The Garden Thread - July, 2025

July, 1, 2025 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Liz]

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake / no bake / three perfect layers of goodness.

CRUST: 2 C crushed grahams 1/2 c melted butter PEANUT BUTTER LAYER: 8 oz soft cr/cheese 1/2 C p/butter 1 tsp vanilla 1/3 C conf CHOCOLATE LAYER: 1 C choc/chips 1/4 C h/cream 8 oz soft cr/cheese 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 C conf

CRUST Grease or parchment 8x8 pan. Firmly press flat in pan combined grahams/butter; freezer.

Peanut Butter Layer: Beat cr/cheese, p/butter, vanilla and conf smooth; spread on crust. Freezer pan again. Micro choc/chips and h/cream in 30 sec increments, stirring, til smooth. Cool 5 min. Meanwhile, beat cr/cheese, vanilla and conf. Then add chocolate sauce and combine. Spread atop p/butter layer and FRIDGE. Cool 2 hrs. To cut, run knife under warm water, wipe dry and cut.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“I did read on Almanac to be careful and use as a last resort because you are attracting the pests you want less of after all and could make things worse.”

That is my, ‘perfeshional’ opinion as well.

For my money, I plant a little extra to bring in the ‘Beneficial Bugs’ which will kill off the ‘Bad Bugs’ for you. No muss, no fuss.

Diana’s Beneficial Bug Blend:

Cilantro (allow to flower)
Small Zinnia
Orange Calendula
Dill - ‘Diana Dill’ is great - slow to bolt ;)
Borage
Blue Bachelor Buttons

Use a package of each and blend seed together. Make ‘planting plugs’ in 4” pots and allow to grow on until all plants have a set of adult leaves. Plant in larger containers set in the garden or tuck a plug or two into the corners of your planting beds in full sun spots.

Note: The Calendula and Borage may self-seed, so be on the lookout in early spring for those seedlings. If you’re happy with where they are, just let them have another go. :)

[FrozenAssets]

We had a fire pop up 2.4 miles from us yesterday evening. There was no ground access so there was a continous parade of Super Scoopers, Firebosses and choppers running back and forth from the fire to Harding Lake. It looks like they kept it to just over an acre. Whew!

I see that there were over 80 structures lost at Grand Canyon, including the historic lodge on the North Rim.

Too much trouble all over.