Posted on 04/01/2026 6:22:58 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
The MONTHLY Victory Garden 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 Victory Garden 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.
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8a and 8b currently, when I lived on the ocean in San Diego I learned that tomato plants don’t die, they are a vine and that they produce year round, year after year, now THAT is a growing zone, by no means did it apply to the county though, it only applied to the strip along the ocean.
Today is such an April Showers day. Rainy, rainy, then more rain.
Very cool. Our son, wife, and his two kids are in the SF Bay Area. We were out there 2 weeks ago for a few days. I did help my 5 yo grandson plant a shishito pepper from a starter plant. I think it will do well there. Whenever we go, I marvel at the size of succulents out there. Ginormous!
On my out and about in the yard yesterday, I saw three wild garlics growing rather largely, near the area where I have my potting bench, and a few gardening supplies in containers. These were much larger than the little ones that sprout all over my yard. Since it is somewhat near a gully where the rainwater flows on its way to lower ground, I’m sort of wondering if these were cast offs that somehow got established and took off on their own. They’re almost the size of the garlic heads that you might buy at the grocery store. I’m wondering if they’re any good for cooking or if they will be too strong.
At least, my plant id app called them wild garlic. It’s been wrong before.
Hoping to connect with other moldy oldy gardeners willing to share tips, tricks & secrets on how to cope with age related mobility/disability issues out on the garden. In recent years, I’ve transitioned to metal raised beds, added a small greenhouse, planted some perennial crops like berries, chard, rhubarb, figs, herbs, and a few select dwarf fruit trees. I’ve transitioned to some vegetable crops that work well for cut-and-come-again and succession planting. I’m looking for any ideas that curtail stooping, kneeling or groveling on the ground. Hit me with your best work-arounds that relieve the physical stress on the old body.
I planted my toilet paper tubes of peas and they seem to be taking well.
Course, these are ideal conditions for growing peas anyways but good weather for transplanting, overcast and misty/rainy.
I also started some tomatoes, romaine, and some perennial wildflowers.
I’m still waiting to see my garlic.
I'm in central Connecticut - you're a bit further north, my friend. Maybe two more weeks?
I hope so.
I got them in a bit later than usual, sometime in Oct.
In some years, when I did it earlier, they’d start to peek through even in the fall. But I got them in later so didn’t expect to see that.
My son lives near Concord NH and he’s about 10 days ahead of us in warm weather. I think he’s more a growing zone 5B and we’re a 5A.
I have it growing here. The wild garlic will not be very strong. Although in my book there is no such thing as garlic too strong.
I hear you. I am doing mostly container gardening this year. We are on a hill so the big garden, fruit trees, berries etc are all downhill a little. I got a pair on walking sticks on amazon for 20.00 a few years ago. Worth their weight in gold. I only use one when going up or down. Or bending over to reach something on the ground helps with stability. I use the spike end and just drive it into the ground a bit. Good you are keeping at it!
Hi none of your pictures are showing!
I lost five fence posts. I saw one last night and it was one of the 3.5" x 6.5' cheap ones. Lost three of those plus a couple of 5" x 8' ones that looked fine last night but were burnt off at the bottom this morning. I was needing to rework the fence for a smaller area anyway so I won't need to buy any replacement posts. Just five posts I won't have to yank out.
Tractor woes. Radiator started leaking badly from the bottom. I think the 45 year old copper tubes have become thin and brittle. Did some searching for custom radiator pricing and found out they make radiators for Yanmar tractors with 3cyl diesel. Same basic size tractor as mine and mine also has a 3cyl diesel. Went out the took measurements and it looks like the Yanmar ones can be made to work. I'd probably have to drill new mounting holes in the radiator support because I doubt they'd be the same.
When I built signs, including some for Disney, they had a specification; "All dissimilar metals must be separated by a mutually compatible material". In other words, no aluminum up against steel because both will corrode really fast. A nylon or rubber strip between them and use stainless steel bolts.
$109 and of course for that price, made in China. Same overall size, tanks top and bottom, side flanges for mounting, hoses on right side with bottom one being 90 degrees. A third small outlet which is for a hose that goes down to a lower spot and has the petcock for draining the coolant. If it holds water/coolant at 15psi, it'll work. Get that, the new thermostat and maybe try and find a place for a small overflow/recovery tank which it never came with but would be good to have. Should fix it right up. 
Those are great photos. Talk about having a green thumb! I also like the “sentries” lounging around in the last one. :_)
Oh no, sorry! They are showing up fine on my end. Have no idea why you can’t see them.
This happens to me when Albion posts photos, for some reason, they do not show up on my end, but sometimes later they do.
Let me know if they ever do appear - I hope so!
Those Jang and Earthway seeders look handy. There's an episode of Little House on the Prairie where Charles is planting corn. Poke a hole, drop a kernel down a tube and it lands in the hole, scuff with foot and stomp on it to cover it. Would work with peas and beans too. Probably even those round brassica seeds but I think the walk behind seeders work really well for those.
I'm thinking about getting a Hoss Seeder. Needs good crumbly soil but they all do really. The Hoss at $400 is cheaper than the Jang at $629 and heavier duty than the Earthway at $180. 
Transplanting doesn't have much for a work around. You can use a long auger in a cordless drill to make holes but then it's kneeling to put the plants in.
The paperpot sowing/transplanting system looks interesting but has an ongoing cost of buying the paperpots. That and the pots are 1.25" square and maximum spacing is 6" so they're only good for small plants. Asian greens and small bok choy is about the biggest. The soil has to be super nice and fluffy, else the planter struggles.
Crazy, now I see them. Never had an issue before. And you know how I look forward to your pictures. Love that little cactus with the pink flowers.
Hurray! I’ve got lettuces and spinach going in the greenhouse - I’ll do a few planters with the same in the near future.
My garden is ready to receive - but it’s still too early for me for the summer stuff. I tend to do my cool weather crops in the fall versus the spring. I have less bug damage that way.
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