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

Skip to comments.

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

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.

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: agriculture; food; garden; gardening; hobbies; may25
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 601-620621-640641-660 ... 741-758 next last
To: Diana in Wisconsin

Nice kitchen! Nice Milk pitcher with flowers!


621 posted on 05/24/2025 8:42:27 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 607 | View Replies]

To: FamiliarFace

I like Culvers! They have good burgers and ice cream.


622 posted on 05/24/2025 8:47:41 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 594 | View Replies]

To: Qiviut
I am going to try to grow yellow Straight neck squash later in July.

I have a real problem with cucumber beetles and borers so have not had a lot of success growing zucchini here in Kansas.

Perhaps Its just as well considering it is possible to have zucchini poisoning! (Rare, but still!)

cucurbitacin-poisoning-zucchini-gourds

623 posted on 05/24/2025 8:55:45 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 599 | View Replies]

To: Qiviut

Beautiful picture!


624 posted on 05/24/2025 8:57:36 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 551 | View Replies]

To: metmom

If I had the right attractant... Most of our chickens will eat stinkbugs. Apparently they swallow the stinkbugs so fast the stinkbugs don’t get their chemical weaponry deployed in time...


625 posted on 05/24/2025 9:02:05 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 592 | View Replies]

To: metmom

You can spray squash nymphs (stink bugs) with a mixture of high detergent dish soap (dawn) and water and it will kill them. Plugs up the breathing holes and they just slow down and stop moving.

You might need to research the amount. I think its 1/2 cup detergent in 1 gallon of water and apply with a hand sprayer. If you are using the vertical growing method it will be easier to spray them. (Good hunting!)


626 posted on 05/24/2025 9:08:31 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 592 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
Planted the Basil among the tomatoes today. Marigolds already set out. Planted Nasturtiums yesterday and will have rain to water them tonight.

This has been a very early mild spring. Contender beans are up and flowering! I have a slow grow patch in my bed and think I have a problem with Symphylans that came in on ... I think...with some mail order rhubarb that never did very well.

Garden-symphylans

Bean beetles, do not know if mexican or colorado or just pill and sow bugs eating the leaves. I have sprayed 2x with Spinosad and Pyrethins and they are growing. I interplanted lettuce in the Garlic bed and they have been doing well. (No pests!) Leeks have all been harvested except for 4 seed leeks; new leeks planted. Lots of good Japanese Salad Turnips. Beets are just marking time. Fertilized with Phosphate and Potassium based fertilizer today. (Fish bone meal and Seabird guano.) Good night! Lightening in the distance, time to shut down the computer!

627 posted on 05/24/2025 9:26:24 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 582 | View Replies]

To: FamiliarFace

I sent her a link and told her to wait some and see what happened.


628 posted on 05/24/2025 10:08:59 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 620 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

NEVER heard of it.

Thank you.


629 posted on 05/24/2025 10:12:49 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 623 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

Thanks.

Dawn in water is a GREAT insecticide.

I have a bucket of it I dump any jumping worms I find in it. And a separate smaller one for the asparagus beetles.


630 posted on 05/24/2025 10:14:36 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 626 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.; All

I’m looking for “riding goggles” or something similar, to keep pollen out of my eyes while mowing.

These look pretty good (nice thick foam cushioning) and they have “filter foam” over the air vents, but, the filter foam (see vid at link) looks like it is way too porous to block pollen.

https://www.amazon.com/Goggles-2-Pack-Motorcycle-Vision-Off-Road/dp/B099RXX2CF/ref=pd_ci_mcx_pspc_dp_2_t_3

(See vid timestamp -0.21.)

I “could” possibly modify these, or get even cheaper goggles with ventilation slots that ware not screened at all, and modify those.

The real cheapo’s that cost typically $4 ea. or less generally run too big on my (average male?) head and don’t seal at all in the temple areas.

Maybe someone uses something they can recommend?

Thanks!


631 posted on 05/24/2025 10:27:32 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 625 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin; Augie

My daughter is the queen of “unique” names for pets.

The old dog who adopted us for a couple years (before his joints just totally failed) got named “Lewis”. My daughter doesn’t know “why”, it just seemed to fit (and it oddly did). But, the stray cat we nursed back to health (and paid a hefty vet bill too!) she named “Pickleman”. God only knows why.

I’d love to have a slightly younger “Lewis”. He was some sort of mix with a German Shepherd — looked fierce, but was very gentle and an excellent guard for our chickens without attempting to herd them, and he was big enough to ward off almost any predator around here except an even larger dog.


632 posted on 05/25/2025 3:30:11 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 603 | View Replies]

To: FRiends

633 posted on 05/25/2025 6:33:42 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 632 | View Replies]

To: Qiviut

“So when do dahlia seedlings take off & start growing?”

Dahlia DO take some time from seed. I have a full FLAT of them, and they are still about 3” tall, but they should start really growing and filling out, now. When they got their second set of adult leaves, I started giving them a light solution of Miracle Grow when I water them.

Here’s what our ‘crush’ at Floret Farms has to say about growing Dahlia from seed. I’m going to keep doing this. I am totally in LOVE with Dahlia now. I finally ‘get it,’ LOL!

There’s a good picture, about 1/2 way down that shows the size of the seedlings when Floret plants them out. Mine have a ways to go, yet. I think I’ll move them to the ‘coolest’ part of the greenhouse, or start putting them out of the greenhouse each day and then in again at night. Glad I read this!

https://www.floretflowers.com/how-to-grow-dahlias-from-seed/

I also did not know this:

“To increase the overall number of flowers and encourage long, strong stems, you’ll want to pinch them. Once plants are 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm) tall, use sharp pruners to snip off the top 3 to 4 in (7 to 10 cm), just above a set of leaves. This causes the plant to send up multiple stems below the cut.”


634 posted on 05/25/2025 6:47:15 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 611 | View Replies]

To: Qiviut

*HEAVEN*

635 posted on 05/25/2025 6:49:07 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 634 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

The kitchen is the only thing I don’t like about our house. For the size of the house, it’s WAY too small. I call it a ‘One Butt Kitchen’ because, seriously, you can’t have two people in there at a time, either doing dishes or cooking.

There is a long built in counter with tall stools for sitting, taking up most of the floor space, but it has amazing cabinetry (Merilat) and TONS of storage, so there’s that. Also, the Laundry room/Pantry is right off of it, so that’s very convenient to have that on the first floor and not in the basement.

I am VERY glad that Beau decided against keeping the wood burning stove for heating and cooking when he remodeled this place 35 years ago! ;)


636 posted on 05/25/2025 6:57:35 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 621 | View Replies]

To: metmom

While I potted up the one Rosemary I rooted, I also broke down and bought 2 more Rosemary plants last week. I can never have enough of the stuff. :)


637 posted on 05/25/2025 7:01:13 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 610 | View Replies]

To: Albion Wilde

That is an excellent sentiment about the kids! :)


638 posted on 05/25/2025 7:38:04 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 613 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Do you know what variety of Hydrangea they are? Some bloom on old wood, some on new and some on old and new wood, so pruning them properly depends upon the variety.

You’re in the NE, right? Seems kind of early for summer bloomers to even be awake, yet.

Martha Stewart Says:

https://www.marthastewart.com/1538474/how-prune-hydrangeas


639 posted on 05/25/2025 7:42:08 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 615 | View Replies]

To: numberonepal

That is a great reminder to HYDRATE while gardening!

I issued to make a knock-off version of Gatorade for Beau when he was working construction on hot summer days.


640 posted on 05/25/2025 7:43:08 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 614 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 601-620621-640641-660 ... 741-758 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