Posted on 09/01/2026 5:40:17 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.
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Heh, never heard that one before!
We have no breeze here this afternoon. I have a spare box fan in the shed: I should set it out and see if our (free range) chickens like it. I can lure them over with some popcorn.
We are at that time of year where preventing heat stress takes most of your time. Making my 1/2 pink lemonade / 1/2 Gatorade mix; drinking said mix; more frequent restroom runs from drinking so much mix...
It’s always great to find a lost pet who is ok. (Well, almost always, but that’s a different story!)
According to Brave Search:
- - - - - - -
Skunks are not fully immune to yellow jacket venom, but they are highly resistant and can tolerate stings effectively.
Physical Defense: Their thick fur provides significant protection against stings, allowing them to dig into nests with relative ease.
Behavioral Adaptation: Skunks often raid nests at night when yellow jackets are less active and work quickly to consume larvae before they can mount a significant defense.
Venom Tolerance: While some sources suggest immunity, evidence indicates skunks are resistant rather than completely immune, though they rarely suffer fatal reactions from yellow jacket stings.
Dietary Role: They are major predators of subterranean yellow jacket nests, feeding primarily on the high-protein larvae and pupae rather than the adult wasps.
A Question:
Has anyone used liquid plant food such as the Miracle Grow “Bloom Booster” blue crystals mixed into water as a foliar spray, and how did it work? Faster than ground application?
Another Question:
When using garden fertilizer with Mycorrhizae in it, for established plants, in some cases I might be able to remove a little soil above the roots, and mix new soil with the Mycorrhizae but, I’m sure I do not want to disturb the roots. However, the Mycorrhizae is usually killed by sunlight, and/or too much warmth, and needs moist conditions. Maybe apply it and then add some mulch or light soil or potting soil? Then water in a “shower” pattern, fairly normally, around the base of the plant, I am guessing with cool but not cold water?
I have a friend that lives in Arizona and he calls me every February to brag about eating his home grown tomatoes.
He’s really NOT a very good friend, LOL!
You’re in Zone 7?
Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Kale, Lettuce, Spinach and Peas!
Thanks for the Head’s Up on Walmart Clearance. I will probably stop at mine on Friday when Mom and I are out bumming around.
I never recommend a foliar spray of fertilizer, except in the case of roses as they will take up nutrition through their leaves as well as their roots, or if you are using a copper spray for diseases, usually on tomatoes for blight.
It’s just too risky - if it’s a hot, sunny day, you can burn the leaves - the water droplets act as a magnifying glass. And ANY plant that has ‘hairy’ leaves does NOT like it when their leaves get wet. Tomatoes, Geraniums, immediately come to mind. And, yes. I know, you can’t stop the rain and that’s WHY our tomato plants end up looking like the ‘Redheaded Step-Child’ in a very wet season. ;)
If you spray too late in the day, or if it’s overcast, wet leaves when your plants ‘go to bed’ is a recipe FOR fungal diseases.
I am 100% against the Miracle Grow (or whatever) brand of foliar sprayers. A waste of time and money, IMHO. And you’re just asking for trouble.
Overhead watering with a sprinkler is no good, either. Water your plants at the BASE so the water and fertilizer goes where it needs to be - to the roots! Yes, it takes more time, but you can also talk to your veggie plants and check them out for diseases and insect problems while you do. I have 16 raised beds. It takes me about 45 minutes to water everyone - depending upon how ‘chatty’ I am with my plants that day. ;)
Re: Mycorrhizae (Never have used the stuff) AI Says:
“The best application practices for mycorrhizae include applying them at the beginning of a plant’s life, during planting or transplanting, and ensuring direct contact with the roots for effective colonization. Mixing the inoculant with soil or compost before planting, or applying it directly to the planting hole, can enhance results.”
Follow me for more strong opinions on what you should or should NOT be doing in the garden, LOL! :)
Like 'em all, except for cabbage. No idea why. Heh.
What about turnips and parsnips, if I plant the seeds by mid-to-late this month?
I just finished up canning up my tomatoes.
Because of the heat, I put a very lightweight floating row cover over the top of my tomato cages using clothes pins to hold it on. The tomatoes that were protected like that overall looked far better than usual. I think it helped control the blight as well.
Call him in July and ask him how his garden and tomatoes are doing.
In AZ, I can’t imagine anything is growing but cactus.
I think part of the reason they did better is the floating row covers keep the dew off the plants which is a big factor in the blight.
I've always had a thing about tomatoes. Liking them raw and no other way. All right I'll cook em and squish em if that means not wasting them. Still sort of seems like a sin.
What about pasta sauce? :-)
This info says turnips can be seeded in September in Zone 7, so I’d think seeding parsnips would be fine, too.
https://www.plantsbyzone.com/plants/turnips/zone-7
Heavy dew is a much greater factor here than rain, in summer especially. I often go out at noon and some plants are still wet. Yes, our humidity is that bad...
Some of my crazy tall cannas are having serious trouble with some sort of leaf disease, and they get more sun, due to their height, than anything else in front of the house, all the way to the road. :-(
But, yeah, I don’t spray dry (on their outer surface) leaves before hot sun and I water at plant bases in the a.m. even if they are still wet with dew. I figured if I used a foliar spray around dawn, when the plants were sopping wet anyway, the moisture issues were irrelevant. (?)
Your search result for Mycorrhizae is essentially the same as mine. It has a shelf life, so basically I want to get the colony started soon, around existing plants, as part of it should survive the winter here, once it is several inches deep. I guess I’ll try applying “on top” and mulching and see what happens! I’ll report back! :-)
Thanks, Pete!
Oh, yes. I torture him when MY tomatoes come in, too. ;)
Outstanding, many thanks for the info!
Sheesh! Our updated forecast from NWS-Paducah is 3 days starting today of high temps @ 98 deg. F and sunny, little breeze. Saturday is 97 deg. with a 16% chance of a t-storm. High temps VERY gradually reduce to 94 deg. by next Tuesday. Lows are forecast in the mid 70’s. Overall, this is about 10-15 deg. above normal in this area. Our friends in Arkansas get it even hotter AND more humid...
Invest in Gatorade...
I’d love that for my garden - in the front yard.
But, those statues are extremely expensive. Had two small ones that eventually fell apart - and those are now in the $200 each range. That one must be over $1,000.
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