The Garden Thread - January, 2025

January 1, 2025 | 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.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Your turn in the barrel, Ours will come; of that I have no doubt!

Three bad snow/ice storms that I remember growing up.

1976 - History-making ice storm for most of Wisconsin. We lost power for a week. Dad grilled everything he possibly could from the freezer; everything else wen into cooler kept outside, buried in snow. You had to CRAWL on hands and knees to get anywhere in the neighborhood. We lost 1/3 of our gorgeous Japanese Whitespire Birch clump that year. The worst of it? I was a 16 yo GIRL with no phone. Pretty sure I would die, LOL!

1978 - This time no ice, just blizzard conditions late in the evening. On New Years Eve. I was 18 - of course we kids were all out in it! Nerve-wracking drive home, but we made it!

2012 - Worst conditions I've ever seen. 18" of snow in about 20 minutes (j/k) and then 40 MPH winds to blow and drift it. I was at my other farm. I was stuck there for 2 days before my snow plow gal could find a skid steer to plow me out. That was OK - EVERYTHING was closed; no busses, no school - we even closed Jung's for 2 days. Never lost power, which was amazing with all that weight on power lines.

[MomwithHope]

Snow brags??? Michigan could beat that, we get it like Buffalo. We were preppers when we had the house built in 84.

[Pollard]

Up in New England in 1978, we got hit with that blizzard too. My dad even got a t-shirt that said “I survived the Blizzard of ‘78”. We thought it was bad but I guess the Midwest got it worse. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Blizzard_of_1978#Snowfall_totals

My sister was coming home from work and couldn’t make it up a hill but managed to slide off into a driveway to a nursing home. Then the plows came and buried her ‘71 Camaro. My dad made a sign that said “Buried Car” and stuck it in the pile made by the snow plows so that when they started cleaning up more, a plow or loader wouldn’t hit the car.

After the storm was over, we went and dug a path to it and cleared the car off. It started right up and my dad drove it home. Would have made a heck of a car battery commercial. I was 13 and made some money shoveling for neighbors but I was small and the snow was up to shoulder height so I got wore out.

We had a carport made of old rough sawn oak and it had a flat roof. I think the rafters might have been 2x5s. My dad was worried it would collapse if it got too much snow. He also worried about it collapsing from his weight and he was the breadwinner and I was small, and the only boy, so, anything over 6 inches was my job to clear it.

Instructions: Start around the edges and work your way to the middle. That way you’re taking weight off as you work your way to the middle/dangerous part. Probably shoveled it off a half a dozen times in that one storm.

Better have a access from the road to a parking spot and the walkway all shoveled by the time he gets home too, else he’ll angrily do it himself and that anger will last a few days. If he had to go on the flat roof and shovel because I didn’t, oh boy that was BAD.

I’d clear the end of the driveway and another plow would come by so I’d have to do it again. He had a cousin with a snow plow on his pickup and he’d eventually make it to us but he was a bit ignernt so he usually made more work for me by making a pile at the end of the walkway. Gawd I got sick of shoveling snow.

At some point, the only time I didn’t hate it was when shoveling off a pond so we could ice skate.

---

After the power came back on yesterday, I had Jason cook most meat in the fridge. Still got two whole chickens to do today so he’ll get a ‘How To Cut Up a Chicken’ lesson. Told him once everything’s cooked, if we lose electric, we can just stick the cooked food outside in a cooler or in the foyer and heat things up on the wood stove. We got 1 1/2 inches of snow overnight on top of the ice. Deceptive to walk on because there’s ice under that there snow. Pretty out there this morning. All the bare branches have 2-3 inch icicles on them. Only one small, tall oak sapling bent over. This weekend, it will warm up and be a mucky mess.

I accidentally headed off to work one morning when we got ice plus snow overnight which I didn’t know. Fishtailed up a 4 mile long slight upgrade of a road. Couldn’t turn back because either way I could go back home, there was a steeper hill. Pulled into the volunteer firehouse at the end of that road and pondered. Then a plow with salter went by so I followed it to town. I generally love driving in the snow and am good at it but did not enjoy it that time. Never had ice storms in MA that I recall.

“” You had to CRAWL on hands and knees to get anywhere in the neighborhood. “”

I neighbor here made some strap on cleats/spikes for everyone for an ice storm so they could walk on the ice.

[FamiliarFace]

The snow has stopped. 9”. The birds are very happy that I got them more food in time! It’s a winter wonderland here, for now.

[Augie]

Yesterday turned out to be one of those days that reminds me how happy I am that we got out of the cattle business.

The horse drinker that I’ve been fighting for the last couple weeks decided it was ready to go another round. Got up yesterday morning to find that sucker frozen solid. It tripped the GFCI breaker AGAIN. Long story short the bowl heater that I installed a while back failed, AND the other bowl heater failed too. I bought a spare Saturday morning, which turned out to be a prescient move. I installed the new part yesterday morning, which was enough to keep the fountain working through the day and overnight.

After I dropped Mrs. Augie off at her workplace this morning I stopped by the feed store and bought another bowl heater. I’m heading out there to install that after I have lunch.

Ugh...

[MomwithHope]

Ugh is right, it has been 6 years since we had any livestock i the barn. I look at it now and I don’t know how I got through trudging down there 3 times a day.
And yes 78 was a big one here.

[Pollard]

I’ve been busting up the thin sheet of ice on the water tanks for the goats on a daily basis. After a few days of single digit temps, that may get tougher to do. Even the spring fed creeks down the road will probably be iced over.

I’ve got a cooler outside the door up here that has become one of their water pails. I can close that and bring it inside for the nights. Eight goats can drink a couple of gallons a day, 5 in Summer. I can only imagine 100 head of cattle.

I know one cattle rancher’s setup out here. Basically a concrete tank set several feet into the ground where it stays above freezing and a pump to circulate water from the bottom up to the top. Seems to work pretty well.

Of course anything that requires a mechanical/electrical component is always susceptible to component failure.

I’ve yet to find a tank heater that will fit down the 5 1/2 inch hole in the top of an IBC tank. They sell electric heater wrap blankets for four digit price tag and heating pads for three digits.

Half thinking about using a hole saw to make a round hole for a bung(metal) with NPT threads that an engine block heater will screw into. Put it right next to the outlet. They seem to last a long time. All bets are off if the water level gets below the element.

Thought about the same but with regular water heater element and thermostat. Most won’t go very low on the temp setting though. The one on my water heater goes down to 90. The animals would probably enjoy that on a 10 degree day. Warm enough for powders to dissolve in. Sugar, electrolytes, soluble minerals, salt, meds. Again, all bets are off if the water level gets below the element. They’ll all burn up quick when not submerged.

[Augie]

I was a sophomore in high skrewl in 1978.

We were running ~100 momma cows then.

I don’t know how much it snowed, but it was a lot and the winds were howling. The drifts were so stinking high we couldn’t even get out with our big farm tractors.

Road graders were useless. Plow trucks were useless.

The county roads department got in touch with several local excavating contractors and hired them to do the initial drift-busting with bulldozers and high lifts. Once a semi-cleared lane had been established on the collector roads the dozers started breaking the feeder roads and the high lifts started loading snow from the collector roads into dump trucks. The snow was so deep that there was no other option than to haul it off. There were mounds of snow at intersections and on business parking lots that didn’t fully melt until April.

Most of our momma cows calved during the winter months. IIRC, it was three days before we could get to the cattle to check on them. We lost a couple of the mommas and half a dozen babies in those first days after the storm.

Very few people had backup generators back then, but we had two wood burning stoves in the house so were able to keep the water on, warm up in between shoveling sessions, cook our meals, and be warm and dry at night while we slept.

I have despised cold weather and snow ever since.

[MomwithHope]

Oy that sounds rough! We only had goats and usually just a few females at a time. I used a ten gallon bucket for water and under it one of those chicken water heaters that looks like a garbage can lid. Never had a freeze up in west Michigan. Our girls always kidded in April still they went right in a kid pen with a heat lamp. Link to the heater. It lasted forever and then we gave it away.

https://www.amazon.com/Tiflev-Chicken-Waterer-Drinker-Thermostat/dp/B0CFZWZFSP/ref=asc_df_B0CFZWZFSP?mcid=403862e2767b3495adb17f7cb380abfc&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=703603544381&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12154693682791751681&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017518&hvtargid=pla-2368960421436&th=1

We had water to the barn but in the winter it was turned off so I carried water down from the house in one of those big white kitty litter jugs.

[MomwithHope]

Paving job looks great. Those things are heavy we have some in front of the barn and the downstairs patio door to bring up the height on getting in and out.

[Liz]

Sopa de Fideo----Mexican Noodle Soup / great wintry dish
Toasted noodles in a flavorful broth. Easy to make, simple ing and budget-friendly.

Ing 2 tbl oil 8 oz dry fideo (Mexican cut spaghetti), or use thin spaghetti in 1" pieces 7 ½ cups strong veg broth 1 ¼ c tomato purée or sauce ½ tsp dried oregano, s/p, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice

Cook Heat large pan on med, then add oil. When oil is heated, add noodles. Stir frequently til noodles start to turn golden and some are browned, about 4-6 min (this gives the soup lots of flavor). You can toast the noodles longer so more pieces are browned, but stir constantly on lowered heat to avoid burning. Add the oregano and stir 30 sec til fragrant. Now add broth, tomato puree, s/p. Raise heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, simmer til noodles are tender, but still have some bite 15-18 min. Stir often. Taste for seasoning. Serve with a lime wedge, fresh-cut cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream.

Notes toast noodles w/ chp onions and garlic for more flavor. Serve with crusty bread, sliced avocado, warm tortillas, a salad. A quick lunch, or a satisfying dinner when you're snowed in.

[Pollard]

Paw Paw is native to MO and many other states and something I want to grow. Been down a few rabbit holes of info on them but this latest one was deep.

—Paw Paw varieties.

-Jerry Lehman Paw Paw cultivars
Maria’s Joy
Benny’s Gavorife
Jerry’s Delight
VE-9 (very early)
Jerry’s Big Girl

-Neal Peterson
Allegheny
Potomac
Rappahannock
Shenendoah
Susquehanna
Wabacj
Tallahatchie

-KSU
Atwood
Benson
Chappell

-Woody Walker
Cantaloupe
Homey Few
Kensucky Champion
Tropical Treat
Kentucky Legend or Titan

-Cliff England
Nyomi’s Delicious
Summer Delight

-Oldies but Goodies
Overleese
NC-1
Sunflower
IXL

—Growing info

Central Leader(trunk) is the best
Harvesting time critical - twice a day to do really good job
2-4 inches of mulch
Start trees with fabric with mulch on top to hold moisture
If not grown as understory, shade cloth helps them
Ohio - paw paw land - most pulp goes to making craft beer
Pulp freezes well (usage besides beer?)
Two years to really be established

---

My limited knowledge of Paw Paws was based on whatever MO Dept of Conservation has for the wild version here. Had no idea there were over 20 improved varieties.

I’ve been down the rabbit hole on chestnuts and hazelnuts too as well as elderberry.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

If I didn’t LOVE Wisconsin so much, I’d be a Snowbird for sure.

Tennessee was going to be my next stop. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“I neighbor here made some strap on cleats/spikes for everyone for an ice storm so they could walk on the ice.”

Beau has t hose to put on his barn boots for winter chores. I have snowshoes which I love, but aren’t getting much of a workout this season so far!

You learned a LOT as a kid; makes you the man you are today - hard working ans as self-sufficient as you can be.

I hope things thaw out for you quick! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Watering animals in the winter months is a PITA. HOWEVER - the heater for the chicken watering is working really well!

One of the ‘deals’ I made with Beau before moving out here was that he upgraded the kennel shed so we could move all the dogs in THERE, versus scrambling up and down the HILL where they were all located in their various (well insulated) doggy condos.

He took a bad spill getting to the dogs to feed and water them the winter before I moved out here.

Guess who got new homes the following spring? ;)

[Liz]

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cobbler / served warm
Warm and gooey, the ultimate chocolate lovers dessert.

Ing 1 cup flour 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 c cocoa powder (divided) 2 tsp b/powder 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 c whole milk 1/3 c butter (melted) 2 tsp vanilla 1/4 c semi-sweet choc/chips 1 cup br/sugar 1 1/4 cup boiling water Pour of heavy cream or melted vanilla ice cream for serving

Steps Mix flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, b/powder, salt. Make a well at center; add milk, butter, vanilla. Mix wet into dry til blended. Stir in choc/chips. Spread batter evenly in lightly sprayed 8" baking dish. Sprinkle top w/ combined br/sugar and rest cocoa powder. Pour boiling water on top. Do not mix! Bake 360 deg 35-40 min; center is almost set. Remove to counter to cool about 15 min. Serve warm topped with pour cream or melted vanilla ice cream.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

WOW! That looks so easy...and yummy! :)

[Liz]

And you get to eat a whole lot of it, too.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Boy, did I ever SCORE at Menard’s yesterday on Burpee seeds! Menard’s marks them down to begin with, but I got the extra 15% off of THAT price, too. I paid anywhere from $1.39 - $1.96 for your standard seed packet (10-20 seeds of whatever...)

Bought tomatoes, lettuces, spinach, 2 types of Basil and various bedding flowers. Score!

I got the tomato trays with the peat pellets already in them. I bought 2 of the trays that can grow 16 each, so more than enough for the tomatoes I want to start for the season. Those were normally $7.99 each and I got them for $6.79. They are re-usable, but a few of mine have finally given up the ghost and needed replacement. Duct tape can only do so much for so long, LOL!

I bought 6 ‘flavors’ of suet for $2.38 each. When that is gone I will be making my homemade suet and will post the recipe for you. It’s easy, though a little messy. Side-by-side Taste Tests in my yard have proven that the birds like the homemade better than the store bought.

Best deal? Ball-brand canning lids, 4 Wide mouth, 2 Regular for a total of $16.97, or 72 lids for 23-cents each, which is the best price I’ve ever found.

Beau bought all kinds of brackets and metal cables for the barn repairs he’s still working on. It’s ‘leaning’ about 8 degrees south, so he’s going to somehow pull it back to level. (Don’t ask! I’m just a Day Laborer, LOL!)

We made $40.00 at the scrap yard for aluminum cans and two aluminum tire rims - if you have cans to cash in, check local prices. We got .50/pound for aluminum; the highest it’s been in a very long time.

And then we spent $20 of that on lunch, then on to get a second price for the UTV Beau wants to buy; very little price difference, but the first dealer can get it to him in 2 weeks versus 2 months for the other guy.

It was a fun day off the farm. :)

[Qiviut]

Snowmageddon has ended and we have 5-8” per the weather map. Looking out at the patio wall, I would say we got 8”. It is very cold & the wind is whipping snow all over - pretty, but it’s going to make ‘drifts’. We will be in single digit temps at night through Friday night.

My head cold is clearing out - feeling pretty good now except I have laryngitis. It’s not just a ‘croaky’ voice, but not enough voice to even talk on the phone. I texted the snow removal guy I talked to last year (and never needed). I can only imagine how slammed he is right now, but I hope he will text me back and we can work something out to get the driveway cleared sometime this week. Our housewarming party the 12th is in serious jeopardy - we may have to postpone.

I’m waiting for few more degrees in temperature and then I’m putting on my knee high neoprene barn boots, my new super heavy duty coat from the Farm Bureau, and braving the cold. The snow may be light enough to blow off the porch and the patio ... we’ll see. I’m sure between the blower & the wind, it will look like a blizzard!