell's staff. That's pretty cool!
More on Jack Del Rio here.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/college/uw/2024/09/02/wisconsins-luke-fickell-explains-how-jack-del-rio-will-help-badgers/75037360007/
I think the world of Luke Fickell, and I hope he does a great job for the Badgers. He is a well-respected man in Columbus, at least he was when I was there.
My photo of LETTUCE of all things, won the Blue Ribbon at the Fair!
My crocheted Afghan got a Red Ribbon, Second Prize. I had a LOT of competition this season for some reason. It is called 'Four Seasons in the Driftless' and the colors represent the farm fields all around me, though the seasons. Beau says that it's 'manly enough' so will end up on one of the beds at our cabin.
The Afghan behind was 'Lakota Dreams' and that won the Blue Ribbon last season. I'm keeping that one - it looks great in our Family Room.
I bombed out on the canned goods - just got 3rd prizes, and they were being generous. I must've missed the info that you had to include your recipe and canning times. Oh, well. Next year, I'll know!
Hot and dry for the most part here in Central Missouri this past week. I think the cukes are done. Sweet corn has been picked. Tomatoes are still trying.
The spot in the back where I had my giant dirt pile has been tilled up and sowed with a fescue blend. I was thinking the next step on fixing the pond leak would be to cut in a new keyway on the dam and backfill/repack with SoilFloc/sodium bentonite/clay, but after having a technical talk with the SoilFloc rep I’m going to hold off on that. I’ve got roughly 1/3 unit of SF on hand that’s already been paid for so I’m going to run a tracer dye test to see if I can pinpoint the spot on the dam face where the leak is located. If I can do that there’s a good chance I can seal it with a topical application on the water side and skip all of the expense and mess of digging.
I need to get started building fence but the ground is hard as a rock so I’m waiting until we get some rain before I start on that project.
ugh...
I have obviously bitten off more than I can chew in one day. Good thing the barn has lights ....
Congrats! I wish we had a fair that took entries from adults, I’d be all over that. Love the photo!
Well those are all beautiful! You’re a gem for giving it a whirl, something I’ve never attempted.
Today we’ve had spectacular weather, so I did more cleanup than I have in a while. I’ve trimmed back several bushes, and gotten rid of the dying back perennials, just the already unsightly parts.
I found small mums at Walmart the other day, so I want to refresh my beds and porch some.
“I found small mums at Walmart the other day, so I want to refresh my beds and porch some.”
I’ve been lusting after Fall Decor but...puppies! The first one left, yesterday. ‘Spot.’ She went to a good family friend, so she will be loved, well cared for and taught to hunt properly. Raccoon first, then black bear. Of the three pups available, Spot really sought them out, so she was their obvious choice. :)
From the front:
From the walkway:
Here is what he is doing, planting 3 plants close together in the usual space of one thinned beet and hoping they will grow 3 large roots that push each other aside. Caveat.... I cannot say if this works. He does not show the entire process from planting to harvest, mostly just the harvest. He has the advantage of early summer Michigan weather to do this.
Beautiful! I love a yellow house! So cheerful. I used to have that variety of Clematis at my other farm and I had trained it up and over my little greenhouse. It was really pretty and the last thing to bloom in the Fall and smelled so sweet.
I know it as ‘Sweet Autumn.’
Got 12 pints of Salsa canned today. I wasn’t going to make any this season, but a few more jars in the pantry can’t hurt, Right? ;) One jar didn’t seal properly so we’ll have that with Tortilla Chips and our BLTs for supper. :)
“...and skip all of the expense and mess of digging.”
If you’re taking a poll, I vote for THAT! :)
We had a leak in our waterline from the house to the barn. That was a weekend-long fix. Ugh!
Sounds super yum! We are having leftover baby back ribs from Monday’s dinner. I love leftovers.
And I love my yellow house. Those clematis are just so fragrant. I have no idea why they never bloomed before a few years ago. They came with the house. We did cut down a pin oak around that time. Maybe it wasn’t getting enough sun for blossoming? It’s the only thing I can think of that might have been different. Anyway, they are fun to have these last couple of years.
Well, it’s worth a try......
We are blessed with prolific pole beans and lots of okra
Are there any favorite green bean /okra recipes out there?
My Aunt always made green beans with bacon and it’s still a Summer staple in my house. :)
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/quick-green-beans-with-bacon/
You’re on your own with the Okra. ;)
Do you mean green bean with okra or as one or the other?
My favorite green beans are made almondine style. I parboil the green beans in the microwave for a few minutes till tender. Then drain in the colander and immediately run ice cold water on them. Let them air dry in the colander.
Then I heat sliced almonds in a skillet over medium high heat without any oil. Get them to warm a little but not quite brown. Then I add minced fresh garlic and a little bit of olive oil. Once those are fragrant I toss in the green beans from the colander. Give a few quick stirs, and it’s ready to serve. About 10 minutes from microwave to plate. If you need to keep them warm, you can. Just turn to low and cover, or put into a warm oven until other dishes are ready.
The key for me has been to get the green beans just tender enough to the taste so they don’t get too mushy, which I don’t mind but my husband dislikes. I’m a Southerner at heart so I don’t mind green beans all squishy, but he likes them pretty crunchy, so we meet somewhere in the middle.
If you want green beans and okra in the same dish, I’d go for a nice bowl of Brunswick stew. I’d bread the okra and sauté before tossing into the stew though.
Wow gorgeous!
Thanks we tried beets for many years. Our soil has lots of nitrogen so root crops never did well for us.
Thank you. I wish I could say that I had something to do with them being here. Apparently the first owner of this house was a master gardener (never met her, but she’s still in the area). She and her husband bought this lot and it was the last one on this street to be built. The neighbors tell me it was a mess of a lot, very hilly, and a funny pie shaped lot. She had a vision and could see what might be done with it. She’s given me a great start. Every year I do a little more. When something she planted has finished its life, I try to replace it with something just as thoughtful. This house is almost 30 years old, so we’ve seen a lot of things that are on their last legs, both on the house and in the yard. We try to make it our own slice of paradise.
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