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.
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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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Beau will get a flat top and shaves his face usually in June and then he’s in ‘Shaggy Hunter Mode’ until I hog tie him and shave him down myself in mid-November before we see all of our relatives over the holidays.
He always keeps a mustache; it hides a nasty scar - his only physical flaw, really, LOL!
I wanted to add that song - THANKS! :)
First of all, remind me what Zone you are in?
I gotta think on all of this for a bit. :)
Ah hah, so my cacti are doing well because of unplanned neglect. Good to know. I have been going out of town this year for 5 to 7 days in a row. Always water the cacti before I leave and when I return. Forget about them for days at a time when in town.
Zone 7. Near the ocean affects the temperature. warmer in December, colder in April than it is inland.
He quit skiing...he must have liked you alot, lol. He could always put them in his mancave. If you let him have one, lol.
I have really nice MODERN aluminum snowshoes and poles. Beau is Old School - catgut and wood. No poles. Poles are for GIRLS, LOL!
Pineapple Sage is a great plant to have around! LOVE how it smells and the blooms are such a ‘true’ red that you don’t often see.
I was on vacation one winter in the Anza-Boreggo Desert State Park, inland, southern CA. 650,000 acres! I think we saw maybe 6 other people that entire week.
This was in February and the whole place was in bloom - quite the sight to see. There were so many Hummingbirds covering the GIANT native Sage plants that you wanted to swat them away like mosquitos - but of course we didn’t!
Those sage plants are what later turn into Tumbleweeds.
There was a beautiful trail that we took that led to an actual OASIS with palm trees and a waterfall and a pond. It was awesome!
I highly recommend a visit there for everyone. If you look at their site, they’ll tell you when things are blooming best and also if they’re blooming at all. Some years are better than others.
Go, Howard! GO! :)
That was a long time ago. We skied together, no racing, for years. He passed this May and I would like to find them a new home. He did have his man cave for a decade at least. I have no use for it so that needs to go too.
Just watched this short video - italian lady showing how to pickle green tomatoes, for those of you who still have some and might be looking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eYl0szCL1E
See if any of these plants appeal to you:
15 Pretty, Salt-Tolerant Greenery Options for Coastal Planting
https://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/perennials/best-plants-for-seaside-gardens/
18 Best Coastal Plants That Grow Great Near the Ocean
https://www.thespruce.com/coastal-plants-7550202
And I agree with Pollard - ask locally what grows best in those conditions. Sneak some peeks at the yards around you, or even what they plant in the median parking lot strips at the Grocery Store or the local Mall landscaping. If it thrives there, it should work just fine in your yard, light conditions not withstanding. :)
Take pictures on your phone to show to the Garden Center staff if you don’t know all the names of the local plants. When I was helping my Niece with her landscaping last year, I had her do that - walk around a mature neighborhood and see what appealed to her.
It helped us narrow down her choices as to what would work in her new, bare yard and it showed her how trees, shrubs and perennials would look when they were mature.
What a great story. I often wondered about tumbleweeds when I was stationed in Yuma. We saw them all the time. We had to be so careful at night because of the little scorpions that crawled up our low cut boots. I’ve always carried a hiking staff with me whe I’m hiking and it has saved me many times. It is about forehead height. I wish I could afford another pair of mountaineering boots like I had for so many years. That is what I used in my cross country skis. I imagine their 500 dollars or more nowadays.
That is so sad. At least you found a person who really loved you in your life. That’s the best many of us could ever hope for.
Hit the Thrift Stores or Facebook Marketplace. You never know who has something you need - for cheap! :)
S. E. Texas checking in here.
I have banana peppers from the summer that is still producing.
Also, blackberries, carrots, radishes, broccoli, and green onions for the winter.
Daffodils grow in dappled lighting, at least where I am (6a, on the border of 5b). There are pockets of them in the woods in my backyard. I think Mother Nature planted them, because it seems like unlikely spots for humans to want to go out with a shovel or bulb planting tool.
Also, in shady spots, I put in brunnera, bleeding hearts, astilbe and periwinkle for a ground cover. When Spring is wrapping up, I add browallia and impatiens tucked around the other plants. I’m still learning about shady plants for Fall.
Beautiful, Daniel!
True, we were blessed with 46 1/2 years together.
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