Posted on 03/01/2026 5:58:25 AM PST 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.
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.
If you’re going to have those fancy chickens, you need a fancy coop!
If they don’t change the clocks, how are we going to go, ‘fishin’ in the dark?’ ;)
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Fishin’ In The Dark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBRfkxUAyOk
Sorry for the late response to this one. I finally found a few minutes to get caught up on the thread.
I've used a LOT of that woven weed mat stuff over the past few years. From your description of what you're planning to do with it I think you'll be disappointed in the results.
It does a decent job of keeping weeds down, but it's not the best. The weave allows just enough light through that plants will come up underneath. It catches every bit of duff on the top side and by the end of the season will likely be covered with a thin layer of "mulch" and have grass growing all over it. The weave will fray and then catch anything that moves - like a mower blade or weed whacker string - not fun. It will stay in relatively good shape for only a single growing season. If you don't pick it up before winter you'll have a real NOT FUN time with all of the roots that have grown through it.
All that said, it's cheap and it's better than nothing.
I used to clog to that song years ago. Took clogging lessons. Big fun.
Augie thanks for the advice I will follow it. I should be able to clean it off during the summer with a push broom. Nothing will be planted in it. And there is a row of bricks at the edge of the garden. I was going to have my helper fold the edge and tuck it behind the bricks so no weedwhacker will get it. I did order a second one and may double it up because of the light. THANK you!
Another catch-up reply...
Best advice I can give anyone when it comes to canning/preserving... buy a copy of the Ball Canning Guide. While you're learning the processes, follow the instructions to the letter. Once you've run a few dozen canner loads you'll start to get a feel for things that you can deviate on according to your local weather conditions at the time of processing.
With that book you will learn to preserve your own harvest safely. It's also loaded with great recipes to try while you're at it.
Highly recommended.
Many decades ago, at breakfast the morning after a rip roaring division Christmas party, I got the following comment: “We didn’t know you could clog!” I didn’t know I could clog either, but at some point the night before, I evidently did some ‘clogging’ or something close enough that I had people convinced I knew what I was doing. We had merged with another bank & the party that year was in their town so we all had hotel rooms & didn’t have to worry about driving.
Nice! Clogging was big fun and I love the music. I still have my clogging shoes with the taps on them. And there is a video of our class “somewhere”
Those veggie-face people are always so creative!
Oh, Yes! Jazzercise for me, and also Line Dancing. Too much fun. Wish I were young again!
71 right now west Michigan. Saw a pair of bluebirds at the cemetery. Hummingbirds filling up the south. migration map here.
https://www.hummingbirdcentral.com/hummingbird-migration-spring-2026-map.htm
We hit 69. Beau took me On Tour this afternoon. What I was really looking for was Whitespire Birch branches that I want to use as ‘decor’ in a basket by the (gas) fireplace. Due to the many mounted animals and furs and antlers and whatnot in the Family Room, I’m kind of sticking with a ‘Nature Girl’ theme in that room. Ten years in - it’s finally coming together! :) My 8-point buck head (’Leonard’) has pride of place above the fireplace, of course! ;)
I didn’t take my camera because things aren’t really very ‘pretty’ quite yet, but I will post some shots later this Spring. The creek was completely dry - ALL of it - but we’ve had so little snow this season that that makes total sense.
I found the perfect Birch tree that is falling down and still has a ton of the ‘paperbark’ hanging from it, so he’s going to cut that into usable chunks for me later today.
We saw a few deer, visited my Dad’s grave, saw Stew the Steer, lots of squirrels and found all the bones and the skull of a Heifer that obviously died under our big apple tree WAY up on the hill. The skull is going on the fence at the top of the entrance to ‘Abandon All Hope’ Farm. That should get the Fed Ex man’s attention, LOL!
He also showed me the tagged Black Walnut trees that he’s harvesting and selling (FINALLY!) to a local mill. So glad he’s finally cashing in on those trees - I bought him a book about managing your woodlot and making $$$ off of it years ago.
All in all, it was A Good Day. :)
"However many years she lived, Mary always felt that she would never forget that first morning when her garden began to grow."
Not a cloud in our very blue sky today & 76°. Tomorrow will be 80°+.
On the way back from the grocery store, as I drove by the airport (small, no control tower), a plane was coming in & I slowed down to watch it, then pulled into the parking lot as it was landing. Another plane was getting ready to taxi out & take off so I stayed and watched - it was enjoyable. When I see planes going over the house or nearby, I usually watch to see if they are getting on the approach path to the airport. We can’t see the runway from our house, but at night, especially in the winter, I can see some of the taller lights.
It’s hot enough that poultry houses in the area are running their big fans - sound like giant vacuum cleaners in the distance. We never heard them last year so someone has ‘hot house’ chickens this year. It was annoying Saturday, but I found out at church what the sound was & just ‘knowing’ has helped.
Big deer tracks right up to my herb raised bed - no nibbles. I saw 2 does in the yard yesterday afternoon. Looks like it’s going to be a ‘deer year’ - ‘24 was, last year wasn’t.
I’m on the schedule for potato salad Wednesday night (Lenten dinner). I’ve looked at so many recipes, my eyes are about crossed. I bought extra potatoes today & will be trialing a batch tonight ... fairly simple Southern recipe that has good reviews. I love homemade potato salad so it will be ‘what’s for dinner’ tonight :-)
Tater Salad. Yum! Please post the recipe you end up using. :)
Med Flight (chopper) has a flight path right over our house from the State Highway to the local hospital. Whenever I hear it (and it’s like RIGHT ABOVE THE TREES) I say a quick prayer.
I’m so glad we have that service, though. Summer Saturday Nights are the worst. :(
Sounds like a great day. If you have loose birch bark and are into making homemade greeting cards or gift tags, birchbark is fabulous as a background. Sprigs of I think its juniper go great with it. I think juniper is the flattish tiny evergreen.
Juniper or Cedar would like nice - we have both. :)
Should I send you some bark? ;) I’ve also got PLENTY of pine cones - but those don’t mail too well when hot-glued to a card, LOL!
5-10 minutes down the road is a Critical Access hospital with an ER. If you need simple stitches or meds for flu, UTI, etc. they will treat. Anything else (heart attack, stroke, seizures, traumatic injuries), you are life flighted right out of their helicopter pad in the parking lot. If you need to be stabilized, they will do that first. My cousin’s hubby was having seizures - he went straight from the ambulance to the chopper. The closest ‘regular’ hospital/ER is a 45 minute drive.
Potatoes are on to boil - if the recipe turns out ok, I’ll post it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
