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]

I do plan on trying them eventually and I can grow Irish potatoes just fine. Grew some nice ones for a couple of years after adding to the beds some humus that I had scraped up with a grader blade clearing off prior forest to get grass to grow. First year I harvested by pulling the plants out by hand, taters and all. Smooth and blemish free and I think I hit the 7 lbs of potatoes from 1 lb of seed potatoes mark that’s considered highly productive.

Soil is clayey loam, brownish yellow, a bit heavy. It doesn’t take a whole lot to turn it brown and/or fluff it up. Doing that to a great depth is a different story. A long story.

I do have some depth though. Top soil is 12” where the high tunnel is and gets deeper towards the road which is 300 foot away. Got a over an acre of that. Corner post out by the road was easy to dig. Went 30” before it started turning orange/red clay.

[Paul R.]

I’ve never had luck with sweet potatoes: The plants seem to grow fairly well, but don’t produce more potatoes. IIRC, I started them in early April. The soil they were in was moderately light, but did have composted Hickory debris* in it, so, the juglone content may have dinged them. Do you suppose that they would grow in Ohio River sand mixed with light garden soil? I could go get some sand. (It is very fine, almost a silt.) I don’t know what variety my plants were, last go-round they were just marked “Sweet Potato Starts”. The “meat” is a typical yam-like light orange in color. Definitely I can trellis them.

*We have lots of hickory trees, and a few walnut trees, one quite large as the “mother”, so, spots without juglone and / or Hickory debris (especially) in the topsoil are hard to come by. Walking outside today with the stiff breeze that came up was “refreshing” and a good way to get hit by a falling walnut (in the husk) or hickory nut (same story). One of the walnuts that plunked down near me had a husk diameter of 3”!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Well, I've only been doing it a few years and have only had reasonable results this year. Provided you have enough sunlight and soil you probably can. Do a search and read different articles on how to grow them. Martha Steward, Old Farmers Almanac, the Spruce, all have information. Here is one from university of Kentucky:

U KY Growing your own garden Sweet Potatoes

A couple of things a would mention. Slips.... skinnier sweet potatoes produce more slips. You might want to buy specific varieties the first year from someplace like Baker Creek and save some for next hear. (Covington and Carogold maybe)

Spreading.... I had sections of rabbit fencing that I arched over the growing plants and I let them grow up through them rather than spreading all over the ground. I did this because they want to send down roots wherever the vine touches the soil. I wanted them to put their energy into growing tubers rather than spreading all over the place. A trellis would work for this. Here are a couple more videos from Deep South Homestead. Grow Your Own Sweet Potato SLIPS

Step by Step method to grow sweet potatoes

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I have not really been able to grow potatoes here, just not cool enough long enough.

Sweet potatoes are a big staple food in some parts of the world where they have hot growing conditions. Heat tolerance was one reason I was trying to grow it.

One of the things you see on Youtube are are boasts like "I grew 100 lbs of Sweet Potatoes from just one Potato!" if so, that would be a pretty good result. (Setting aside the issue of fertilizer and water,)

[Augie]

We have been enjoying some lovely fall weather here in Central Missouri over the past week. It was warm and dry, then a cold front rolled in from the plains and brought 1.2” of badly-needed rainfall on Saturday.

Before the rain started I got the chainsaw out and finished breaking Mrs. Augie’s favorite Willow Oak into smaller pieces so the rest of it can be hauled off to the sippy hole.

After the rain started I retired to the workshop and did some cleaning, and one of the things that needed cleaning and organizing were the canning jars. Mrs. Augie has been washing the empty jars, drying them, then putting lids and rings on so the insides stay clean until we’re ready to use them again. We put away three cases of freshly-washed quart jars yesterday. We’ve got that many more quarts, three-ish cases of pints, and who knows how many jelly jars still to do but we’re making steady progress.

Yesterday I picked up a couple soaker hoses and did some general cleanup in the new garden patch. I’ve still got a tree mess back there that needs to be cut up and hauled off. I’m planning to get after it with the chainsaw after work today. It won’t take long to chop it into smaller pieces. The flat tractor tire hasn’t been fixed yet but I’ll have a heap of brush ready to move once Nanner is back on his feet.

Garlic beds have been cleaned out. I need to bring up a load of compost to cover the beds after I plant, but before I can do that I need to replace the busted hydraulic hose on the little Kubota. I’ll swing by the NAPA store over lunch today and see if they have the new one ready to go. With a little good luck the garlic will go in the ground this evening.

The spinach in the greenhouse beds is doing well, but I think I’ll need to set up the grow lights to keep it happy. Probably won’t get that accomplished this evening, but I’d like to have it done by the weekend. I suppose I should get the heating mats out and start some lettuce seeds in a bag of potting soil while I’m at it.

Howard had another good week. He got to come inside to watch tv with us three times. He’s still too much of a busybody to roam the house unsupervised so he sits on the couch (on my lap) while he watches the boob tube. I got a good laugh out of him on Saturday while I was cleaning the shop. He decided that he NEEDED one of my old nylon tow straps for a chew toy. It was coiled up on a low shelf and he absolutely would not leave it alone. After he snuck off with it for the third time I gave it to him. He dragged that thing all over the yard for the better part of two days and was happy. lol

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Augie...enjoy hearing about what you are doing on your little patch! (Same for Diana, Qiviut, and all the other Garden thread posters!)

Howard.... Glad he found you and you found him! (I wonder if someone just dropped him off along your road after being unable to care for him? If so, it was a good choice!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Occasional October Pumpkin Post!

Long Store Heirloom "Long Pie Pumpkin"

Info From "Tripledivideseeds long-pie-pumpkin

"Long Pie dates back to the late 1800’s. Almost lost forever, Long Pie Pumpkin was brought back to commercial production by John Navazio and Garden City Seeds in the early 1990s. These magical fruit that resemble overgrown zucchini are indeed pumpkins. The fruits range from 3-5 lbs each. In 2014 50 plants yielded over 450 lbs. They are virtually stringless and sweet. At harvest, mature fruits are green with a small orange spot. This spot is the telltale sign they are ready to harvest. Cure them as you would any other winter squash and store them in 50 F conditions. As time passes these wonderful fruit turn a bright orange. Take these bright orange fruit out of storage on those cold, grey Montana days and use in your favorite pie, bread or soup recipes. Oh, and don’t fret if the fruit you harvest do not have an orange spot. These immature fruit work great in place of zucchini in your favorite bread recipes. Original Seed Source: Fedco. Cucurbita pepo.

From: Stellareureka Heirloomseeds Long Pie Pumpkin

"New England's trusted survival food, this pumpkin stores for up to six months and grows sweeter over time. Families depended on it to see them through the harshest winters, stacked in cool cellars like insurance against hunger."

Stellareureka also sells seeds for "Superschmelz Kohlrabi" and "Redmangel beets" both of which looks interesting.

[SunkenCiv]

Nice!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Another occasional pumpkin post! Black Pumpkins! (Very dark green-black!) Picture from Blue Pumpkin seed company. (Seeds also sold by Jungs!)

"The Dark Knight F1 Pumpkin is a show-stopping pumpkin that looks extremely similar to a Jack-O-Lantern, but the skin will turn an intense dark green borderline black color. If left to ripen a bit longer it will be black and orange, perfect for Halloween!This pumpkin has an attractive oblong/gumdrop shape with smooth subtle ribs and a smooth surface. These are great for Jack-O-Lanterns, displays, or as conversation pieces in your pumpkin patch. These are also a great variety to grow as they are powdery and mildew resistant."

"Black Kat F1 pumpkins start out green then ripen to a dark intense green that looks black to the eye. These are small pumpkins, think Jack Be Little pumpkins, but black. These are going to steal the glance of every passerby."

These are great for decorating tables during Halloween parties, for Fall decorations, or for making baby Jack-O-Lanterns! Even though they are small and compact, they are definitely a conversation starter. They are deeply ribbed with a black stem. With a little acrylic paint, you can also paint white features on it to create your unique Jack-O-Lantern!"

*These must be picked while they are black. If left on the vine, they will revert to an orange color."

"Black Bear F1 pumpkin stands out as a significant enhancement compared to other available varieties. Its remarkably deep color persists even after harvest, creating a striking contrast alongside orange and white pumpkins. With an adorable and petite "true pumpkin" shape, it proves perfect for autumnal decorations. Exhibiting high yields and remarkable uniformity, it is an early-harvest choice. Developed by Aneta Jacobs and Dr. Lindsay Wyatt, Black Bear sets a new standard in pumpkin offerings."

Jungs sells Black Prince.

Here is the link to Blue Pumpkin Seed Company which sells seeds and an amazing variety of pumpkins! Blue Pumpkin Seed Company...."280 pumpkin varieties to choose from!"

Some of the favorite decorative pumpkins were the elegant Sliver Edged Pumpkins, Phantomita, with its tropical rain forest patterning, Troll, and Ugly duckling. Now....if I had a quarter section to plant a few!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ve never seen the Long Pie pumpkin before! Thanks!

My favorite pumpkins for pies (Zone 5a) are: Sugar Pie, Long Island Cheese and Winter Luxury.

All we grew this season was the Thelma Sanders Sweet Potato Squash and some Honeynut Butternut. Mom brought me a pumpkin for my porch and one for the chickens. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

You’re putting me to shame! I’ve been such a lazy gardener between HOT and BUGS, LOL!

Today I stripped the Lavender and tied the blooming stems in a pretty bunch to hang off of the China Cabinet knob. The Rosemary are going to be stripped for parts, next.

The porch needs a good sweeping, so that’s on the list and then I’m going to work on cleaning up another bed - it’s REALLY windy so I probably won’t put the straw mulch down, today.

Beau has the water off - he’s messing with the pressure tank to see it it really IS time for a replacement, or if it’s just foolin.’ Gee. I wonder...been complaining about our fluctuating water pressure for months, now!

Love hearing about Howard. Those hounds are inquisitive, troublesome and OH SO LOVABLE!

[Liz]

These work great in place of zucchini in your favorite bread recipes.

---

Zucchini bread.....that clinched it for me.

[Augie]

Good news: The new hydraulic hose that I need to fix the little Kubota is in the truck.

Bad news: I’m going to have to buy a new rear tire for Nanner. I was amazed that the old tires were able to be salvaged after how badly I cut them when I was cleaning out the pond. It was summer of ‘18 when that happened. I definitely got my money’s worth out of that repair job.

Spending $1000+ on a machine that’s pushing 50 years old is always a crap shoot. Hopefully it will pay off.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I have seen Thelma S. at Seed Savers! I imagine that the Long Pie Pumpkin seeds are in some protected file drawer back in the vaults along with Sunken Civ's Cob Melon seeds.

That said, I like squash as a vegetable, but have never cared for pumpkin pie. (I would eat the whipped cream off the top.) Pecan Pie please!

Long Pie Pumpkin....More stackable than other pumpkins in less space! (Move them to your wine rack as you use up this years wine purchases!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Did you enjoy your maple burger and Green Bay Game? Did the chickens enjoy their pumpkin?

I have a pork shoulder roast cooking Sous Vide for pulled pork. We are at about hour 29!

I'm finding a lot of the skinny pork loin roasts at the grocery store (HyVee...DesMoines based) for between 3 and 5 dollars, more than large enough for 3 people and perhaps 2 meals. I have a stack of the frozen ones in the freezer.

I planted lettuce and turnips and beets about 10 days ago. The sowbugs have eaten all the beet seedlings. The lettuce and turnips have survived. (4 season marvel is doing best. Gustavs salad and May something-or- other butterhead lettuce are still tiny. The Turnips have grown impressively. We have a chance of frost tomorrow and possiblity of freeze soon. I have wire frames set up over them to discourage birds from pecking at the young plants, but might throw a cover on them at some point. I think I will go out and water them in a bit!

One of the difficulties of fall/winter gardening is watering. You need to drain the hose and shut off the spigot below 32F so tend not to water plants at a time of reduced humidity. The plants dry up and die. (I do need to plant my garlic for next year, and the top setting onion bulbs.)

That said, winter is good in that you have a break from the garden or farm and can watch football and snow falling and see people you do not normally see!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I knew you would like that!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Move them to your wine rack as you use up this years wine purchases!”

I have a built-in wine rack as part of the cabinetry in the kitchen. It is filled with Vintage Rolling pins. :)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I know! I look at my cars and wonder if its time to buy a new one. (Truck...wife is very resistant to this...)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Did you enjoy your maple burger?”

Yes! Beau asked where the other three patties were because Chef Leroy at Bear Camp gets SEVEN burgers out of a pound of ground beef, LOL!

“...and Green Bay Game?” YES! Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

“Did the chickens enjoy their pumpkin?” They did! Today they are getting two over-grown but still green Cucumbers as a treat.

I also bought a LOVELY egg rack for my kitchen counter. I am loving how it looks and how handy it is to have the eggs RIGHT THERE for Breakfast/Brunch.

It’s The Little Things in Life. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]