The Garden Thread - September, 2025

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

[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.

[MomwithHope]

I am in west Michigan zone 6A.

[Liz]

Greek Spinach Cheese Bake / good Appy or Party offering
A good side or light lunch. Make crust for this flavor-packed dish day-ahead.

Ing 2-8 oz tubes crescent rolls 10 oz pkg frozen chp spinach, thawed 14 oz can artichoke hearts in water, drained 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled 1 pressed gar/cl, 1/2 cup ea mayo/sour cream 1/2 1.7-oz env dry vegetable soup mix 1/4 c Parm

Directions Unroll one package of crescent dough across one end of sheetpan w/ longest sides of dough across width of pan. Repeat w/ rest dough. Roll dough to seal perforations and press up sides. Bake 375 deg 12-14 min light golden brown; remove from oven to rack.

Line small colander with p/towels. Add spinach; wrap in paper towels and press almost dry. Filling: Combine spinach, chp artichokes, chp water chestnuts, feta, mayo, sour cream, soup mix, pressed garlic; mix well. Spread over crust. Grate Parm over filling. Bake 375 deg 12-14 min til crust is deep golden brown. Cut into squares to serve.

[Qiviut]

These pics are NOT from your front porch?? LOL

*********

Raining here = Vacation Day = knitting :-)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Amazing! How do you tell the males from the females?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

On Puppy-less years, the front porch is pretty spectacular!; I certainly have all the FREE corn shocks I want to use, LOL!

We need rain SO badly! None in the forecast for this week, then back to the 80’s next week and also no rain. Ugh!

Decided I really DO need to mow by the weekend - just to tamp down the various weeds and crab grass in the lawn. Any weed that likes hot and dry is blooming again!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’m using shredded Swiss for the Feta. I can’t stand the taste of anything goat-related. ;)

[blueunicorn6]

Diana….

Really……

The males have a beard.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I never thought to look for a beard, LOL!

Actually, I see that the Males have a ‘black dot’ low on their wings. And the Females have thicker and more sturdy wings with no black dot because THEY DO ALL OF THE HEAVY LIFTING! ;)

https://monarchbutterflygarden.net/female-or-male-monarch-butterfly-pictures/

OK! Fine! Force me to LEARN SOMETHING today, LOL!

[Paul R.]

It’s been a bit sticky here too, with dewpoints near 70 deg. F. But starting tomorrow, things should dry out. We’ve had much less rain than was forecast, but, what’s come down here has been mostly light to moderate, over several, hours, on and off, so at least it’s soaked in well. Instead of watering yesterday, I did a little more repair work where that big branch came down, and, I put in an experiment: “Early” type tomato plants that I’d kept in small pots to restrict their growth somewhat, and now I’ve planted them in the ground with nice big holes full of nutrient boosted garden soil. The idea is to see if they’ll fire up and fairly quickly produce a fall crop. I’d done the same a couple weeks ago: I.e., I transplanted tomato plants into the ground from small (~16 oz.) pots — same deal, moderate growth and little to no blooming until they were transplanted, but, some of those’ growth did take off when temps cooled off some, and now some already have some blooms. So, this should be interesting.

Part of the above was an experiment to see how different varieties behaved in smallish pots. Some, such as Lemon Boys and to my considerable surprise, Mortgage Lifters, with enough light, look fairly healthy, and grow slowly and somewhat bush-like, despite being tabbed as indeterminate plants. Others do the scrawny long vine thing, becoming very hard to manage without constant attention - which I don’t have time for. Many of course just don’t do well at all.

[Paul R.]

It’s been a bit sticky here too, with dewpoints near 70 deg. F. But starting tomorrow, things should dry out. We’ve had much less rain than was forecast, but, what’s come down here has been mostly light to moderate, over several, hours, on and off, so at least it’s soaked in well. Instead of watering yesterday, I did a little more repair work where that big branch came down, and, I put in an experiment: “Early” type tomato plants that I’d kept in small pots to restrict their growth somewhat, and now I’ve planted them in the ground with nice big holes full of nutrient boosted garden soil. The idea is to see if they’ll fire up and fairly quickly produce a fall crop. I’d done the same a couple weeks ago: I.e., I transplanted tomato plants into the ground from small (~16 oz.) pots — same deal, moderate growth and little to no blooming until they were transplanted, but, some of those’ growth did take off when temps cooled off some, and now some already have some blooms. So, this should be interesting.

Part of the above was an experiment to see how different varieties behaved in smallish pots. Some, such as Lemon Boys and to my considerable surprise, Mortgage Lifters, with enough light, look fairly healthy, and grow slowly and somewhat bush-like, despite being tabbed as indeterminate plants. Others do the scrawny long vine thing, becoming very hard to manage without constant attention - which I don’t have time for. Many of course just don’t do well at all.

[Paul R.]

Now, WHY did that double post???

[Liz]

I’m using shredded Swiss for the Feta. I can’t stand the taste of anything goat-related....

---

OK by me——will probably taste even better w/ Swiss.

[FamiliarFace]

Yes, that dot in the inner wing is the tell-tale on boys. You can only see it well from one side (the top side), and only when the wings open fully. It takes a few hours for them to open them fully.

*** OK! Fine! Force me to LEARN SOMETHING today, LOL!***

I feel like I have been drinking from a fire hose learning about monarchs the last 6 weeks. Every day, I look up something else.

Two plus weeks ago, I was coaxing (30+) caterpillars from one milkweed plant to another, so that they had fresh food every day. The good news is that once they were in chrysalis form, I didn’t have to keep feeding them or cleaning up their poop.

Thursday night going into Friday, it will go below 55 here again. That means the habitat will come back inside at night. I am only halfway there!!!

What was I thinking? This is like having 30+ newborns to check on every day. I’m happy to foster them, but yeah, I had no idea what I was getting into.

[FamiliarFace]

Diana, my landscape friend had this on his FB page. Could you jazz up that background? Gray doesn’t seem right to me, but I don’t know how to do this myself. (Not sure if you do either, but you seem more technologically savvy than I am.)

[FamiliarFace]

I think gardens are pretty much experiments every time. Too many factors out of our control. I REALLY need to keep a gardening journal, but sometimes that seems like too much work, so I scrap it. Then something does well, and I wonder… what made it work this time?

[FrozenAssets]

We are in zone 2 in eastern Alaska.

[Liz]

SWEET ZUCCHINI RELISH
Wonderful added to burgers, hot dogs, tuna or chicken salad, sandwiches.
2 lge zucchini yields 10 cups - another good use for overgrown zucchini.

Ing 10 c ground zucchini 4 c. ground onions 5 tbsp. salt 1 red pepper, chopped 1 green pepper,
chopped 4 c cider vinegar 2 tbl mustard powder 1/2 tsp. turmeric 1 tbl celery seed 4 c sugar

Method Combine zucchini, onions and salt. Cover with water. Let stand overnight. Drain and rinse well. Add peppers, red and green. Combine vinegar, mustard, turmeric, celery seed and sugar. Pour over zucchini mixture in large pot. Bring to boil. Continue boiling for 30 minutes. Pack in hot sterilized jars.

[Liz]

EASY HUSH PUPPIES / Yields 2 dozen.

Ing 2-7 1/2 oz pkgs corn muffin mix 2 eggs, beaten 1/4 c minced onion peanut oil

Method Measure 2 1/4 c corn muffin mix, saving rest for other uses. Combine w/ eggs, minced onion. Stir well. Carefully drop tbl batter into 370 deg peanut oil. Cook a few at a time, turning once. Fry 1 1/2 min golden brown. Drain on p/towels. Serve w/ ranch dressing dip or drizzle w/ hot honey.

[Qiviut]

Rain again today, mostly this morning. We are not getting large amounts, but the plants are happier & it settles the dust.

Next week, there are 3 days forecast to have highs in the 60’s & lows in the 40’s. It’s getting to be time to plant the Rose of Sharon bushes - two are still blooming. The tree leaves will start turning faster - peak color should be the 21st- 28th.

[MomwithHope]

Wow you have accomplished a lot.