Posted on 05/01/2026 6:24:57 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.
Prediction - you will be deluged with peppers.
Wonderful!
Good Girl!🐶🏆
CONGRATULATIONS on and TO Emma!!!! As they say, “That dog can hunt!”
And a most Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers of furless two footers and furred four footers. And a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers of all of our FReepers - to those we are still blessed to have and to those we were blessed to have had. Happy Mother’s Day to all of them and Thank You for raising us.
Family - Mother Jean - Jane Olivor
https://youtu.be/mOSxamDBwsc
And two mothers of friends I encouraged to make videos of THEIR mother.
GUEST - Tricia’s Mother - Oh You Beautiful Doll - By Tricia
https://youtu.be/gEq65zSCrKw
GUEST - Wendy’s Mother - People - Barbra Streisand - by Wendy
https://youtu.be/OBfWnbzO2iI
If that happens then I will be freezing and sharing and coming up with new recipes for them!
Yesterday, I didn’t get to work outside as much as I had hoped. My day came to an abrupt end when I was stung by a wasp. I am allergic to them, and to yellow jackets. One had set up a home in my outdoor storage chest where I keep a few hand tools for easy access. As soon as I opened the lid, I was stung on my middle finger near the base. I immediately when into action to wash it, but the venom works faster. I took Benadryl and Pepcid AC right away (works on both histamine receptors). I never had trouble breathing, but the swelling kicked in. So my hand is really swollen, some pain. I’m using my left hand now for typing.
I might have to go to a walk in clinic. We’ll see.
I was really getting started on cleaning up an area of the yard where it needs some good attention. It needs a general cleanup. It’s the section where I do my potting. I was hoping to get it organized this weekend. Progress will be slow, but I think I’ll be able to do some work out there today if the weather holds. Still icing this thing. At least I can move my fingers some still. It’s hard to make a fist.
Congrats on Emma Jolene, and have a fun day with your Mom!
I have been trying to find a peony that either is or close to our gorgeous dark “raspberry” colored peonies. The two with ‘Raspberry’ in their name, Raspberry Charm & Raspberry Sundae, aren’t even close.
This morning I came across “Felix Crousse” & that might be the one.
https://search.brave.com/images?q=Felix+Crousse+Peony&source=web
Some of the FC pics show a more red flower, some are a little lighter, but some are “right on”. I will try to get a decent picture with accurate color & post it later. My phone camera does not do color very well.
The lighter pink peonies are now blooming along with the “Raspberry” ones. I need more peony bushes - just love them!
In case you’re interested in this.....
It’s very simple and inexpensive.
KILL ALL Yellowjackets And Wasps For 1/2 Mile. Safe For Honey Bees!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XTSgRtcwh0
(Arrow Pest Service)
Thank you! Much obliged!
Here are several paragraphs I recently wrote in a discussion including dangers of Hanta Virus and possible Big Phama vaccine and my answers to several questions asked there:
“Once when volunteering at the MASH tent for a large wilderness campout, a woman was suffocating from effects of being stung in the neck by 3 yellow jackets. She foolishly forgot to bring her bee allergy kit with her. Her eyes were also swollen shut, and her body was puffy all over. I crushed 10 1 gram C tablets mixed with a large glass of water. She drank it all and in 20 minutes her eyes were open, she was breathing normally, and the body swelling was going down. Over the next 8 hours I gave her 5 grams an hour until she told me to go home and leave her with the C bottle. the next day she and friends walked out the 3 miles to their car. She never had any overdose symptoms with more than 50 grams in 9 hours, so I hope some smart folks will try this cure when they are desperate.
What is eminently probable, totally ignored and propagandized against, is the likelihood that high dose intravenous Vitamin C with oral zinc (the Virus killer) on the side might help save a lot of lives of people with Hanta Virus, and especially those hemorrhagic fever illnesses like Ebola. Dr. Robert Cathcart has treated more than 10,000 people that way using as much as 100 grams IV a day, or even as high as 200 grams. Burning urine, acid farts, and diarrhea are signs that too much is being given. In those cases a small reduction in amount used is recommended.
Here is the link on uses of Vitamin C in high doses for many conditions including stress, surgery, and trauma. it is one of several found by entering “Dr. Robert Cathcart and Vitamin C” on the URL line.
https://visionearth.org/downloads/Cathcart-vitamin-c-titrating.pdf
This is described as Titrating to Bowel Tolerance using both oral and intravenous administration. The link is in the form of numbered printed pages in two columns. Near the end of text is important information on self protection if hospitalized and customarily use higher doses of C on a regular basis. There are 32 References, including several more articles by Dr. Cathcart. Older articles by Dr. Klenner are listed. I treated the yellow jacket sufferer 35 years ago based on reading his research saving lives from Black Widow Spider and Rattlesnake bites. Guessed successfully that if it could save those people, it should work for Yellow Jacket stings.
I have multiple respiratory allergies, so for over 50 years have been taking 6 to 8 grams a day. On the rare occasions when I get sick, a day or two with up to 24 grams a day spaced out usually gets rid of the problem.”
If you have questions about this use of Vitamin C for healing, feel free to PM me for specific suggestions or thoughts. I once tried to find the LD-50 for Vitamin C, but could only find data on rats. LD-50 means Lethal Dose for 50% of subjects. LD-50 for rats was 2 ounces, so I figure for me it would be 2 pounds, basically an impossible amount to consume. See the link provided for other cautions, especially on treating Cancer.
I am NOT consuming two pounds at one sitting. 🍊
I take 1 gram every day, but time released. I can’t see the harm in doubling up for a few days.
Thanks for that link. It’s pretty interesting!
Yes....Vit C is so very useful...even can cure Sepsis (IV Marik sepsis protocol). We have a doc who recommends hi dose every hour for many ailments. I keep a reminder posted on our fridge.
To What is HAT sepsis protocol? BRAVE search summarizer gives:
HAT therapy for sepsis is a metabolic resuscitation protocol combining hydrocortisone, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), and thiamine to address cellular dysfunction and oxidative stress in septic patients. The standard adult intravenous dosing regimen consists of hydrocortisone 50 mg every 6 hours, ascorbic acid 1500 mg every 6 hours, and thiamine 200 mg every 12 hours.
The therapy aims to improve outcomes by:
Restoring glucocorticoid receptor function through ascorbic acid’s antioxidant effects, allowing hydrocortisone to better manage inflammation.
Providing high-dose Vitamin C (up to 6000 mg/day) to counteract the "acute scurvy"-like depletion of antioxidants seen in sepsis.
Supporting cellular energy production and mitigating mitochondrial dysfunction with thiamine.
While early observational studies, such as Dr. Paul Marik’s 2016 report, suggested significant mortality reductions, subsequent meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials indicate that while HAT therapy may improve SOFA scores and reduce vasopressor duration, it has not consistently demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in hospital or 28-day mortality."
To the last point I would reply that the "Observational Study" that I looked at does not actually observe the HAT protocol and includes studies that just give Ascorbic Acid or just Thiamine, or 2 of the three and equates it with the HAT protocol, so is not an "Honest" observational study, it appears to just be designed to discredit the protocol.
Had a great day of Brewer Baseball! Lots of walking, but that’s good for us! The Johnsonville Brat Party Deck was fantastic and the food was really good. Brats, burgers, chicken tenders, mac-n-cheese, pasta salad, regular salad and cookies. We never even took our seats - watched the game from the ‘cushy’ chairs on the Party Deck. Such luxury!
Brewers pulled off a three-game sweep, today. They won Friday and Saturday, too. First against the (hated!) Yankees since 1989! Historic, for sure!
“MILWAUKEE (AP) — Brice Turang homered off David Bednar with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers completed a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees with a 4-3 victory Sunday.
Bednar (1-3) struck out Joey Ortiz and Jackson Chourio to start the ninth before Turang hit a 411-foot drive over the center-field wall for his first big league walk-off homer.
Milwaukee had not swept the Yankees in a series of at least three games since August 1989. The Brewers improved their interleague record since 2022 to a major league-best 116-65. They are 14-7 against American League teams and 8-9 against National League squads this season.”
Bus trip there and back was comfortable and uneventful. Two small traffic jams, but we always kept moving. We had a great tour guide - funny guy, very personable.
The stadium is SO well organized and relatively easy to navigate. The escalator to the second deck was a god-send for Mom and Sis who both have bad knees.
A Good Time was had by all. It was a fun Mother’s Day and they made a big fuss over Moms all throughout the game.
I’m happy to report that I’m on the mend! I can make a fist without pain now! The swelling is dissipating. Hooray! Thanks for your tip. I’m sure that extra C made things go a bit smoother today.
(Typing with my right hand again!) 😃
Hooray! I’m glad to hear you had so much fun today!
One of the best anti-inflammatories found is CoQ10.
Have put it on bruises starting and on sprained ankles and on edema-swelled ankles and feet in family members. It can even be used on receding or infected gums.
Get the capsules that have the stuff that looks like jelly or egg white inside, crack open half a dozen, and apply the goo to the problem area. Can mix w oil or aloe vera to smooth out.
When I have done so, in some cases could see swelling go down almost in real-time. Not saying I have found it to work on everything, but almost. It is a nutritional supplement, found mostly in meat protein and egg, and needed by the body.
Heh, my “pain”* is reduced too, except our darn cat woke me up with pain by sinking her claws into my leg. (She wanted to go out, at 1 a.m.!)
*I will post further, “tomorrow”, about a muscle pain issue I’ve been having.
A note to all, while I’m considering what post midnight snack will put me back to sleep best (I hit the sack early, so, at least there is that. ):
Our Menards is having an excellent sale on Bonnies’ tomato plants in 4.5” pots. IIRC, it comes out to under $2.50 per plant after the 11% Menards rebate. I did not get a chance to look carefully to see if more than tomato plants were involved, as I forgot they (our Menards) closes at 8 pm on Sundays, now, and I walked into the Garden Center, from the main store, right at 8 pm: I pretty quickly got chased out!
The sale only runs through May 13, 2026.
.
.
Unknown is whether this sale is only in “our” store. It wasn’t in the flyer.
I need more tomato plants like a hole in the head, but, if they have a variety I really want to try out, well, these plants looked quite well developed (for 4.5” pots). Now, what other reason do I still have left to go to town, given I’ll likely only have our Tahoe available the next several days... The new stocking of “put and take” (keeper size) catfish in the city lake a few miles away?
;-)
Baked Broccoli and Wild Rice / easily doubled for party
Ing 6 oz box UNCLE BEN'S® long grain and wild rice (long cooking)
1/2 lb fresh sliced mushrooms 10 oz box frozen chp broccoli 10 oz shredded Monterey Jack
METHOD Layer in b/dish rice, mushrooms, broccoli, cheese. Bake 350 deg 20 min to melt cheese.
PREP Saute mushrooms, butter, gar/salt. Cook rice as per pkg. Cook frozen broccoli as per pkg.
Chef's Tip: can add cooked carrot bits.
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