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.

[Paul R.]

Quick question: I see numerous recipes calling for marinades incorporating both some form of vinegar AND baking soda. Either is a meat tenderizer, but wouldn’t using both just sort of cancel them out?

[Qiviut]

Fortunately, we have a river & half a mile of mostly pasture between us & the base of the mountain ridge that was on fire in ‘24. Embers could get across the river, but there’s not much ‘fuel’ in the pastures.

A couple hundred trees sounds like a job for a logging company, if they’re the right kind of trees.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ve never added baking soda to a marinade - not even on game meat. You’d think I’d know that by now, but the way I usually cook game is low and snow and that seems to make it fork/butter knife tender.

How to Tenderize Meat With Baking Soda

Since baking soda won’t penetrate a steak like a marinade will, it’s best to use this technique on thinner cuts (about a half-inch thick). You can also stir the baking soda solution into ground beef before shaping burger patties or cooking for taco or sloppy Joe filling. Here’s how to do it:

Mix with water: To prepare steak, in a bowl, stir together ½ cup water and 1 teaspoon baking soda until the baking soda dissolves. You’ll need 1 teaspoon baking soda per 12 ounces of steak.

Let it soak: Add the steak to the bowl to submerge. Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Rinse and pat dry: After soaking the steak, rinse well under running water. Pat dry with paper towels, then season and cook as desired.

Sprinkle and stir: To prepare ground beef, stir 1/2 teaspoon baking soda into 1 pound of ground beef. Season and cook as desired.

https://www.allrecipes.com/baking-soda-meat-tenderizer-8642255

I didn’t answer your question, but I learned a little something, today! :)

[MomwithHope]

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[Paul R.]

:-)

[Pollard]

A couple hundred trees sounds like a job for a logging company, if they’re the right kind of trees.

Not many places out here that haven't been logged in the past few decades. I don't have any timber value here. Lots of small trees and several big gnarly things. Years worth of firewood. I'm hoping I can talk my neighbor into selling me his old track loader. I could do it at my leisure and do earthworks/grading as I go. I could hire a dozer but then it would be all at once or half at a time. Too much firewood all at once. Would cost a fortune to have a dozer come out a bunch of times to do it a little at a time.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

'Sugaring' has begun! Even with the early warm up, then cool down, Beau was able to tap enough trees to get about 30 gallons of sap for his syrup making. That will make about a quart, but we have quite the stockpile of syrup from better years.

Over the winter he made himself a new evaporator with a kit from a 55 gallon metal barrel. It fired right up and he's starting the cook-down process today.

Earlier today we took a trip to Menard's for mulch as they had it on sale for $1.69 a bag! Score! We bought 14 bags. I also got two large bags of potting mix, so I treated Beau to lunch for all of that lugging of bags at Fiesta Cancun for Fish Tacos. He had Shrimp Fajitas - he doesn't share my lust for Fish Tacos for some reason. Nobody really does, LOL!

Rainy day, a little cooler than it's been, but it ain't SNOW! I've also decided to get my tomato cages placed in the beds so I can see 'who' is going 'where' and I am going to TAG MY CAGES this season so there are no mistakes when I have help with the planting. This will also show me where I'll be able to tuck in onions, kale, lettuces, broccoli and this and that.

[Pollard]

The rectangle hole in the 20x20 enclosure is 12" W x 8-3/4" H. Pulled the touch screen out of the non-weatherproof enclosure I had it in which was not deep enough for anything else. The touch screen requires a hole 12" x 9-1/2" H so all I needed to do is make the hole a little taller.

Figured out what the round holes with four notches are. Oiltight push button switches. Have no idea what the oiltight means. Feel free to mash the button with your oil covered fingers? All I know is that they run $150-$250 so I will NOT be filling the holes with them.

The dia of the circle is 7/8" which is standard 1/2" electrical fitting knockout. There are all sorts of things to fit a 7/8" aka 22mm hole. Push button switches and indicator lights in various colors, some with graphics or words like forward/reverse start/stop, on/off, an arrow that can face left, right, up, down. I found a 10 pack of gray hole plugs with threads and nut for $13. That'll work for now.

Face arrows down for closing the sides asap? Good looking switch, I will say.

Back panel insert for mounting components is supposed to be here Saturday. It's in Olathe, KS coming via USPS and if it doesn't get here until Mon, that's fine. Meanwhile I got the door cut out and touch screen mounted. I laid the components in there it looks like it will work. A drawing can be deceiving. "It worked on paper"

[Diana in Wisconsin]

LOL! It ALWAYS works on paper!

I’ll get back to you once I have things plotted out in my garden...for reals! For now - it’s ALL on paper.

Goodnight, Gadget Guy! ;)

[Qiviut]

65 today & showers - grass is really happy. Tomorrow will be 52 & sunny. The ‘problem’ is tonight & tomorrow night will be mid to upper 20’s, then nights are above freezing again.

The hostas have leafed out & per research, the below freezing temps can cause leaf damage, so they will get moving blankets. I have small wire trash cans from the dollar store that I think I can work in between the plants ( they are very thick) to keep the blankets from crushing the leaves.

I cut across the lawn to check on the lilac I planted last fall - it is beginning to leaf out. To my surprise, it has a tiny, sweet panicle started already! I love lilacs & this one is supposed to be a beauty in bloom;however, I didn’t really expect blooms this first year after planting. The low temps could kill the panicle so I have a large trash can that might fit over the bush & if it doesn’t fit, I’ll just have to keep my fingers crossed the panicle survives ... it’s still somewhat tight & not fully bloomed out. Seeing the new lilac trying to bloom made my day!

[posterchild]

My local walmart sells ‘Lavender’ potted plants from bonnieplants.com. Does anyone know if these are the more palatable ‘English Lavender’ or one of the other varieties (French, Portugese, etc)?

[FamiliarFace]

Yesterday I had some time to go outside and check to see how things were doing. It was a very pretty day, sunny and breezy, high near 80, so I wore a sleeveless top and shorts. First I refilled all the bird feeders that were almost emptied from my week away. Next I checked each of the garden areas.

Anything that had come up just before St. Patrick’s Day bit the dust. Blossoms froze and fell away. The tarragon that had already sprouted up a few inches all froze and withered. I do hope it will regrow once real Spring is here. Tulip are starting to form their blossoms. The blue flag iris that I planted in the water feature are beginning to poke through, as are the hostas. The peonies are pushing up through the ground, hurray! Some daffodils bloomed after the hard freeze, so we still have some perky yellow and white blossoms to smile at. All in all, I think most things survived the sudden freeze from a week ago.

Tonight will bring another hard freeze. We had rain overnight. We’ve already reached our high for the day, 45 degrees. Tonight will get to mid 20’s again. We may even get a dusting of snow. So shorts and short sleeves quickly gave way to a comfy sweatshirt and jeans again. After being out in California where it was in the 80’s during the day, and then Oregon, where there were highs in the low 60’s, then yesterday so warm, I am not particularly thrilled about wearing winter gear again. Please come soon, real Spring!

[MomwithHope]

I made quite a study of lavender many years ago. Decided on Lavandula angustifolia: English Lavender, True Lavender. Went our local nursery and luckily found some plants with the latin name on them. Hubby grabbed some hidicote lavender, Could not talk him out of it. Very different results in flower size, and scent. I would look for the latin name Lavandula angustifolia: English Lavender, True Lavender.

[FamiliarFace]

I found this on an internet search. I have no idea if it’s true, but it might help in making a decision.

*** Bonnie Plants offers English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), specifically the Lavandula x intermedia ‘Bonnie’ hybrid, known for its fragrant, silvery foliage and deep purple blooms. The 8-inch Bonnie Plants® Lavender is visually striking and emits a delightful, relaxing aroma.***

https://oggardenonline.com/what-type-of-lavender-does-bonnie-plants-sell.html

[MomwithHope]

I don’t know what to tell you, just that the ones I bought had blooms literally twice as big. If Bonnie has a hybrid I don’t know anything about it. Internet says Home Depot sells the Bonnie lavender plants so they should be in bloom you could see for yourself.

[FamiliarFace]

I will keep my eye out for the English lavender as you suggested. I’m not worried about hybrids. I don’t have a lot of space left in my garden, unless some of the things I planted last Fall don’t make it this Spring/Summer.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

That’s the brand (Bonnie) of Lavender that I buy at my Walmart, too. I highly recommend it. Very ‘scented’ and a pretty plant. Blooms nicely when fertilized with a Bloom Booster.

I can’t keep it through the winter, but I am planting 6-9 of them this season for a number of Christmas gifts I want to make.

Lavender Sugar (for tea and topping off pastries)
Lavender Soap
Lavender Blueberry Jam

Hoping for a DRY season so my Lavender will be happy. :)

[posterchild]

Thank you all for the input. Yes, English Lavender is what my teen daughter wants for fragrance and culinary purposes but the label on the bonnie plants at walmart just said ‘Lavender.’

It’s like going to a restaurant and the menu just says ‘fish’ but nothing more specific.

Thank you for confirming the bonnie plants are fragrant and a hybrid of English lavender.

[MomwithHope]

Our in Michigan lasted several years, maybe 8 or 9. It was up against the house south facing.

[FamiliarFace]

*** It was up against the house south facing.***

So…sunny in the winter time, and maybe a little protected being near the house? I’d like to not have to replant mine if at all possible.