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.

[MomwithHope]

Thanks for the special March thread. Newbies welcome! I’ll be covering my bigger garden with a drainable black tarp made just for this, will only be able to container garden this year. I have 6 very large plastic planter pots. I use every year up close to the house, full southern exposure, well almost full. My biggest tip for container gardeners is to dump out your soil every spring and place 1 or even 2 flakes (conpressed) of straw in the botton of the pot. Best for drainage and it will all rot and be soil by next spring. I’ll be dumping these out one by one on a tarp, adding the straw, and refilling the pot with the same soil and added compost. I have large plexiglas square covers and get my lettuce going outside by Easter. (west Michigan). The big garden will have to rest this year and I want it covered to stop any grass growth. Right now its covered beautifully with a layer of chickweed.

great tarp only 17.99 on Amazon. Description - 3ftx50ft Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric Heavy Duty, Weed Gardening Ground Cover Mat, Weed Control Garden Cloth, Woven Geotextile Fabric for Underlayment, Commercial Driveway Fabric, Black

Link to their store on Amazon =- https://www.amazon.com/stores/MLZPU/page/97F908B0-EE46-45CA-9F87-9D74114AABA1?lp_asin=B0CN6PWH2N&ref_=ast_bln

The have various sizes and come with metal stakes.

[Liz]

Creamy Boston Clam Chowder
Loaded with tender potatoes, vegetables, clams, topped with crispy bacon crumbles.

Ing 6 slices bacon 1 tbl butter 2 chp celery ribs 1 chp medium onion a 2 minced gar/cl 2-3 cubed medium white potatoes 1 bottle clam juice 1 cup chicken broth ½ teaspoon thyme ¼ teaspoon black pepper ⅓ cup flour 2 cups halfnhalf, divided 2-6.5 oz cans diced clams, chives, oyster crackers garnish.

Method Cook/stir/crisp diced bacon. Remove bacon to plate. Add butter to bacon drippings. Add chp celery and onion to butter/bacon drippings. Saute over med til onions are soft, 5-7 min. Add garlic; cook a minute. Add thyme, and black pepper to pot. Turnup heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, simmer on low uncovered 15-20 min; potatoes are soft.

Make roux of flour/1 cup halfnhalf. Gradually pour into soup. Turnup heat and BTB. Once boiling, stir 1-2 min to thicken. Add rest halfnhalf, and clams. Heat through. Do not boil. Taste for s/p. For thinner soup, add broth or cream. Serve in bowls, topped with bacon crumbles and chives, oyster crackers.

[Augie]

Last week was another warm and dry one here in Central Missouri. Yesterday was t-shirt and shorts weather. It cooled down overnight and it looks like some rain and snow is headed our way this evening. We need the moisture.

I made some progress on the new cold frames yesterday, but didn't have all of the fittings that I needed to finish. Lowe's doesn't stock what I need so I ordered from amazon. With any luck I'll have that project wrapped up by next weekend.

After I got that mess cleaned up and put away I went out to the greenhouse and did some cleaning there. It had gotten a wee bit cluttered with junk. It's not exactly spic-n-span now, but it's in much better shape than it was this time yesterday.

I didn't manage to get the greenhouse lettuce started last fall, so I used the bag soil I bought for that to fill a dozen half gallon pots and sowed lettuce in those. I filled up a 32 cell starter flat and sowed three varieties of cabbages in those. I turned the water on to the outside taps, dragged some hose out and gave it all a good watering. I'm going to get back out there today and sow spinach in the ground beds.

And speaking of bag soil... what the hell has happened over the last few years? You used to be able to buy bag soil that actually contained some real dirt that came out of the ground. Now it's nothing but semi-composted shredded wood/yard waste and none of it is worth the bag that it came in, much less the price you have to pay to take it home. I think I'm to the point that I'm going to start making my own. I've got the dirt, plenty of composted horse stall waste, and the power tools required to mix it all up. I think I could make enough in one afternoon to last for a couple or three years.

Last summer Mrs. Augie scored a never-used pole lopper on facebook marketplace for $10. I got it out for the first time to see if it was any good. I'd never used one and didn't really expect much out of it. Turns out it beats the living daylights out of climbing a ladder. As slow as I move these days I was able to prune a 20'+ Honeycrisp apple in less than half an hour. My back is feeling it today, but I'm gonna call that a win.

Howard had another good week. He only got in trouble once - for chewing up a pair of Imelda's (Mrs. Augie) shoes. She must not be too mad at him though - he took a nap, ON OUR BED, WITH HER yesterday afternoon! lol

[gleeaikin]

What, only 1 bay leaf? ;-)

I was born summer 1938. I vividly remember returning home from kindergarten to find my father in the front yard, and a man with a horse and a plow. We had just moved to a 1 acre property. About a third in the back left corner (facing front) was wooded, including some old pear trees, an apple tree, and some grape Vines. There were some beautiful forsythia bushes in front alongside black raspberry and blackberry bushes. They plowed the area on the right of the house where pop grew potatoes for several years. In front he plowed a strip where he grew corn several years. In the area in front of the woods he had a large area for growing all kinds of vegetables, perhaps 50 kinds and varieties in all. We gardened for a total 9 years until we moved.

I spent many weekend hours helping with planting, weeding, and picking. Then days helping mom prepare and can for the winter. I was NOT happy when I could not go and play with my friends because I had work to do. On the other hand if we had surplus, my father let me sell it to the neighbors and keep the money, I think we grew about 1/4th of our food. We never grew grain, eggs, or meat. It was a suburban neighborhood. We were poorer than our neighbors, but better nourished I realize now.

Urge your friends to get their gardens started now, food is likely to be expensive or in short supply this year. Both Ukraine and Russia will not be able to provide their usual amounts of grain and sunflower seeds to world markets because of war damage and danger. Russia is definitely suffering from personnel shortage as almost 1 and 1/2 million men have been killed or seriously wounded on Ukraine soil. Many men Russsian choose to work in defense industry as the pay is better. In addition, Ukraine has had large quantities of farm equipment stolen by the Russians. I am not trying to turn this into a war thread, just giving you information as to why this is a good year to have a big garden, or to start one.

I own some rural land in West Virginia and my closest neighbor has a beautiful set up. She raises chickens, has planted fruit trees, and grows a number of vegetables. When I go there I bring her some treats and she gives me some eggs. Her husband has built 30” square 6” high box sides. He starts with two stacked, fills it with loose soil and plants potatoes pieces with live eyes. Once they have grown plants with leaves he puts on another set of box sides, and added more soil. The plant grows higher and produces more potatoes. He had six or seven stacked up when I saw his setup and many potatoes for his family of 5.

I have a question: What can you coat wood with so it is not toxic, but it prevents water and soil from rotting the wood?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Potatoes

Tomatoes

Beans

Corn

Squash

Carrots

Cabbage

Kale

Garlic

Herbs

https://thehouseandhomestead.com/10-best-crops-victory-garden/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“I have a question: What can you coat wood with so it is not toxic, but it prevents water and soil from rotting the wood?”

Here’s a bunch of choices, but the most economical is Linseed Oil.

https://redemptionpermaculture.com/how-to-safely-treat-wood-used-for-raised-garden-beds/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I would forgive Howard just about ANYTHING! Good outdoor progress for you! We had a cold and snowy day yesterday, but today it’s all melted already and we’re hitting 32 today, then the 40’s, then the 50’s then the 60’s! Some rain in there, too but I can live with that!

It’s time, Baby! Starting my peppers indoors today and going through all of my seeds and making a PLAN. I’m going to get lettuces, kale and spinach started in the greenhouse inside of my cold frame. Excited to see how that goes.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I would forgive Howard just about ANYTHING! Good outdoor progress for you! We had a cold and snowy day yesterday, but today it’s all melted already and we’re hitting 32 today, then the 40’s, then the 50’s then the 60’s! Some rain in there, too but I can live with that!

It’s time, Baby! Starting my peppers indoors today and going through all of my seeds and making a PLAN. I’m going to get lettuces, kale and spinach started in the greenhouse inside of my cold frame. Excited to see how that goes.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I used to grow potatoes this way with my boys when they were little. I had the garden space for them, but this kept them a little more interested. ‘Can we put another layer on, yet? Can we put another layer on, yet?’ LOL!

Potato Tire Towers: An Ingenious Way To Maximize Your Potato Harvest

https://morningchores.com/potato-tire-towers/

[metmom]

Considering world events, a victory garden is a wise choice.

Growing ANYTHING is better than growing nothing.

By next week, the forecast is for so mild that I’ll be able to leave my seedlings out overnight, protected from the mice, of course.

[metmom]

This guy has good suggestions for pest control for stuff like wasps and yellowjackets that leaves the beneficial insects alone.

Arrow Pest Service

Most Effective Pest Control Treatment Nobody Talks About!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A95_fp_rlu8&t=1290s

24 minutes

[Liz]

Maple Roasted Baby Carrots / Simple tasty side.
Oven roasted baby carrots smothered in sweet maple glaze. Easy, delicious and totally addictive.

Ing 20 baby carrots 2 tbl melted butter ¼ c maple syrup 1 tbl ea br/sugar/whole
grain mustard tsp apple cider vinegar ¼ tsp cracked black pepper Flaky sea salt

Method Foil-line rimmed b/sheet. Chop off carrot tops, leaving a little tuft. Wash and dry well. Peel if desired. Layer in pan, carrots, combined glaze ingredients – melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, wholegrain mustard, vinegar, bl/pepper, turning to coat. Bake 50-60 min turn and baste w/ glaze every 15 min; cook through and caramelize. Watch closely; burn easily. Set on server; sprinkle w/ sea salt.

Notes Cut larger carrots (so glaze doesn’t burn). Serve w/ slow cooked turkey breast.

[Liz]

Maple Roasted Baby Carrots / Simple tasty side.
Oven roasted baby carrots smothered in sweet maple glaze. Easy, delicious and totally addictive.

Ing 20 baby carrots 2 tbl melted butter ¼ c maple syrup 1 tbl ea br/sugar/whole
grain mustard tsp apple cider vinegar ¼ tsp cracked black pepper Flaky sea salt

Method Foil-line rimmed b/sheet. Chop off carrot tops, leaving a little tuft. Wash and dry well. Peel if desired. Layer in pan, carrots, combined glaze ingredients – melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, wholegrain mustard, vinegar, bl/pepper, turning to coat. Bake 50-60 min turn and baste w/ glaze every 15 min; cook through and caramelize. Watch closely; burn easily. Set on server; sprinkle w/ sea salt.

Notes Cut larger carrots (so glaze doesn’t burn). Serve w/ slow cooked turkey breast.

[Liz]

Vintage Farmer's Almanac poster.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Nice Bon! Summertime in Orange County and LA! Beautiful flowers, impressive Fruit! (Happy animals!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Growing options for gardeners!

Starting your plants with Seed snails. (14 Minutes)

You Tube on Seed Snails.

Something else on Growing potatoes in Boxes. Probably best for determinate potatoes! (17 Minutes) What happens when you plant your potates in cardboard boxes James Pirgioni 4

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I would LOVE to see President Trump (or any future President) find a way/reason to VOID all HOA’s so people could have veggie gardens anywhere on their own property.

I AM liking how many public schools have School Gardens for kids to grow things, and they also do this at the university level in the AG departments - I’ve bought MANY veggie seedlings through the years from those sales. A friend and I drove up to Green Bay one day for a specific tomato she wanted - this was LONG before so many varieties were available to us, commercially.

Community Gardens have really taken off, too. I have a friend that lives up north and while they have a very short growing season, he adds more raised beds to their donated property every year...and there is still a line around the block that wants one. :)

Anyhow, if I ruled the world...LOL!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I would LOVE to see President Trump (or any future President) find a way/reason to VOID all HOA’s so people could have veggie gardens anywhere on their own property.

I AM liking how many public schools have School Gardens for kids to grow things, and they also do this at the university level in the AG departments - I’ve bought MANY veggie seedlings through the years from those sales. A friend and I drove up to Green Bay one day for a specific tomato she wanted - this was LONG before so many varieties were available to us, commercially.

Community Gardens have really taken off, too. I have a friend that lives up north and while they have a very short growing season, he adds more raised beds to their donated property every year...and there is still a line around the block that wants one. :)

Anyhow, if I ruled the world...LOL!

[Pollard]

Starting tonight, we've got a week of rain coming. Inch tonight will be the heaviest and the rest will be on and off, showers etc. The ground is dry so we need it but it will be in the 70s the whole time and will kick off Spring as far as plants and bugs are concerned.

Here's a folder with about a dozen PDFs of basic gardening info - https://cloud.farmwp.com/index.php/s/2qCzgYjRrwD79mD

• Companion Planting Chart
• Composing at Home
• Continuous Harvest
• Deciding What to Plant in Your Garden
• Garden Journal
• Garden Planning Worksheet
• Gardening 101
• Growing Vegetables in Home Gardens
• Introduction to Permaculture by Bill Mollison - full 155 pages
• Planning the Vegetable Garden
• Raised Bed Gardening

[Pollard]

Cool
Cool

I didn’t double post. Seems like something’s a little broken on FR. Lot’s of double posts and I’m getting security warnings and Try Again pages.