Posted on 05/01/2025 6:15:12 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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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.
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That was news to me as well.
I’m going to try it this year.
It should also be easier to take care of any pests that show up.
I like the space efficiency aspect to it.
However, I seriously doubt it would work on butternut and pumpkins.
“What sort of goofball names a dog Howard?”
No comment, LOL!
Yes, that’s a Treeing Walker Coon Hound. That’s the breed we raise, along with Plott Hounds. They have terrific personalities.
I was working in my back yard this past Wednesday and a fox came in and wounded one of my Golden Comet chickens. Another one of my girls went missing and unfortunately, she was killed the next day. All while I was in the backyard. I didn’t have time to react.
My garden is doing great. I am planting some tomatoes, peppers and green beans so that I have a succession of continual growth.
I went to HD this morning to pick up a few items and some mulch. I chatted with the worker and he he gave me about 10 bags of mulch and garden soil. He said that they were going to throw it away at the end of the day.
God bless everyone and remember all of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to grant us the liberties we have in our great country.
We got the (minor) weeding done, about half of the walkways swept and cleaned up; Mom thought of using shingles (scratchy side up) between the raised beds to tamp down weeds and give you good footing even when wet, and so far it's worked out very well.
I got the two bean poles cleaned up and put fresh cotton string on both so the beans have something to grow UP. I moved one so they are right next to one another (in separate beds) which will be much more efficient for picking. Green Beans is the THING this season. A. We love them and B. I've had lots of requests for Dilly Beans and that might be my entry in the Fair this season. ;)
Today we will try to: Finish sweeping/straightening walkways, pot up Rosemary plants, mulch the roses, do a planting of odds and ends in a leaky old washtub (Art for Art's Sake!), plant tomatoes and peppers after sorting through the varieties and finding a home for all. I'm only planting Red Bell Peppers, and ONE Jalapeno in it's own 5-gallon pot, so red peppers are going in their own bed. I have Nasturtium to pot up and the zukes and cukes can move from the house to the greenhouse, now.
On the 'Birding Front' I have ONE Hummer that's hanging around, but the Orioles are so obnoxious at the next feeder over, he's being kinda shy - can't blame him. I am on my THIRD jar of grape jelly for those beautiful FREELOADERS. ;)
Wishing Everyone a Productive and Peaceful Memorial Day Weekend. The weather forecast is calling for warming temps from here on out. We are past the risk of frost, thank goodness! And, of course, this is just the start of planting things out. More plantings and direct seeding to come.
"Truly stunning! Award-winner Tulip 'Gavota' is a gorgeous bicolor cultivar that always seems to stand out, with its unique deep maroon flowers beautifully edged with shades of creamy yellow."
Score on the mulch and dirt! That’s one thing I miss the most about working at a Garden Center - broken bags of STUFF that we got at a discount!
“God bless everyone and remember all of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to grant us the liberties we have in our great country.”
Excellent sentiment. I will post some of my favorite Memorial Day quotes and pictures either here or on the annual Memorial Day thread on Monday.
We’ve had a really cold, wet week. UGH, so I spent the time indoors doing my spring cleaning. The house is looking great.
I went out this morning. The sun came out for the first time in a week.
My garden is doing FANTASTIC.
I fertilized and weeded the asparagus bed, and the crop had slowed some and this morning I see a whole bunch of new shoots.
The peas, lettuce, onions, shallots, carrots, and potatoes are doing great. We’ll be able to start harvesting lettuce this week I think. I need to get another batch started for some succession planting.
This week, the tomatoes, peppers, and some beans are going in.
Keeping them indoors at night and slightly warmer than they would have been outdoors, has done them wonders. I also fertilized my seedlings with fish fertilizer, and have been trying pruning my onions to see if that makes a difference.
I’ve found that rooting cuttings from rosemary and thyme is far, far easier than trying to start seeds.
The oregano looks ready to harvest, too, so when the thyme is dry, that’s next.
My calendula seeds are coming up in their little pots - woo hoo! I am terrible at starting seeds for some reason - I used seed starting organic soil, which I have used before when nothing came up. The zinnias, out in the raised beds, are coming up - I find watering seeds with warm water seems to start things off faster.
Question on dahlia seedlings: my niece gave me 4 at Easter. They were still in a pretty ‘tender’ state - she was putting them out during the day & taking them in at night. She told me she didn’t plant her dahlia seedlings until May. When I brought my 4 home, I did the same.
So they have been in the raised bed since May 7. They are definitely stronger and stand up to the wind. I cover them at night with wire trash baskets that are covered with row cover - protects them from the deer & colder temps.
So when do dahlia seedlings take off & start growing? We’ve been fairly cool with a very few hot days in the 80’s, although there was one day high 80’s that ‘feels like 90’. We are very cool again right now - 40’s at night, didn’t get out of the 50’s yesterday & very windy. It will be 40’s again tonight, warming into the 60’s & 70’s next week with night times in the 50’s. I’m thinking the seedlings are just hanging in there (they look good, just not growing) until warmer weather, like consistent 80 degree days, nights 50’s & higher. The seedlings are important to me since I think all of the tubers I bought were ‘bad’
I may go to a lavender farm/winery today. A relative mentioned she wanted a lavender plant & her birthday is coming up in June. The farm sells out of their plants by mid-June so I hope to get one early. My little potting bench, in front of the garage windows (southern exposure) seems to be a good spot for plants so I should be able to hold a plant for her until her birthday the 21st.
‘Howard’ is a handsome pup! He is also very lucky because he’ll either likely go back home if you can find a tattoo/chip or have a good home with you.
The last animals I had all had ‘people’ names ... Murphy, Denis, Micah ... so Howard seems like a good one to me. He actually looks like a “Howie” if you go a little less formal :-)
Woo hoo! I finished all the heavy duty bed digging and mulching this morning. Summer is here. I can’t last past noon out there in the sun. I’m putting in about 25 papaya’s tomorrow before it get’s too hot. And speaking of hot, for those of you that get out there and drip in the heat here is a homemade Gatorade (I call it Greaterade) recipe to get your electrolytes replenished. The first recipe is for a powder you’ll use to dissolve when you make your batch. This powder ought to last one person for the entire summer.
Greaterade Powder Recipe:
Yield: 1/2C total
Servings: 25 @ 1tsp per 1/2 gallon mixed.
1/2C Salt - GOOD salt like Celtic or high quality sea salt salt. Never ever use Mortons!
1 3/4tsp Potassium Chloride - Brand name “Nu Salt”
1/2tsp Magnesium Glycinate
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together in an herb grinder or high powered blender until it is dust. Store in an airtight container. Throw one of those silicone packs in there with it to help keep it dry and not clump.
Greaterade Recipe:
Yield: 1/2 Gallon
Servings: 8
1tsp Greaterade powder
1C Cane sugar or honey
2T lemon or lime juice
1C fruit juice (I like tart cherry the bestest, but OJ is great)
Spring or filtered water for the remainder of the half gallon.
Instructions:
1. Dissolve powder and sugar into some of your water. This will take some gentle heat. Make sure this is NOT hot for the next step. If it is hot it will kill the important enzymes in the lemon/lime juice. If using honey use it in the next step. You do not want to heat the honey.
2. Mix everything else up in your serving container.
3. Enjoy
Note: If you just need an electrolyte boost and not major replacement you can cut the powder and sugar in half.
My d-i-l had a question about hydrangeas. Seems that some of them look dead from the winter.
Do they have to have been protected to survive?
Are they late in coming up in the spring?
And is it safe to prune back anything that looks dead?
Made it to the lavender farm/winery ... beautiful place! Live music .... I embarrassed mom by loudly singing along to ‘Country Roads’ (I can carry a tune so it couldn’t have been but so bad!). The tasting room was jam packed & I had to drive, so we passed on the wine this trip.
The lavender plants for sale were all great looking, healthy plants. We narrowed our choices down to Hidcote & Buena Vista & finally settled on Hidcote. We bought 2 (gallon size) plants for our house & I bought a quart plant for my relative.
Description:
“18-24” tall x 18-24” wide. ‘Hidcote’ Lavender is a standout English variety known for its strong fragrance and winter hardiness. Gardeners growing lavender at the northernmost edges of its range can plant ‘Hidcote’ for its improved ability to survive winter and reappear the following spring. Tall, purple-blue flower spikes add visual interest to garden borders, walkways, and rock gardens, and also make this lavender a great choice for mass plantings - expect to attract a lot of pollinators wherever you plant it! ‘Hidcote’ has a notably-high essential oil content and is often used for making soap, potpourris, sachets and dried floral arrangements. Also a great choice for culinary uses.”
After seeing lavender jelly for sale in the gift shop. I am happily researching recipes! Let’s hope our two new plants just as happily provide me with blooms!
Great story, and my parents got a stray in a very similar manner. My brother has one now, too.
Years ago, a cat adopted us. He was very streetwise.
Strays are like that. They find a friendly face, and take your heart. Howard’s a real cutie!
Amen!
I don’t protect mine. They die back in the winter, but come up every Spring. I do prune them a little in the early winter or the next spring, but I don’t go crazy with it.
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