Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Garden Thread - March, 2025
March 1,2025 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

Posted on 03/01/2025 7:23:36 AM PST 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
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 521-540541-560561-580581-593 next last
To: MomwithHope

Put some rocks in your pockets if you go out, Mom!

It’s been a steady DRIZZLE (fo’ schizzle!) here all day...other than the 4am lightening and thunder blast that knocked me out of bed!

We’re going to be ‘snow covered and slippery’ by morning, but our Robins are used to that. ;)


561 posted on 03/30/2025 4:19:17 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 551 | View Replies]

To: MomwithHope

Glad you’re safe! Any encounter with a tornado, whether a direct hit or a narrow miss, is “too close for comfort”.


562 posted on 03/30/2025 4:25:09 PM PDT by AFB-XYZ (( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 556 | View Replies]

To: AFB-XYZ

In 1998 we had a bad store with the worst wing shear. Lost about 12 big ones around the house, 2 fell on the house, one going through the garage roof and damaging our almost brand new minivan. They had to use a crane and a lot of equipment for cleanup.


563 posted on 03/30/2025 5:00:18 PM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 562 | View Replies]

To: MomwithHope

We fortunately have very few near our house that could be a problem and we need to look at taking them down before they get too big to manage.

There is a cottonwood though that is not too near but is HUGE and could pose a threat. Having that taken down is going to cost a fortune but the alternative is not good either.


564 posted on 03/30/2025 6:09:45 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 563 | View Replies]

To: AFB-XYZ; little jeremiah
That’s another funny story. We called our rescued squirrel “Peepers”. He was a gray squirrel. Here in Indiana, we have red squirrels. I call them country squirrels, because they’re so beefy and muscular compared to the scrawny gray squirrels I was familiar with growing up. Here’s one I captured from a few years ago.

IMG-1493


565 posted on 03/30/2025 6:23:46 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 552 | View Replies]

To: AFB-XYZ

How does he think squirrels get made?


566 posted on 03/30/2025 6:40:58 PM PDT by little jeremiah (https://qalerts.app/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 552 | View Replies]

To: MomwithHope

Wow, that’s awful! I’m so glad you’re okay!

We had some heavy storms around 5 pm with lots of lightning, wind, and rain - no hail that I saw. We were on tornado watch, but those expired without a problem.

We did have an outlet in the garage go out. It’s the one that the outdoor fridge and a large upright freezer are plugged in to. I happened to go outside for provisions for dinner, and the fridge light was out. Luckily, resetting it worked just fine, so I’m guessing it was a power surge that hit that outlet and nothing else (that we’ve discovered so far).


567 posted on 03/30/2025 6:42:52 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 563 | View Replies]

To: little jeremiah; AFB-XYZ

Exactly!

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen animals/birds mate, well — I might have somewhere between $5 and $10. ;)

My favorite ritual was watching cottontails mate. They were pretty adorable. I couldn’t avoid it. Hip hop forward, lift the powder puff tail to get his attention, etc. Bunnies are very cute!


568 posted on 03/30/2025 6:54:18 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 566 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Whew! It was a bit of a rough ride here, this evening, and the tornado sirens sent us to the basement twice, but, pending further survey in the morning, it looks like the worst here was a tree branch that landed on the road beside our place. I went out and dragged it off into the yard once the lightning was mostly past. So far, the reports across the area are not nearly as bad as the storms a couple weeks ago.


569 posted on 03/30/2025 7:04:13 PM PDT by Paul R. (Old Viking saying: "Never be more than 3 steps away from your weapon ... or a Uriah Heep song!" ;-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 555 | View Replies]

To: little jeremiah
How does he think squirrels get made?

LOL! And he had two daughters -- how did THEY get made?

He also had an attack of the vapors when he saw squirrels raiding his pecan tree. Shook his fist at them, but knew he was no match for them . . .

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I was buying pecans, filberts, almonds, walnuts, etc. to put in the crotches of the tree sin my backyard. Such a kick watching them find a nut, crack it open, and eat it. Found several "surprises" in my garden about a month later too. Hmm, wonder if I really could've grown trees from those buried nuts?

570 posted on 03/30/2025 7:10:37 PM PDT by AFB-XYZ (( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 566 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

Glad you’re safe and sound, with no major damage. Cellars are wonderful things to have, and I don’t see why more homes here in OK don’t have them. The ones that do tend to be older homes. Most newer homes either have in-ground shelters dug a short distance from the house, or interior Safe Rooms inside the home.


571 posted on 03/30/2025 7:18:44 PM PDT by AFB-XYZ (( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 569 | View Replies]

To: AFB-XYZ; metmom
Thanks! And, Holy Carp, our forecast just gets worse:

The forecast discussion is fairly ominous too (and that was B4 NWS popped out that rain forecast above.) The severe weather parameters actually look quite a bit worse than did yesterday afternoon/evening's. :-(

https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=pah&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1

572 posted on 03/31/2025 3:58:40 AM PDT by Paul R. (Old Viking saying: "Never be more than 3 steps away from your weapon ... or a Uriah Heep song!" ;-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 571 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.; All

Arrgghh!

Ok, does anyone know how to keep a hot link a hotlink when it’s in the same post containing other HTML elsewhere in the post?

Here’s that forecast discussion link again (with no other HTML in this post):

https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=pah&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1


573 posted on 03/31/2025 4:03:44 AM PDT by Paul R. (Old Viking saying: "Never be more than 3 steps away from your weapon ... or a Uriah Heep song!" ;-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 572 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.; metmom

Ugh, that’s the kind of forecast we get in OK for May! Stay safe. Hopefully no damage for your house coming with this latest round of storms.


574 posted on 03/31/2025 4:24:31 AM PDT by AFB-XYZ (( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 572 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

Yeah, I hear that Wed is supposed to be really bad.


575 posted on 03/31/2025 5:35:42 AM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 572 | View Replies]

To: AFB-XYZ
I can't ever remember a forecast for that much rain, for us. We've had isolated spots in the area get that much, due to training t-storms, but as a broad swath, no.

This morning I found some minor roof damage, but, the bigger job will be the ditch along the NE side of our property. The 1st 100 ft. are not too bad (just clear out a culvert entrance of some leaves from last night), but the ~600 ft. to the east of that (borders a treeline and a mostly wooded area) has some scattered branches and a lot of leaves blown / washed into it last night. The ditch is still about 1/2 full of water, so, I'll give it until later today to drain.

With the ditches cleared, as long as we don't get over 7-8" or so in one day, our house should be ok, but, a good portion of the east part of our property will be a lake, as (again) will the large gravel lot (part of a farm operation) on the other side of the road from us. When they built all that a few years ago, they managed to screw up the drainage. That east section of our property is just low.

576 posted on 03/31/2025 5:56:51 AM PDT by Paul R. (Old Viking saying: "Never be more than 3 steps away from your weapon ... or a Uriah Heep song!" ;-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 574 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission; All

Hi, Pete,

Do you know how to keep a hot link a hotlink when it’s in the same post containing other HTML elsewhere in the post?

For example, if I add any HTML command such as “ < p > “ (but without the 2x quotation marks and spaces around the “p”)* after the paragraphs in this post, the below hotlink (address) will go dead. (I can still repaste the address into a new browser window search field, of course.)

*Or in your examples “ (p) “.

https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=pah&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1


577 posted on 03/31/2025 7:09:10 AM PDT by Paul R. (Old Viking saying: "Never be more than 3 steps away from your weapon ... or a Uriah Heep song!" ;-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 479 | View Replies]

To: AFB-XYZ; Diana in Wisconsin; All

One nice surprise this morning:

Checking my seed starts, 10 of 12 of the seeds from those great tasting “unknown” orange color tomatoes germinated overnight. Woo-hoo!

Nothing’s going “out” soon though - it looks like a possible frost NEXT Monday (and maybe tonight too).


578 posted on 03/31/2025 8:30:10 AM PDT by Paul R. (Old Viking saying: "Never be more than 3 steps away from your weapon ... or a Uriah Heep song!" ;-))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 574 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

Good for you the tomatoes! Overnight germination is always a great “surprise” to discover. :-)

Re the possible frost, I’d definitely err on the side of caution and wait a couple days after that date to put ‘em outside. (Or, if they’re already outside, maybe just turn a bucket or large pot upside-down & put it over the seedlings?

When they produce, post a photo if possible!


579 posted on 03/31/2025 9:03:50 AM PDT by AFB-XYZ (( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 578 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

Aww nuts. Your second sentence about nothing going “out” yet just now sank into my pea brain. Time for more coffee to get the brain cells working! LOL


580 posted on 03/31/2025 9:05:20 AM PDT by AFB-XYZ (( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 578 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 521-540541-560561-580581-593 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson