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

Skip to comments.

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

Posted on 06/01/2025 5:48:14 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: food; garden; gardening; hobbies
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 501-520521-540541-560561-576 next last
To: FamiliarFace

No thanks! I read the water reports from the County Health Department.

Fish have sex in that water!................


521 posted on 06/23/2025 12:46:59 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 520 | View Replies]

To: FamiliarFace

https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/beach-water-quality/county-detail.html?County=Okaloosa&Zip=32548


522 posted on 06/23/2025 12:54:18 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 520 | View Replies]

To: FamiliarFace

They should get as long and fat as your index finger. I’ve let some go red in the past but they are a little too hot for me.


523 posted on 06/23/2025 1:06:52 PM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 519 | View Replies]

To: FamiliarFace

They should get as long and fat as your index finger. I’ve let some go red in the past but they are a little too hot for me.


524 posted on 06/23/2025 1:07:52 PM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 519 | View Replies]

To: MomwithHope

All my potted peppers are doing great, including the 3 over-wintered Thai Hot Pepper plants. I’m seriously thinking I should try some hot varieties that produce larger peppers than those tiny Thai peppers my wife likes.

Not for food usage: To grind up and use as critter deterrent.

I also should get a holster that will work for either my long barrel pellet pistol or my long barrel .22 revolver. Several times now I’ve walked out in the evening or before dawn (these hot days!) to deposit something in the compost “pit”, only to see a critter in the garden (which is closer to the house). Last night it was a opossum. I ran back to the house (about 50 yards) to grab the pellet rifle, but, when I got back to the garden, the ‘possum was gone.

They are not totally dumb. This one is very crafty about stealing from but not tripping the live trap, too. However, they do usually freeze at first in the headlamp light, and I’m a reasonably good shot with that pellet pistol. If I’d had it on me last night, there’d be a good chance the ‘possum would have been chicken food (I take out the lower intestines and the pellet & boil the rest of the animal) this morning. Protein for the birdies...


525 posted on 06/23/2025 1:32:26 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 524 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.

I am after a new groundhog.


526 posted on 06/23/2025 1:39:56 PM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 525 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I imagine they do! Kind of a shame that you live so close and don’t go enjoy it, though maybe it’s better to find a swimming pool nearby first!

Funny thing, my sister lives 15 minutes from St. Pete beaches, and she never goes! She waits until we get together in Okaloosa. This year that will be mid-October.


527 posted on 06/23/2025 1:44:38 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 521 | View Replies]

To: MomwithHope

That’s an easy way to measure! I’m so impatient. I just checked the tag and it said they will be ready 60 days after planting. I think I got them in by Mother’s Day, so roughly halfway there!


528 posted on 06/23/2025 1:46:30 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 523 | View Replies]

To: MomwithHope; Paul R.
Last night I was going outside to the deck off of our sunroom, to bring in the bird feeders out there. I have 2 with orange halves filled with grape jelly for the gray catbird and the orioles, who haven’t seemed to be visiting so much lately. Also two feeders filled with homemade peanut butter pellets. I was too late!

Two, dare I say, adorable baby raccoons were on the deck, and had already gotten one of the oranges down and it was completely devoured except for the rind. I thought they scampered away quickly, but soon realized they were just hiding behind the Solo stove and some chairs that surround it.

I just had to try to get a photo of them, so didn’t yell at them right away. After the photo, yes! One ran away quickly, and the other took his time, until I threw an empty water bottle at him.

IMG-8826

529 posted on 06/23/2025 1:55:41 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 526 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
For your floral jellies collection!

Redbud Jelly

Twofer! (Can you have too many Blueberry muffin recipies??

Starkbrothers Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Dug almost all the remaining bean plants. Have several volunteer Cinderella pumpkin vines that grew on the edges of my now empty 12' X 11' bean patch. I need to till it see where I want to put my soaker hose and plant my sweet potato slips.

Racoons. Hermann Göring introduced them to Germany where they are now a pest. Childrens shows in Japan led to their introduction to Japan where they are now a pest. They do make good fur coats however.

530 posted on 06/23/2025 2:31:25 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission (Zone 7B KS/MO border 4:14 pm 92F Windy and Sunny.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 512 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
Great ‘save’ at work! That’s going in your Permanent File, I’ll bet.

They do employee evaluations on their in house database system. First the employee self reviews, then their manager does their version and that's it. Nothing in person unless I or the manager strike up a convo about it. I don't even know if I get to see his version. YES - I did make sure to mention in my self review that I ran the dept and recovered from a power outage.

We've worked together for all of two weekends but only one really. His wife's very ill. He came in Sat morning for half an hour to show me how a job runs so I could work on that plus run a second machine. That's why I was all alone this weekend to deal with electric outage. Our manager said he's talked with my weekend manager about me.

In the review-ware, there's three sections weighted differently by percentage, each section is scored from 0-5 points. Will see in a paycheck or three how much of a raise I get. On the three sections, I gave myself a 4.2, 4.2 and 4.6... A total of 13 because why not, out of 15. LOL

Did I mention I Hate Progress?

Anyway, TGIM, my three day weekday weekend is here.

531 posted on 06/23/2025 4:17:42 PM PDT by Pollard (I Hate Progress)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 495 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

“They do make good fur coats however.”

Beau saved pelts from raccoons he harvested over the course of a year - just the ‘really pretty ones.’ He had them tanned and then had a local gal make him a Raccoon Vest. It is awesome! And since he’s 6’3” and I am 5’ 1” it makes a GREAT sleeveless coat for me too! Looks ADORABLE with fleece-lined leggings, leather boots and a chunky knit sweater. ;) I know you care about FASHION as much as I do, Pete, LOL!

I have a Raccoon Earband (same seamstress) that always gets me compliments when I wear it, but Beau gets ‘PETTED’ by EVERYONE that sees him in that vest.

Obviously we live where ‘fur is not considered murder.’ It’s flippin’ COLD up here in the wintertime! :)


532 posted on 06/23/2025 4:49:39 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 530 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

Thanks for the Blueberry Muffins recipe. Always on the outlook for a good one of those.

I don’t have a Redbud Tree. :( But now I need to get one!


533 posted on 06/23/2025 4:50:54 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 530 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
I can see both walking around in R.Way looking like you stepped out of an episode of Vikings! (Diana! Where is my Axe!)

Shopping done, you take your bags of groceries back to your F150, climb in, and drive home. :)

534 posted on 06/23/2025 5:35:13 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission (Zone 7B KS/MO border 7:34 pm 88F Partly Sunny)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 532 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission; Diana in Wisconsin; MomwithHope; All

*** Shopping done, you take your bags of groceries back to your F150, climb in, and drive home. :)***

Daughter and hubby just bought an F-150 to replace the Land Rover that she had her terrible accident in. They are still going to do off road camping, something they love and keeps them grounded. They are nature/adventure lovers to a much higher extreme than I am. We are happy that they’re getting back on the horse after having such an awful thing happen. The physical wounds have healed for the most part. The rest are psychological. It will take time. Lots of time. We are so thankful that she walked away from that accident. Truly a miracle! Thank you, Jesus!

The new F150 will be a great adventure! I can already tell that they will be making many new happy memories with it.


535 posted on 06/23/2025 7:12:35 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 534 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

We have several different varieties of Redbuds. I love them! If I see a sapling growing, I let it keep on!

Speaking of trees, we got a free persimmon tree sapling at a Master Gardener show in April. It was just a literal stick with roots in a plastic bag with moist shredded paper.

I have been keeping it watered until we found a spot for it. I still haven’t figured out where we want that, but I’ve been surprised that the leaves in it are beginning to grow.

It looks like a cute little tree now!


536 posted on 06/23/2025 7:20:28 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 533 | View Replies]

To: Pollard

Pollard! Congrats! Hope you have found a work home!


537 posted on 06/23/2025 7:44:00 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 531 | View Replies]

To: Pete from Shawnee Mission
Chinese turning Bottle gourds into vegetable spaghetti, sort of! (Looks like the Spaghetti harvest!)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7YtOetKIXAI

538 posted on 06/23/2025 9:08:01 PM PDT by Pete from Shawnee Mission
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 534 | View Replies]

To: Augie; metmom
Hoo-Wee and welcome to summer!

I'll say!

104 deg. F actual temp. on our south-facing (open) porch yesterday, and I'd redone the thermometer setup so it is always in complete shade. (It still sees some infrared re-radiation from the concrete, the south house wall, etc., of course -- I didn't build a NWS type setup.

Today will likely be worse: The heat index will be no worse, but wind is forecast as calm compared to yesterday's bit of breeze. Ugh!

The heat index does not consider wind, right, metmom?

539 posted on 06/24/2025 3:36:57 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 514 | View Replies]

To: FamiliarFace

Oh, golly! I “get” the adorable part: We rescued 4 younger raccoon kits to a shelter last year, and it took 2+ weeks to find a shelter with an opening, so, we got to wean them and interact with them a lot. But, a little older and they’d be quite destructive pests...


540 posted on 06/24/2025 3:48:24 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 529 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 501-520521-540541-560561-576 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