Posted on 10/01/2025 5:23:58 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.
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Heh, I have so many passwords that I save them all (not the actual passwords, just very “odd” hints) on a secure usb flash drive that usually is not plugged into the computer, and then I back that drive up to another usb flash drive every month.
A bummer is that a recent Windows 10 Pro update killed my Win 10 Pro Desktop. All my “data” was saved to a secondary internal drive, and I got the machine running again off a backup SSD, but, somehow the Brave bookmarks file won’t re-import into Brave, so, I apparently will have to pull them out of the file (a copy of it opens ok in Notepad) one by one. Ugh. There are thousands of them...
I have and use a password keeper but of course didn’t have this one entered because it predates my password keep by about a decade.... and I’ve been using the keeper for at least 15 yrs
Ping to Post #158 about tractors...
Poem for November
by Gladys Harp
I am rich today with autumn’s gold,
All that my covetous hands can hold;
Frost-painted leaves and goldenrod,
A goldfinch on a milkweed pod,
Huge golden pumpkins in the field
With heaps of corn from a bounteous yield,
Golden apples heavy on the trees
Rivaling those of Hesperides,
Golden rays of balmy sunshine spread
Over all like butter on warm bread;
And the harvest moon will this night unfold
The streams running full of molten gold.
Oh, who could find a dearth of bliss
With autumn glory such as this!
(Yes, I know it’s still October, but I love this poem!)
October Supermoon to shine as the biggest and brightest of 2025, first in a string of 3
A big celestial treat is on the way, far before Halloween, as the first of three consecutive “supermoons” is set to light up the October sky.
The full October moon — nicknamed the harvest moon because of the crop harvesting season and also the hunter’s moon for the autumn hunting season — will start to rise low on the horizon in the eastern sky at about 6:10 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, Oct. 6.
The moon will officially reach its fullest phase at 11:48 p.m.
Its close orbit to the Earth will make this a supermoon, a full moon that is slightly bigger and brighter than an ordinary full moon.
Even better, the October moon will be the biggest and brightest supermoon of 2025, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
The full moons on Nov. 5 (known as the beaver moon) and Dec. 4 (nicknamed the cold moon) will also be supermoons, so 2025 will finish with three straight supermoons glowing in the night sky.
The October moon will be 97% illuminated on Sunday night, Oct. 5, 100% full on Monday night, Oct. 6, and also 100% full on Tuesday night, Oct. 7.
Nice garden report. I have never tasted Okra but I hear it is good. On the medical stuff, heal up and a little TMI. Sounds like a tough road.
ITALIAN MUFFULETTA
Mix small jar olive oil 1 lge jar undrained salad olives, chp roasted peppers, 2 tsp oregano 4 minced gar/cl 1 tsp parsley. Let set to meld flavors. Layer on Italian bread, olive mixture, bit anchovy paste, sliced provolone, capicola, mortadella, ham, Genoa salami and shredded lettuce.
Okra fresh is good.....cut and it gets slimy.
Next year in pickling/jarring a bunch
Yes, There Is a Right (and Wrong!) Time of Year to Repot Your Houseplants
Timing is everything when it comes to outdoor gardening. It’s crucial to follow the right timing for planting, watering, harvesting, pruning, deadheading—and doing pretty much anything—to ensure success in your outdoor garden. For indoor gardening, however, the schedules are a little less rigid. Yet when it comes to repotting your houseplants, gardening experts say timing does matter. Repotting your plant at the wrong time could add stress and keep it from growing strong.
So, here’s when you should and shouldn’t repot your houseplants to ensure you maintain a healthy and thriving indoor garden.
When Is the Best Time to Repot Your Houseplants?
You may think that indoor gardening has no “season” in the way outdoor gardening does, but that’s not exactly true. Houseplants still have active and inactive growth periods, similar to outdoor plants, and this affects the ideal timing for repotting.
“The best time to repot houseplants is during their active growing season, which is typically in spring or early summer, because the plant can recover more quickly and establish its roots in fresh soil,” says Petar Ivanov, gardening and plant expert at Fantastic Gardeners.
“This time of the year typically brings warmer temperatures, longer days, and more intense sun—all of which help stimulate houseplant growth,” says Justin Hancock, horticulturist at Costa Farms. “Repotting just before or as your plants are actively growing can help them recover from any repotting stress faster and makes it less likely that you inadvertently overwater them right after repotting.”
When Should You Avoid Repotting Your Houseplants?
With extra time spent inside, cold-weather seasons can be the perfect time to tackle a lot of household tasks—just not repotting.
“As tempting as it is to give [plants] a fresh new home, fall and winter are actually the worst seasons to repot your leafy companions,” says Ryan Nash, plant expert and seller on Palmstreet. “As summer daylight fades and temps drop, most houseplants enter a slower growth period, and the last thing they need is pot-moving and heavy trauma on their gentle roots and stems. That extra stress can cause wilting, leaf drop, or even worse, death.”
Ivanov adds that the extra stress from repotting in winter can also make plants more susceptible to disease.
Excess moisture can also be an issue when repotting in the winter, since plants require a thorough watering after moving to new pots. “Because you want to keep the potting mix moist after repotting, it can also be a more delicate balance between giving the root system the extra moisture it needs to cope with repotting without adding more moisture than the plant can drink up, which can lead to root rot issues,” Hancock says.
However, he says this isn’t an absolute rule. “If your plant is showing signs of stress from being rootbound, you can repot, even in winter,” Hancock says. You’ll just need to take extra care to ensure your plant doesn’t get root rot and stays healthy post-move. Plus, he adds that if you use grow lights in the winter to keep your plants actively growing during the colder months, then winter repotting shouldn’t be an issue.
More Factors to Consider Before Repotting a Plant
Timing isn’t the only factor to consider when deciding whether or not to repot a houseplant. Since repotting can add stress to a plant, it’s important to make sure the plant is ready to be moved to a new pot before you uproot it.
“When deciding when to repot a houseplant, first, consider its root health,” Ivanov says. “Look for any signs of it being root-bound, such as the roots circling the pot or growing out of the drainage holes. Also, factor in the plant’s size in relation to its current pot size, the quality of the soil, and whether the plant shows slowed growth or nutrient deficiencies.” All of these factors could tell you whether or not the plant is ready to be repotted.
In some instances, a plant may seem like it needs a new pot, but isn’t quite strong enough for a move at the same time. If a plant is struggling from pests or disease, Ivanov says it’s best to avoid repotting it, because that can further shock the plant, preventing it from getting healthy.
Hancock also emphasizes the importance of repotting a plant in the right-sized container. “Generally, if your houseplant isn’t yet rootbound, try to repot in a similar-sized container rather than sizing up,” he says. “If you repot into a planter that’s too large, the potting mix may hold more moisture than the plant’s root system can drink up, potentially leading to overwatering issues and root rot.”
https://www.realsimple.com/right-time-of-year-to-repot-houseplants-11823112
You go on to list things that a 25-35 HP tractor could do and other things that might need a 50-75 HP tractor or specialized piece of equipment.
A rock saw is generally a specialized machine similar to a large commercial trencher.
No small tractors have down pressure which is required for an auger bit for rock. A full sized skid steer is usually used. They also make rock saw attachments for a skid steer but an actual rock saw is a specialized piece of equipment similar to a large commercial trencher and made by the same trencher companies.
A skid steer will cost three times a homestead size tractor and each attachment will cost as much as that tractor.
I would just get yourself a compact tractor for regular homestead tasks and hire someone to deal with the rock. Many if not most of the small Kubota tractors come with a loader these days.
Rent a skid steer with post hole digger attachment or hire someone. Definitely hire someone for rock saw tasks. Plan ahead so they can come in once and get it all done.
Enjoy your new little tractor for all else.
Dredged in breadcrumbs and sautéed is also nice. Pickled okra is my fave way to enjoy it though. The sautéed kind is nice in gumbo. Some people like it slimy, and I’m ok with it that way, but prefer the breaded sautéed way instead.
Thank for the timely tip. I’m looking at what plants I might want to try to overwinter, and was wondering if I should repot any. I think I will just cut some back a little, instead of repotting.
Cut them back a LOT before you bring them in. Also check for bugs. Hose them down well before bringing them inside...you don’t want to infect the whole house with White Fly or some form of Scab. Ugh! If they’re currently healthy plants, you won’t hurt them.
I have three potted Rosemary plants on the kitchen porch and one is just LOVELY and will be my ‘Inside Rosemary’ for the winter. The other two will be trimmed of all usefulness (to dry) and then put into the compost bin, where they will also provide some future usefulness. ;)
I used to try to save EVERYTHING. I’ve learned much along the way. :) I can afford two bucks for a fresh Rosemary start in the Spring...I’ve been embezzling from ‘The Grocery Budget’ for decades now, LOL!
Great ideas, thanks! I have one rosemary that I’ll bring in, maybe one basil (depends on how it’s looking), a lemon verbena that looks like it wants to be my friend, some of those streptocarpella violets that look so darn cute, two plants that look like they should be houseplants, but I had outside in speckled sunlight (I do not remember what they are), and the gloriosa lily tuber from my Grandma’s. The chives, thyme, tarragon, oregano, and mint should all be fine outside in the ground, and hopefully come back again next spring. They are still going great, except the tarragon is ready for going to sleep.
I love bougainvillea, but it needs more attention than I can give it over winter, so I will probably just buy a new one of those next year. I really love them.
On water feature news, our landscaper texted that he thinks we might need to dismantle what we have, dig a bigger deeper hole, put in a larger liner, and start over. He is coming over tomorrow afternoon to discuss. We really love the height of the feature, and the way the water falls, and the pretty sounds, but he’s the expert. He thinks in its current form we will have to refill every couple of days. If that’s what he wants to fix, and thinks he can do that, then I’m for it, but I’m anxious to get it finished so that I can start putting in the plants I’ve purchased. I can’t dig anything more until this water feature is complete.
Yesterday morning we rented a gas powered log splitter to help us turn those bigs chunks of logs into firewood. The ash has already been seasoning for over a year. Then there’s the hickory and hackberry from this summer. The hickory has proven to be fibrous and rotted in the center, so difficult to split. We thought we would have all of this done by this afternoon. Nope. Hubby will get up early and do as much as he can for an hour or so. The splitter is due back around 10 am.
For my part, I have been in charge of stacking the cut wood. That’s always been my job since we moved here. Well, that’s going slower for me this time. My lower back is not taking kindly to bending over and picking up the wood, and bending over again to place it in the rack. I am pacing myself. I only have two racks filled, and two more that still need to be done.
Anything that doesn’t fit near the driveway will have to go down our big hill towards the fire pit nearest the woods. The temps should get a little colder this week, so we will put the fire pits to good use.
I forgot to add I toss em in my crawfish boil and they are delicious that way.
I confused you a little bit.
I’m not looking for a rock saw “attachment” just might need a tractor with enough down force to use a rock auger to get through 6-12 of rock every now and then.
I was talking about the rock saw stuff to explain the rock layers here and there I have to deal with.
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