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.
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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.
15 Tips for Gardening in Small Spaces
(Epic Gardening)
Don’t have a lot of room? Don’t worry! You can still create an amazing garden, whether it’s on your porch or on a balcony in the city. In this article, gardening expert Kelli Klein shares her top tips for gardening in limited space.
Microgreens and Windowsill Gardens
Patio/Deck Container Gardening
Raised Bed Garden
Succession Sowing
Companion Planting
Vertical Gardening
Be Purposeful with Perennials
Edible Flowers
Season Extension
Improve The Soil
Dwarf Varieties
Community Gardens
Lawn Removal
Grow What You Like to Eat
Square Foot Gardening
Final Thoughts
https://www.epicgardening.com/gardening-small-spaces/
Great post......thx.
So CUTE! I set that as my computer background for the month. Love it! :)
That’s quite a wind you had! I hope there was no shingle/roof damage & it’s not a problem finding someone to get the chimney cap back up.
For the first time since we moved to this house, the wind was so strong & coming from a direction that was causing the vent for the gas cooktop hood to bang open & shut. The vent is a problem because it has been letting in air ... very cold air in the winter. My brother figured out where the vent is on the outside wall; however, at the time, we had the fragile slate roof & he couldn’t get to the vent without getting on the roof.
I have cut cardboard pieces that fit just under the vent grates on the hood to keep the cold air out - this means that I have to remove the cardboard to use the gas cooktop. Mom is afraid of the gas so I bought her an electric hot plate & that is what we use. I need the gas cooktop for canning - now that we have a shingle roof, the vent can be checked out. I guess I will have to do it - it’s just above the gutters so not too high (I don’t manage heights well). It may be ‘sticking’ from grease & need cleaning or it may need replacing (it looks rusty). This is on the “to do” list, near the top.
Lots of tree debris down - the trees on our property are very old - the Pileated woodpeckers have pecked big holes into the hollow spaces in a couple of the trees. I absolutely love our place, but if I had to name one thing I don’t like, it’s the wind we get. We’re up on a knoll & that makes it worse.
"Sunday Night
Windy and colder with periods of rain, freezing rain and sleet, changing to all snow. The snow may be heavy at times. Some sleet and ice accumulations are possible. Snow accumulation is likely with blowing and drifting of snow. Wind: N 20-25 MPH, with gusts to 45"
Some predictions are of the storm splitting and going both north and south of us. I could live with that! But, it's not officially 'Springtime in Wisconsin' without snow-covered Robins and Tulips! :)
This sounds truly awful, but it gets a 5-star review!
Cauliflower “Potato” Salad
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/267246/low-carb-cauliflower-mock-potato-salad/
No, Thanks! I’ll just cut back on calories somewhere else that day so I can have REAL potatoes in my Potato Salad! ;)
Looks pretty good. Should just call it "Cauliflower Salad."
Well, that will keep you Springthinking fer sure! 😁🐶☘️🐶😁
I doubt hummingbirds would head south. A couple years ago I had 3 feeders going during the day. One outside, one inside thawing out, and another ready to go. Had to replace the feeder every 15-20 minutes...and the h-birds would wait. And, they would be out there first thing in the a.m. too...all fluffed up to stay warm.
Subbing cauliflower for potatoes is a biggy in the low carb world. I used to make cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes ... if you add enough cheese & butter, it was good LOL. I never made cauliflower potato salad & likely never will.
Recuperating from a stomach ‘bug’ yesterday. From 5 am, three hours of abject misery then another couple hours of discomfort & wiped out all afternoon. Today is bananas, rice, bone broth, a little chicken & chamomile tea .... making sure all is ‘calm’ & stays that way! Norovirus is going around, but that’s not what I had, thank goodness.
>>I am IGNORING the pending snowstorm and THINKING SPRING!
Good for you!
We have a brown bunny in the yard eating peanuts along with the squirrels, cardinals and blue jays. Waiting for the raccoons to show up as a sign of spring.
I’m just now catching up on the garden thread. On Wednesday I made pot roast for dinner, and I have some HUGE russets that I got from Costco and needed to start using, so I made mashed potatoes with them. I used my potato ricer that was a Christmas gift, and they were some of the best mashed taters I’ve ever made. Hubby raved over them, but the truth is I often make great mashed potatoes, so his raving was a bit of a surprise. They were soft and fluffy. I don’t usually use russets for mashing, almost always used baby red skins, but I might have to start using them this way.
IMO a potato ricer makes a big difference - I have one & use it when making mashed potatoes. You get a really nice, smooth texture with a ricer.
I have always said that if you can read, you can cook!
My mom used to tell me that I cooked like a scientist. She’s right. I do, because I used to do research, where everything you did was measured. Old habits die hard. Most of the time, I do measure, even if it’s just in my hand.
Are wood bees the same as borer bees? We used traps for those. They can get in, but can’t get out.
It was a great texture. I’ve never had a problem making great mashed taters, and in a way, this was more work, or at least more to clean up, but yeah, worth that extra effort!
We are on a big hill lots of old trees so yes wind is a problem. I do have a friend of ours who will get the chimney cap on and look for damage. Have not checked for any down trees, he can do that with the atv. They are coming tomorrow for a Lenten lunch.
At least it doesn’t have kale.
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