The Garden Thread - July, 2025

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

[Paul R.]

If only we could start a nasty war between the cute raccoons and the cute groundhogs.

At least the cute groundhogs don’t kill our chickens if they get a chance!

[Paul R.]

Well, if you don’t go absolutely strictly with the Biblical timeline, the critters have had a lot more experience!

[9YearLurker]

More cute and clever critters!

[MomwithHope]

I’ve been lucky many times over the years. If their backside is to the house and I don’t make any noise I could crack open the slider and it’s a pretty big target anywhere from 40-70 feet, and you have to hit the first shot and repeat quickly with the other 4.

[Qiviut]

Too much groundhog talk - I think I jinxed myself LOL!

I had not seen one since the last one I trapped May 26. Just now, coming home up the driveway from the store, I thought the downspout on the far corner of the barn looked unusually large until I realized it was a groundhog, peeping around the barn. Of course, it took off. I will have to bait my trap - the barn is a good distance from the corner of the property where they have their den(s). I don’t like seeing them near the barn, shop, or house.

[9YearLurker]

Ha!

[Qiviut]

The time they missed me for a month, I raised such a ruckus with ‘live chat’, they actually had a local operations manager call me - that was quite the shock! He was super nice & said it was the first he’d heard of the problem. He actually came out personally & picked up our month of trash.

So this morning, I jumped through all the online hoops & got the usual runaround: will pick up your trash in 24-48 hours. Not acceptable! I had saved the Operations Manager phone # that showed up on Caller ID, called & actually got him. For some reason 🙄, he remembered me. We discussed the problem, he said he would get a truck out today (trash already picked up), he will investigate why it was not picked up Friday but marked picked up, why it was not picked up after I filed the missed pickup report online , was told it was picked up at 10:12 a.m. yesterday, but I still have a can full of trash.

He told me if I have missed pickups in the future, don’t mess with online, but call him direct. I don’t want to mess with the dump or canceling & trying to get a refund or signing up with a new company. As long as I can talk direct to this guy & he keeps his promises, I’ll keep going.

[Qiviut]

Stopped by Walmart to see if they had compost before I went to the Farm Bureau (always more expensive). No compost but they had edging pavers that I liked for $1.00 each vs. regular price $1.97. I needed 14 so that was a nice savings :-)

[MomwithHope]

If your barn has a concrete slab for a floor look for holes. It was a frequent place for groundhog dens until we plugged it up but good. There is nothing they like better than to dig a den under a foundation. Nice and dry.

[Qiviut]

The shop has a slab floor, but not our barn. No digging around the shop.

[MomwithHope]

Oy - Air quality really bad for us - https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/?xmin=-12361961.182430897&xmax=-5948588.761193175&ymin=3615106.825089298&ymax=6305690.220726787&tab=loops

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Unless you’re planting Determinate tomatoes that will all come in at the same time, then freeze the tomatoes until you need to use them. The skins slip right off after freezing/thawing.

Personally? I core them, but I always leave the peels on tomatoes. Either the Foley Food Mill takes care of them, or the immersion blender does the trick for V-8 or Salsa or Tomato Soup. It’s good roughage. I’ve never had any complaints on texture or ‘mouth feel.’ Why waste the perfectly good peels? ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Our Walmart still has pallets full of dirt/mulch/compost marked down. I don’t need anything, but some new Gardener’s are going to get some great deals!

I want those curved pavers to go around and be stacked up our metal burn ring - it would look much nicer! :)

[Qiviut]

Just got 1.65” of rain in about half an hour. Storms were to be hit or miss this evening ... we got ‘hit’.

At least I don’t need to water ... gardens were looking really parched earlier. I watered the dahlias around 2:30 & put a row cover for shade over 2 of them that looked miserable. All the flowers, herbs & peppers should be much happier now.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I was on a MISSION today while SIL and I were 'Junking.' Major, MAJOR scores in the area of adding to our collection of 'Jewel Tea Autumn Leaf' pieces.

Aladdin Tea Pot w/infuser

Serving Bowls

Water Pitcher

Everything is in MINT condition and I brought it all in for under $100.00! Score! Mom & I are adding serving pieces - we both have cream-colored China that works well with it, so we don't need all the dishes. Just in remembrance to her Mother who had all the pieces collected over many years from The Jewel Tea Man. We will share/swap out as to who needs what when we're hosting on holidays.

https://weeklyview.net/2019/02/28/the-jewel-tea-man/

My Rule: Five things came IN to the house, so five things gotta go OUT of the house. I'll be rooting through the China Hutch to see what can leave.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We’re under air advisory all day today, too. Not sure why - it’s rained ALL DAY! Ugh. We’re easily getting 2” worth, today.

BUT - it’s cooled off and rumor has it we’ll be dry through the weekend, now.

Promises, Promises!

[MomwithHope]

That is a beautiful teapot!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ve never seen anything like it! Didn’t even know it existed until today. :)

[Paul R.]

As long as I can talk direct to this guy & he keeps his promises, I’ll keep going.

That seems reasonable. :-)

These trash pickup companies do get their share of dud pickup crews...

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Metmom.

Qiviut has covered this thoroughly. You do not need sunlight to ripen them. If you want to hurry ripening you could put them with bananas, which give off ethylene gas and helps them (and a lot of other things) to ripen.

At the end of the season you can pull up any tomato vines that remain, remove the roots and hang them upside down in your basement or garage. Put a box or something underneath to catch any ripening tomatoes. Usually by the end of the year I am tired of tomatoes so probably will not do this again.