The Victory Garden Thread - March, 2026

March 1, 2026 | 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.

[numberonepal]

This is the weekend for seeding around here.

• Sorghum Cane.
• 5 types of melons
• Cherokee purple maters
• Cherokee purple cherry maters in upside down baskets
• Yellow and orange bells
• Roselle (my signature)
• Pinkeye Cow Peas (bush beans)
• Cucamelons (tiny cucumbers that look like watermelons)
• Peaches and Cream corn
• Some weird hybrid University of Florida dwarf corn supposedly salt tolerant and bred for the Florida sun. Is it weird to y'all when seeds are dyed?
• Finally replacing the lemon and lime trees after the Helene Armageddon
• Boatloads of sunflowers. Buncha different kinds. I even got some of those Russian Mammoth ones.
• New Hosta bulbs
• New canna bulbs

That's about all.

[MomwithHope]

That’s a lot. Wonderful to even read a post about planting, we are over 2 months away here in Michigan.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I have a patch of the Honeoye strawberries, too. They’re terrific. I’m tying to expand my bed which isn’t working as well as I had hoped. They’re usually a WEED and you can’t stop them! I have clipped runners and planted them in hanging baskets - they look pretty that way and are easy to pick - no bending over!

Re: The Bears. Beau’s adventure turned out to be a bust. The first group DID get to see the Mama Bear up close while sedated, but she had no cubs. Beau’s group had to ride in 2 miles via snowmobile, then snowshoe in for another 3/4 of an hour. At that den, it was the mother and three cubs, but the Mama Bear moved to the far back of the den and they couldn’t get a clear shot to knock her out without hitting one of the cubs and the dosage for the Mama Bear might have killed any one of the cubs so they didn’t want to try.

But, he got a lot of other stuff done on the trip up and back in preparation for the coming bear season - hauled barrels of bear bait to the shed at the cabin, did a few needed repairs while he and two friends stayed there overnight - so it wasn’t a total loss. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Plant a Victory Garden

By Jennifer Rizzo

In World War l and World War ll, due to food shortages, people were encouraged to plant Victory Gardens or “war gardens”. They were usually made up of easy to grow vegetables that would produce over and over again. You can plant a Victory Garden in almost any size container and it is easier than you think! Go beyond huge garden plots, and think front yards, containers, even small balcony pots, or anywhere veggies can be grown. Plants like squash, watermelon,green beans and other climbing vines can weave through planting beds, or even climb up fences and trellises.

To plant a Victory Garden, you just need a few things: Dirt, seeds or plants, direct sunlight and water. If you’ve never grown a garden at all, check out this post with some basics I also have some favorite gardening books in my Amazon store. (Or use the Library!)

There are three suggested sizes below to get your victory garden started, and these suggestions also use companion planting, which is a way different plants can help and benefit from each other (For natural insect repelling properties it never hurts to plant marigolds or nasturtiums nearby!).

#1. On a balcony for large pots with sterile garden soil: (approx. 12″-14″)

1 indeterminate tomato, 2 basil plants.

3 Green bean seeds and circle with radish seeds

2 bush cucumber plants with radish

Lettuce seeds with radishes

1 tomato plant circled by onions

#2. For a larger 2 x2 Victory Garden container with sterile garden soil such as a stock tank planter.

2 tomato plants, onions and carrots alternated in 2 rows

1 green pepper plant, 1 tomato plant, 1 basil, 1 rosemary

12 x 12 section of lettuce, 12 x 12 section of onions, 12 x 12 section of carrots, 12 x 12 section of spinach

4 green bean plants, bordered by radishes, 2 bush cucumber plants

#3. For a 4 x 6 garden or larger (with rows spaced about 6 inches apart from each other).

Row of bush cucumbers, row of radishes, row of green beans, row of lettuce, row of tomatoes

Row of radish, Row of beets, row of carrots, row of rosemary, row of tomatoes, row of onion

With a larger garden, there are a ton of other veggie and fruit combos you can do too! And, don’t be afraid to tuck some tomato plants among your flowers in the front yard, or add edibles among your hostas.

Fruit is also something that you can add in among your flower garden, dwarf apple trees, pear trees, as well as strawberries,blueberries and raspberries are easy to place around the yard. If you have a bit of dirt, you can easily grow a few plants here and there to supplement your diet with fresh-grown produce and plant your own Victory Garden!

Pretty pictures and a video link at her site:

https://jenniferrizzo.com/plant-a-victory-garden/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Grow a Container Victory Garden?
(National Gardening Bureau)

Yes, You Can!

James H. Burdett did not address container growing in The Victory Garden Manual, but times were different in 1943. Today, growing edibles in containers is probably one of the fastest emerging trends we are seeing. Plus, with vegetable breeders working on more compact varieties, your choices for what to grow in a confined space are countless.

Ten Tips for Growing a Container Victory Garden 2.0:

1. Don’t underestimate the size of container needed for growing some vegetables.

Bigger is almost always better, but with larger containers comes a need for more soil and thus weight becomes a consideration, especially if you plan to move your containers often. Drainage is very important in a container as is soil depth. Good guidelines for choosing containers are provided in this article. For some additional vegetable container guidelines, this article will help.

2. Just as with in-ground plantings, you need enough sunlight.

Containers need 6-8 hours of sun per day to produce, but unlike in-ground plantings, you can move containers around to get more sunlight. Consider using containers with wheels, or otherwise easily movable containers, so they can receive enough sunlight.

3. What about wind? Are you on a corner balcony of a tall high-rise?

Think about how the wind might impact fragile plants or even topple the containers. Consider clusters of containers. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, with plants providing some needed humidity for their neighbors, but also some plants can protect other plants from wind.

4. Vining crops need trellises…

Not only for support but also to grow upwards, saving horizontal space which might be at a premium.

5. Soilless potting mixes are great for containers, providing good drainage with less weight (less chance of soil compaction).

The larger the container, the more potting mix you’ll need which means less frequent watering.

6. Consider drip irrigation or self-watering containers, depending on your availability to water frequently enough.

Container gardens do require more frequent watering (sometimes multiple times each day if it’s hot and dry) than in-ground plantings.

7. Proper fertilization is more important for container plantings.

More frequent watering can wash out some of the nutrients a plant needs to produce vegetables.

8. As with in-ground plantings: Know your zone and know your last frost date.

Without that knowledge, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

9. Think combinations!

Why not plant basil with a tomato plant? Or put beans with carrots? Spinach and onions work well together too. Some vegetables are pretty enough to be front and center and act like ornamentals!

To make it even easier, many suppliers and garden centers have searchable options for varieties that grow well in containers. Here are a few:

All-America Selections
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Burpee
Harris Seeds
Park Seed
Territorial Seed
True Leaf Market
West Coast Seeds

10. And last, but not least, don’t forget to plant some flowers for pollinators!

Flowers that attract bees are good and necessary no matter how or where you plant your vegetable garden.

Beginners Tip: During the hot, dry summer months, containers may need to be watered twice a day.

https://ngb.org/container-garden/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

How to Start a Victory Garden in 9 Easy Steps

More details from Epic Gardening:

https://www.epicgardening.com/start-victory-garden/

[MomwithHope]

Really great suggestions for companion planting. I have a tendency to plant too much! Thanks, I’ll check out the website later.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I made a delicious hearty bbq pork meat dish today in the cast iron Dutch oven.

3lbs cubed costco country style spare rib meat (boneless and cubed by costco)
2 cups chicken broth
2 onions
6 table spoons minced garlic.
Small can of diced tomatoes, drained.
3/4 cup sugar free BBQ sauce and same of sugar free ketchup.

Lima beans and soy beans as much as you want.

All in dutch oven...salt pepper paprika and smoked paprika to flavor you like.

4 hours on gas stove top covered and simmering.

Served over a bed of basmati rice.

Deeee-Lishhhhh-us!!

[Augie]

This past week was warm and dry, then (very wet - there's a foot of new water in my pond) wet and cool, now warm and dry again here in Central Missouri.

I managed to get a bit done this weekend. The first cold frame is done and installed on a raised bed. While I was in the middle of assembling the thing, it occurred to me that it was maybe a bit unwieldy, so I decided to downsize the next one. Also made a design change on the flip side that will be easier to secure to the bed.

This is the first attempt. I've got three tarp straps on the back side to hold it down. Works ok but meh. I think this one will find its way to the big garden and be used directly on the ground. And I see that I'll need to move the rain guage.

This is the improved version. Shorter both in length and height, with handles to throw a bungee cord over.

The lettuce seed that I planted last weekend has a few little green things showing. No sign of the cabbages so far. Put some kale seeds in starter flats this morning. I haven't decided what's going in the raised beds, but I'm going to toss some radish seeds in one of them tomorrow. I can plant around them or pull em and eat em if they're in the way. lol

Howard had a mostly good week. There was one potty accident moment where his PTSD kicked in and he lost his mind for a few minutes. Mostly my fault for yelling at him. I have to remind myself more often how sensitive he is. He's sacked out on his cushion now after spending most of the day running free outdoors.

[Pollard]

Interesting 5-way PVC connectors. PVC furniture fitting?

My cold weather seedlings are going to get a little warm tomorrow when it hits the high 70s. Tuesday will break 80 degrees but I’ll be here to open the shed up at least. Luckily, it’s insulated and stays pretty cool so hopefully tomorrow won’t bake them.

Why can’t they just leave the time alone? Went to bed an hour early and I usually leave for work about an hour after I wake up. Woke up this morning at the exact time I normally leave. Had to get dressed and go, half awake, and then drive fast so I could hit the store for come coffee. Was still 3 minutes late.

[TheConservativeParty]

Sounds like a pretty good bear adventure to me.
I try to avoid them completely 😳.
My cousin “up north” near Wausau has had bears in his yard.

I got the strawberries potted up. Need to weed the existing strawberry patch, plenty of work ahead doing that. 😅 The weeds got away on me last year.

Transplanted my pansies, dianthus, and snapdragons into 4-packs today too.

This frees up that BioDome to sow another 120 seed plugs!

Will look through my fridge seed drawer and see what needs to be seeded.

The tulips in my gardens are starting to poke through the soil !
Saw that late today.
🌷🌷🌷

[Liz]

Greek Beef Stew in Tomato-Wine Sauce / Fried Rice Side

Ing For Stew: 2 1/2 lbs beef chuck or shank, in chunks 3 tbl ol/oil 1 minced lge onion, 3 minced gar/cl 1/2 c dry red wine 14 oz can crushed tomatoes 2 chp fresh tomatoes, 1 cinnamon stick 2 whole cloves 1 c beef broth or water (or more) S/p 1 tsp sugar. Fried Rice: 3 c cooked day-old med-grain rice 2 tbl olive oil 2 eggs, lightly beaten S/p 2 tbl chp parsley, more for garnish

Method--brown seasoned beef in batches in hot ol/oil (do not crowd pan). Set aside. In same pan, sauté onion golden; add/saute garlic briefly. Deglaze pan w/ wine, reduce a bit. Add tomatoes, cinnamon, cloves, sugar, beef, broth to cover; simmer tender 1.5–2 hrs. Serve w/ Fried Rice, parsley garnish.

Fried Rice: Stir-fry heated ol/oil, day-old rice; heat thru. Push rice aside,
scramble eggs in same pan, then mix w/ fried rice. S/p, add parsley.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I am glad that you all survived the storms without any problems!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Numberone....Sorghum cane is an interesting one. Will you reducing it for syrup or is it just ornimental?

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Chicken coop....

Colorful Chicken Coop

(Goodnight!)

[MomwithHope]

Thats a really nice design!. And your patience with Howard is more than some people would handle it. Love in action.

[Augie]

Interesting 5-way PVC connectors. PVC furniture fitting?

Yes, and they are dirt cheap on Amazon - $13.95 for a 12-pack. At Lowe's the same part is $7.28 - FOR ONE PIECE, and it will take 10 days or so to get your hands on it because they don't keep them in stock at the stores. Home Depot is roughly 2x the Amazon price but they don't stock them in the stores.

Why can’t they just leave the time alone?

Time change is stupid. The old argument about it being too dark in the morning for the youngsters to milk the cows before school doesn't hold water. How easy would it be to push the start time for school during the winter months?

Yeah, very easy, but you'll never get a bunch of educated-beyond-their-intelligence libs to agree to a thing that makes sense and would provide some real value to society.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Nice job on the cold frames. I agree with making them smaller and more manageable, too.

I'm using something similar inside my unheated greenhouse for spring greens and to extend greens growing into the fall. Mine isn't 'plumb' because *I* built it, versus Beau and his level, LOL! I belong to 'Close Enough' Contractors Union 201. ;)

Cold frames are such an awesome invention, and the styles are endless.

Always thought this was a really cool idea using hay bales and an old window or two, a couple of 2x4s to prop it open during the day. You might need to keep a cat in there overnight if mice are an issue. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ll have to go see if I have any spring bulbs coming up. I have a lot of straw on top, so it’s time to pull it back - I’m going to leave my strawberries covered until this next cold wave passes.

It was already 50 degrees when I woke up this morning - granted an hour LATER than normal - catching up on that lost hour of sleep!

Finally saw Robins yesterday and all of the other birds are singing like mad, looking for suitable mates - so LOVELY! Still waiting on Red Winged Blackbirds, but I did see a flock of Canada Geese fly over yesterday - also a good sign!

Beau is going to take me on a tour of the woods today - just to see what’s starting to bud out, where things are still frozen, how full the creek is, etc. I always look forward to that. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ll just BET that was good! :)