The Garden Thread - October, 2025

October 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.

[Pollard]

Really too bad he didn’t end up in the Trump admin.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“He should star in his own dog movies!”

“Howard Come Home” ?

(Instead of “Lassie Come Home” 1943)

I remember seeing a ‘Lassie’ movie at the theater as a kid and getting absolutely HYSTERICAL when Lassie was mixin’ it up with a Bobcat! I thought for SURE she was gonna get killed! There was BLOOD on her pretty fur!

My Mom had to take me out into the Lobby to calm my @ss down, LOL! (”I PROMISE YOU! Lassie is NOT going to die!”)

I’m STILL traumatized! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Rural King was under $40 and started out with 2x 50 lb. bags of chicken feed, so, not really so bad.”

Beau will be blowing the household budget tomorrow on chicken feed. Farm & Fleet brand, though. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I was really excited to hear that he was even considered; he’d be a great Secretary of Ag! Even the Crunchie Greenies would like him, LOL!

[Pollard]

Seeds just came in. Little slower on delivery so I guess a lot of people shop for next year’s seeds asap. I live 100 miles from Baker Creek so normally, seeds get here quick since they never have to leave MO.

Japanese Minowase Daikon Radish and Ishikura Bunching Onions. Gotta go ready the raised bed for them. I was supposed to do it last week but it was warm and windless aka hot and buggy. Having a nice cool down right now with 72 for a high today/tomorrow.

I’ll be making Kimchi with Daikon in 40-50-60-70-80-90 days LOL. Baker Creek says 40-50 and reviews go up to 90 days. Most say about 60 though.

Another week and it’s tunnel spending time. I think I’m going to do solid poly for the SE end for now and add doors to it in Spring. I’ve got fiberglass sucker rod I can stick in for uprights spaced at 2-3 foot. The roll up sides are quick and easy and that’s plenty of ventilation for fall/winter. The NW end will be a wooden shed and it’s easy to make a door with lumber. Not so much with pipe.

[MomwithHope]

Similar very similar to one that I had years ago. Served in a restaurant, the apple slice was a fresh garnish floating on top. Sliced as thin as you possibly can. Yummy.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Sounds like a good plan for the hoop house doors - we never had solid doors on ours at Jung’s - the roll-ups worked just fine when battened down with bungee cords - we’d get some amazingly strong winds on stormy nights at times.

“I guess a lot of people shop for next year’s seeds asap.”

Thanks for the reminder to go through my seeds. I am downsizing my garden next season and I’ll bet I have every favorite on hand that I’ll NEED.

Now what I WANT will be an entirely different matter. ;)

(Or rather, ‘Mater!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Sauerkraut. They and very likely the crew of the passenger ship ate it during their crossing.

I Do recall discussions on a Fig Forum thread that I viewed several years ago about Italians coming to NYC who would smuggle or try to smuggle fig cuttings through Ellis island in their shoes! (Bensonhurst Purple Fig aka Chicago Hardy is an example that came from Sicily! Not a great fig, but grows in cold places like NYC and Chicago!)

Brave search gives this on sauerkraut for steerage passengers:

"Sauerkraut was included in the meals provided to steerage passengers on transatlantic crossings in the early 1900s, often as part of a standard menu. For example, on a Cunard ship in 1906, a Sunday dinner for steerage passengers included "Beef and Macaroni Stew" and "Vegetable Soup," with sauerkraut being a common component in such dishes, particularly for passengers from regions like Hungary and Slavic countries where it was a staple food. The sauerkraut was typically served in a tin saucepan, shared among several passengers, and was part of a meal that also included boiled potatoes, stewed prunes, figs, and a small amount of wine. While the overall quality of steerage food was often poor, with complaints about the preparation and taste of meats, vegetables, and bread , sauerkraut was valued for its nutritional benefits, particularly its high vitamin C content, which helped prevent scurvy during long voyages. This was especially significant given that the disease had historically plagued sailors and passengers on long sea journeys."

[Liz]

.........very similar to one I had in a restaurant, the apple slice
was a fresh garnish floating on top as thin as possible. Yummy.

---

Neat-——the soup recipe does sound like it came from an accomplished chef.

[Pollard]

Now what I WANT will be an entirely different matter. ;)

That can be an issue but hey, it's a whole lot cheaper than "what I want" at Menard's, Lowes, Walmart, Tractor Supply, Harbor Freight etc. I need to do another round of tossing seeds out myself.

On that note, I doubt anyone noticed but my personal cloud was down for a while but it's back and the Vegetable Seed Saving Handbook lists how long each kind of seed is viable for.

All links to other gardening subjects have been updated on my profile and here's the link to the Agriculture folder that has all subjects; https://cloud.farmwp.com/index.php/s/LJCZKQEbCMBtG2b

[MomwithHope]

Nice info!!! All 4 of my grandparents (polish and serbian) came through ellis island. No doubt they had garlic too.

[FamiliarFace]

Both of my maternal grandparents were from Czechoslovakia. Grandpa came as a 2 year old in 1897. Grandma came as a teenager along with several family members in the early 1900’s. Both stayed at Ellis Island while they were processed, and both of their families lived in Brooklyn. Many years apart. Not all of Grandma’s family came (large Catholic family).

Sauerkraut was a staple, and Grandma passed down her handwritten recipes to her children, and then to her grandchildren, through the magic of home printers. (Do you want to know what COOL looks like? It looks like my Grandma’s handwritten recipes in broken English! 😍)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Perhaps you should post your Grandmothers sauerkraut recipe. It might be interesting!

[FamiliarFace]

I don’t think I have her sauerkraut recipe per se, but I do have her dumplings and sauerkraut recipe! When my aunt went off on her own as a young adult, she asked Grandma, and Grandma wrote it out for her, as if she were in the kitchen next to her, giving her step by step instructions. It’s very sweet. And a little obscure, because the amounts are a bit arbitrary.

Years ago, my Mama had my little sister make copies of that letter. All of Mama’s sisters received a copy, and all of her daughters received a copy. I bet all of Mama’s nieces were sent a copy of that beautiful letter, too.

It’s very “private”, but I will try to make a type written copy of it so that my FReeper FRiends can enjoy.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Mom; I would not be surprised although I suspect that they seized biological material if they found it!

Interestingly, Polish Hardneck garlic was first grown in Canada and later imported to the U.S.

(Brave gives; ) "Vrbički beli luk is a Serbian garlic variety originating from the Vrbica area. This authentic sort of spring garlic is planted by hand and is easily recognizable by small, yet dense bulbs. The flavor is hot and sharp, while the aroma is very strong. When compared with other types of garlic, this one has a greater amount of essential oils and dry matter."

I have been growing a varity called Estonian Garlic for about 8 years. (I do not really want Hot garlic!) Its a large mild red hardneck that stores very well. I have had it last a full year and was using the last cloves while drying my harvested garlic. I Purchased it at either Baker Creek or Territorial Seeds, I do not recall which. Around 45 heads gets me through an entire year and I do not have to worry about Chinese garlic grown in some sort of toxic sludge or dried sewer waste.

Estonian Garlic Gra' Den' Talun Farm

This farm is somewhere in upper NY State.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I think you are in 7 or 6A. You should be able to do a lot with late fall crops. The Big problems I had with growing late season were the sow bugs and pill bugs which would strip the plants that I had under cover. You might have less problem with it since you have a high tunnel.

I did try Baker Creek's Golden Chinese cabbage and thought it good, it just did not grow large enough after my late planting. Good luck!

[MomwithHope]

I grow hardnecked garlic too.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

A waste of a pumpkin!

One year our family sold pumpkins that father bought from a local farmer. I think that we made about $300, a lot for a pumpkin stand run by kids around 1950.

We were friends with the farm family which also used the pumpkins to feed the pigs on their hog farm. The boys would throw some of them into the enclosure and you would get a hog stampede to get the smashed pumpkin.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Pumpkin 'Musquee de Provence'

From: Transitionfarm Pumpkin musquee de provence
‘Musquee de Provence’ is an heirloom from southern France. The sweet and slightly spiced flesh is a vibrant orange and finely textured. The gorgeous pumpkins are deeply ribbed with irregular shaped lobes, the smooth skin of this very decorative pumpkin is mottled green, burnt orange.
Heirloom from southern France
Sweet, slightly spiced, finely textured, vibrant orange flesh
Deeply lobed 6-20kg fruits that slowly matures to a terracotta colour - very decorative
Favoured by chefs and designers
Long storing

Cut it open and watch as it’s juice beads on the vibrant orange, finely textured, sweet and slightly spiced flesh – reminiscent of a cantaloupe. This is cherished by chefs for its flavour and texture. It is wonderful raw and has many cooked applications such as soups, stews, pies, roasted in slices and grilled.

Long Storing. Incredibly decorative. Very tasty!!!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

You have some land and I think it is a good idea. You buy the seed garlic and once they are established your only imputs are tilling the bed weeding, and fertilizer.