The Victory Garden Thread - April, 2026

April 1, 2026 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[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.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

My favorite ‘spray-less’ apple is the ‘Liberty.’ It’s awesome! There is also ‘Enterprise’ and ‘Freedom’ in the series of spray-less apples.

Great idea on suggesting grafting, though as a long-time Garden Center Manager - we did NOT encourage that kind of behavior, LOL!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Maybe he’s watering them with salt water? LOL!

It’s sunny and 72 degrees year round where he lives. Tomatoes like it much, much warmer.

I can attest to that - I lived about 20 miles SOUTH of where he lives and we had the same weather. And it rained ONCE in the two years I lived there. Around Christmastime. My neighbors thought I was nuts to be out in it, but I missed rain so much!

Also - the stores are filled with winter coats, hats, mittens and gloves come November - and I was still in flip flops and shorts - over my bathing suit, LOL! I usually had the pool to myself all winter.

Weaklings. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Mom! Ping to Post #66 in case you missed it.

Murrie: Here are some ideas from ‘The Spruce’ website. In the late summer I have problems with WASPS on my Hummingbird feeders, so I just end up taking them down. The Hummers are leaving my area anyway at that time.

9 Easy Ways to Keep Bees From Invading Your Hummingbird Feeder Without Harming Them

https://www.thespruce.com/bees-in-hummingbird-feeder-11773328

[ansel12]

Except that I lived there and grew incredible tomatoes, I grew one 16 feet high and 12 feet wide, building supports like a cross on my roof for it, there was a cherry tomato volunteer that faced the alley which I never interfered with, it either lived or died on its own, and I picked cherry tomatoes of of that plant for a decade after it mysteriously appeared, and it was alive when I left.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“I hadn’t been there in over 50 years and was able to drive straight to it. How is that even possible?”

I could still find my childhood home in Milwaukee without a map. Of course, I probably don’t want to go all alone as a White Girl in a 100% Hispanic neighborhood, now!

When I was growing up we were all Eastern Europeans with the occasional Jewish family thrown in for good measure, LOL!

I still remember my childhood phone number (!!!)543-0623. Mom drilled that into us.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks, Pollard! Very informative and useful, as always! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Maybe BIL is just a doofus about tomatoes? LOL! He tends to over-think things, so that may be part of the issue. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

April Gardening Tips and Tasks for Every Planting Zone and Region

https://morningchores.com/april-gardening-tips/

Zone 5

If you’re anxious to get plants in the ground, this is the month for you in planting zone five. You’ll be busy transplanting crops you’ve previously started indoors while also sowing cool weather crops.

Here’s your list of to-do’s in planting zone five:

Sow lettuce and spinach seeds directly into your garden

Transplant tomato plants outdoors if they’re protected with an insulator

Uh, nope! Too much bother and too much to worry about. Tomatoes and peppers go in the end of MAY in my garden. Spinach and Lettuces are doing great in the unheated greenhouse. :)

[ansel12]

He might be leaving out some detail that he isn’t aware of or doesn’t want to try and overcome.

I wonder if anyone will notice my mention of a 16 foot tomato plant?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Don’t Throw Out Old Tea Leaves Until You Try These 5 Uses for Stronger, Healthier Plants

https://www.thespruce.com/ways-to-use-tea-leaves-in-your-garden-11929118

1. Add loose tea leaves directly into your soil: This can help boost nitrogen levels in your soil. This is particularly great for acid-loving plants like roses.

2. Watering your plants: For plants that need a little extra boost, make sure to brew a second cup of tea with your used tea leaves. This will make the resulting brew slightly weaker, which is great for watering your plants that may need a boost of nitrogen or acidity. “I usually do this with my indoor plants since a single cup of tea won’t go far outside,” explains Chastain.

3. Pest deterrent: Peppermint or mint tea leaves and brewed tea can act as a natural deterrent for pests like ants and spiders. Their strong scent and menthol content can help keep these creepy crawlies away. Simply scatter the leaves around your plants, or brew them and let the water cool to be used as a spray.

4. Retain moisture in potted plants: Loose leaf teas can be placed in the bottom of your pots to help retain moisture. “I usually do this with porch pots,” says Chastain. They also have the added benefit of improving soil structure.

5. Prevent plant fungal infections: If you’re looking to fight off fungus, a cup of chamomile tea is a great trick. Simply create a weak brew, let it cool, and then add it to a spray bottle to mist your plants.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Mom likes Dr. Jim’s ‘Chicken Soup for the Soil’ and he boasts 20’ tomato plants - and taller! ;)

[ansel12]

When I called the nurseries they said it wasn’t rare and that many people get much taller ones but I had never known that, in Houston I was used to seeing 4 and 5 foot plants, where I’m at now people think my 9 footers are huge.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

So, you’re no fan of Determinate-type tomatoes, I take it? LOL!

[ansel12]

Not by design but I’m learning to avoid them, last year I was still getting some ripe tomatoes in early January and picked a huge batch of various shades of green before the first fatal freeze, a couple of cold nights had killed leaves but the plants survived those and kept producing.

Oddly enough, about 2 or 3 weeks ago I saw a few cherry tomatoes laying loose in the outdoor pot from the last season plant and they looked edible, they were round and firm and normal so I ate one, I don’t get how they remained edible throughout the winter and just sitting loose on the dirt, maybe they had been really green and slowly ripened through the winter months.

From leaving my pepper, tomato, and squash plants in the ground until winter killed them and they died and dried up, I did learn something about what scavengers are seeking in dead winter farm fields described in situations like WWII, there remains some low grade but edible vegetables, edible long after what we would think to harvest.

[Pollard]

Four acres is a lot without engine powered machines. I've followed a few market gardeners on youtube that use all the push/pull human powered tools and when they hit their mid 40s, they figure out they can't do it much longer or at least don't want to. It goes from a good work out to just hard work.

Kinda sad to see them when it happens. They have a look of fear and loathing and desperation. One guy is now mostly a podcaster. Another, Jean-Martin Fortier of Canada who wrote a book on market gardening now trials/hocks motorized equipment.

[Liz]

Watta yummy meal......

[Pollard]

With the exception of the garden carts and that green kneeler, it's all stuff I've researched for myself. I'll probably be getting one of those kneeler/seat combos. Will probably get a seeder too and I like the Hoss one. Seems to be a decent all purpose unit, heavy duty and I like the old wheel hoe design.

Need to get a new hoe tomorrow. I turned mine into a pointed hoe this morning. Worked good for making a little furrow to plant onion sets into. It was a cheap one.

Thought about the paperpot transplanter when sticking onions in. Even sets as opposed to seed starting might be worth sticking in the paper pots if you were planting 2-300. Spend less than an hour putting them in the paper pots with some soil mix, compost or even straight peat. Spend less than another hour dragging the transplanter and never have to kneel. Onion sets are cheap and you wouldn't have that space taken up starting from seed in trays. Buy them, stick in pots, transplant into ground - 264 onions from purchase to planted in half a day. There are 264 pots in a tray/coil.

Guess I'll go get my seed potatoes in the ground. My neighbor buddy has a small disc harrow made for an ATV. Need to see if I can borrow it. I can use that with middle two blades removed to hill up the potatoes.

[MomwithHope]

Bees, a lot depends on if you have a hive nearby. My feeder does not have bee guards but I don’t have much of a problem. Try a hanging feeder with “bee guards”. They are yellow and work great.

[MomwithHope]

Yes Chicken Soup for the soil is the best.

[numberonepal]

I’ll take some of those April showers please.