Posted on 05/24/2013 3:09:29 PM PDT by greeneyes
The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly 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.
This thread is non-political, although you will find that most here are conservative folks. 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 Weekly Gardening Thread ... there is no telling where it will go and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do you have a pressure cooker? I like to can the chickens. Makes for a very quick meal. Chicken and Dumplings, Chicken Soup, Any chicken casserole. When we have a good deal on chicken, I buy an extra 20 - 40 lbs. and can them.
When Hubby and I had to live out of state during our early years when we were very very poor. Our folks, and grandparents gave us going away gifts of all sorts of foods. One granny gave us 4 cases of canned whole chickens. I found lots of ways to prepare chicken. We got about 4 meals out of each one.
It probably was the most helpful, even though my other granny gave me our favorite: Jars of homemade blackberry and grape jelly. More nutrition in the chicken, but the jelly was manna good for the soul. LOL
I am not doing a garden this year. Chemo has me so wiped out I don’t have the energy for it.
Do they give an award for an exceptional crop of weeds?
No; we don’t have a pressure cooker. We have 2 pressure cookers, and 2 pressure pots. LOL
We don’t use much jam or jelly, so make syrups & ice cream toppings instead.
Last year, we used our key to their house, and left about 15 pounds of wild plums on our friends’ kitchen counter with a note from “The Plum Fairy”. We got a call later that evening, and were told he & his wife were making plum jam, and that “if he ever got is hands on The Plum Fairy, ...”
That deserves to be said again; Not so. You are a number 1 when it comes to inspiration and entertaining posts.
My definition of a good ambulance: One that doesn't have me inside of it. That's after two rides in one day about five years ago. The second ride being a transport to a different hospital 175 miles away because the weather was too bad for the helicopter to fly me there. Not a good day. Any day without ambulances, hospitals, or doctors is a good day by my standards.
I you buy chicken in those quantities, you may can get the meat manager to make you a special price anytime. My wife asked for a price for 50lbs and got a real break over the sale price.
Those look very tasty.
I’ve got some leeks that’ve been growing in my small green house for several years now. I just keep trimming and eating the greens.
They’ve been perpetual produces along with Swiss Chard and Kale - which are so hearty even I can’t kill them.
/johnny
/johnny
Morning, had about 12 feet of rain in central Texas last night. Still raining. I know the aquifers are loving this, but how will it affect 4x4’s, one with plants and the other with seeds that are 6 days into the ground?
Welcome back.
good idea.
LOL. We have a couple of water bath canners and 2 pressure cookers;one large and one small.
I am thinking about getting another one just in case our congress critters/president decide they need to be registered and you have to have a special permit.
Well, they should. Lots of weeds are edible you know. So sorry you are not feeling well. Prayers up for you.
That’s BEAUTIFUL! Thanks for the pics!
Oh yes - ditto that on the recipe! I would also love to see the recipe for the low carb squash when Mrs. fidelis is willing to share!
“the jelly was manna good for the soul.”
I LOVE that expression! (Although as I read this now, I see that it reads “manna” instead of the “mamma” that my trifocals thought at first you said!
Either way, I like it! ;-D
ROFL!
Been busy. I join in and appreciate the prayers for the folks in Moore, Shawnee, and Oklahoma.
I have family living in Granbury, TX which was also hit recently. She is fine, but reports that there were twisters all around her property, but she and animals and property were spared. One of the hardest hit areas was about a mile down the road from her. She knows a number of the people who lost loved ones.
On Tuesday I learned that one of the members of my Tuesday Meeting has a sister in Moore who she had not heard from. I have not heard yet if the sister has been found. I have talked with several people in our area who have friends or family directly or 2nd removed who have been affected. Folks, this will hit our state big for some time to come.
Several days ago, we went to a town just north of us, and as we arrived, the sirens were blowing. We were going to go to the grocery store there. When we arrived, it was raining and crazy windy. Darlin’ let me out at the door and all the employees met me and opened the door to me and said that since the siren had blown, we were invited to come in and shelter, but there would be no shopping. Since the weather had been calm on our way to the town we opted to turn around and go home, and we did so. Fortunately, all our immediate area was spared, including the town where the sirens had blown.
But it was a pretty heart racing time for sure!
~~~
On a little happier note, this has been a busy week! I’m learning so much! I have elected to do most of my gardening in pots this year, with a small patch containing my sunflowers and okra (which are doing well btw.) Marcella, I can appreciate your comment about “seed murder!” I am finding that I get attached to my seedlings as well! It is the darndest thing!
We were delighted to see that the cana bulb which we planted last year is coming up again!
I planted one of the packages of asparagus by digging the trenches recommended and then covering over slightly and watering. (We also had rain that night as well.) I’m wondering if they are viable. They are really dried up little root thingys. Will they really take hold? Or did I wait too long, you think? I still have another package of a different variety that I plan to put in if the consensus here is that they are viable.
My tomato seedlings are interesting to me. I set them into pots several days ago. One of them is doing pretty well. I’ve been having to cover my little guys with pots when the danger of hail is reported. So far I don’t think we’ve gotten any. In the other pot the seedlings have not been thriving. I asked Darlin’ to help me access the extra pots which are in a difficult place for me to manage by myself. So yesterday we obtained them.
Darlin’ set me up with a work table and a couple of big bags of soil. I had a wonderful time using the soil to condition the beautiful black but very clay-y soil in our yard. I repotted the one that has not been thriving, and when I emptied out the pot, Darlin’ (who did a lot of gardening as a kid) pointed out that there were no drainage holes in the pot!
I recalled what several of you have commented on, which is that tomatoes just do not do well with too much water! That made a lot of sense to see the results of that sage advice. So I got their little toes into a larger pot with holes in it and we’ll see how it all turns out.
Darlin’ is having such a good time watching me learn and get all excited. Yesterday I was all gloriously sweaty and dirty and just having a grand time!
I had stated previously on this thread that I was going to try to raise my garden this year from seed. Well, I’ve been having a devil of a time getting any parsley seeds to germinate.(I’ve tried from several different packets.)I gave up and purchased a parsley plant because I REALLY want to have it in my kitchen garden area. So I potted it up. I have a few parsley seeds in my sprout tray that I’m hoping will germinate. Ones I’ve put into seedling cups with soil pellets have not come up yet at all. I also have some dill seeds in my sprouting tray, hoping they will germinate as well.
QUESTION!:
Can anyone tell me, I bought a red sweet bell pepper plant. If I want a green pepper, do I pick it before it gets red, or do I need to get a different “green” pepper variety? I know it is a dumb question, but I really don’t know, and even Darlin’ is stumped on that one. (Darlin’ absorbed a lot as a kid, but didn’t absorb that one! LOL!)So anyway, the store bought red pepper plant is ensconced in its pot with a hole!
While purchasing the parsley and the pepper plants, Darlin’ elected to purchase a Big Boy tomato plant that was already well along. So I got that one potted as well.
I’ve been REALLY excited about my White Scallop bush squash! I spread some of the seeds about in a large (hole-y) pot, and have been thrilled to see them ALL come up!! And I’m also THRILLED with the bibb lettuce and spinach I’ve been trying. They are both just going great guns!
The fava beans and Great White Northern beans and my one Cranberry bean plants are all thriving. The fava beans have a LOVELY black and white blossom that I had not expected!
We were tickled to see a volunteer sunflower in our yard near where we were working on harvesting our sunflower seeds last fall. I dug it up and put it in the area near the seedlings. We are up to 6 sunflower plants this year. Last year we started 5 and ended up with 4.
I have some garden bean sprouts and some snow pea sprouts that I am hoping to pot today. I also started some black turtle bean sprouts. I’ve tried several times on that one too.
greeneyes, I’m making another stab at amaranth. I have several sprouted and doing well as sprouts and hoping to get those into dirt as well. I also plan to scatter some in the back yard near the asparagus and see if they take hold. Since I have PLENTY of seed, it seems like a fun experiment to try.
I really appreciate this thread. I learn so much here! Thanks to all of you!
I’m sure I left out some things, but this is getting long enough.
Please, if you would, check out my post 99. I apologize for mashing the post button before getting the ping names entered!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.