WEEKLY GARDEN THREAD APRIL 6, 2019

freerepublic | APRIL 6, 2019 | greeenyes

[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. 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!

NOTE: This is a once a week ping list. We do post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest are welcomed any time-and don't have to be about gardening.

[Califreak]

Eureka!

I’ll dig through my recycling bin and grab all the 2 liters and cut them down.

Those might be the perfect size!

[greeneyes]

I have recipes to try. One of the things I want to try is to substitute some dandelion greens for some of the spinach in my spinach quiche.

I understand that dandelion is similar in taste and texture to endive.

[greeneyes]

I have a thing with “prepping” in secret - hiding in plain sight. So natural stuff that tends to grow like weeds, that are not really recognized as food, but really can be food are high on my list of things to just let grow.

Fortunately, Hubby has vast knowledge and experience with the native plants of Mo. and shares that idea. So when he runs across a patch of something, he red flags it to keep from mowing it down and lets it develop into an interesting little patch of green whatever to be utilized if ever necessary.

Every year, an area under the butternut tree has Polk. That’s a common green that is sautéed with bacon and onions and accompanied with cornbread by Ozark Hillbillies that I grew up with - yes, that’s me - an Ozark Hillbilly from close to Silver Dollar City. LOL

[Califreak]

Ha! I quit weeding my yard because dandelions are edible. I wondered about planting poke bushes here but they probably wouldn't grow here. I read that it has to have some kind of special treatment-like cook three times or some such in order to make it edible. I'm all for it if it tastes better than collard greens. Sometimes I love them, sometimes I hate them. I have hashimoto's so they probably aren't that good for me anyway. I need to stop eating wheat but it's sooo hard. Pizza, home baked bread, flaky buttermilk biscuits-oh my goodness. And cornbread. Beans and cornbread. Fried cornbread. No sugar or just that tiny hint of sugar for texture. Sweet cornbread is just nasty to me. (I was raised by Ozark hillbillies😉)

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Our next step is hardening off in one of the little shelf units in a partly shaded spot that will catch a limited amount of breeze. Our raised bed gardens are covered and resemble little Conestoga wagons.

[daniel1212]

https://www.motherearthliving.com/gardening/organic-fertilizer-soil-amendments-ze0z1206zmel https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-04/uoc-fft040219.php Pinging the list. Not sure why links weren’t clickable in my initial post so I’m adding them here.

Thanks. We would like to get a permit for a cow  in this populous city, but even one for a driveway can be hard.

So we used this https://www.homedepot.com/p/Black-Kow-50-lb-Organic-Composted-Manure-50150006/100158414 which is now hard to find locally for around $5. .

Hope to get some of this also, God willing: 3 cu. ft. Peat Moss$11

Miracle-Gro 0.75 cu. ft. All Purpose Garden Soil $2

Texas Native 40 lbs. Enriched Topsoil$2

I need to start tomato and butternut squash seedlings this week, using screened topsoil and whatever I should mix with it. I lack the South facing window space this year (furniture) and temps are still around 50 daytime and under 40 often at night, so it looks like i will need to cut back on the numbers.

As for Why did we ever start farming? Because,

And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

[left that other site]

oooo...80! My favorite temp for Harley Riding!

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I am proudly announcing my creation and mastery of what I call the “9 year Greenhouse Plan.”

Much like the “6 Minute Abs” I expect this program to take off like an Atlas Rocket.

Step 1. Find a perfectly good (but not perfectly perfect) greenhouse on section 8 housing authority property which is being “renovated.”

Renovated = planned bulldozing.

Convince section 8 housing authorities to allow you to disassemble said greenhouse in sections (all by yourself with no help from family or friends) and load each section into and atop your Ford Explorer.....and in 1 trip....bring it home. You may skip the part where the ridge beam falls and almost brains you to death.

******MOST IMPORTANT STEP**** DO NOT SKIP******

Step 2. Lean all sections and pieces of greenhouse against the side of your home. Let it rest there for 9 years under cover of a tarp the color of your choosing.

Step 3. After waiting 9 years, put the greenhouse up and begin planting.

For more detailed accounting of steps 1 and 3, send $49.99 to my daughters college loan account.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Besides the free seeds...how do you like Baker Creek? Their ads keep popping up in my Indtagram Feed.

[Augie]

We finally had a weekend of nice spring weather here in Central Missouri. I haven’t started anything in the garden this spring - been busy with construction projects and misc. foolishness.

Mowed the lawn Friday after work - first mowing of the season. The yard was a muddy mess. I should have waited a couple more days and let the ground dry up a bit.

Pruned the suckers from a few more orchard trees. The plum trees have started to leaf out. It won’t be long before those start to bloom. The peach and apple trees won’t be far behind them.

We’re ready to pour concrete for the walkway to our front porch. Forms are done just need the ground dry enough to get a truck in there.

Dock floats and framing lumber are piled on the pond bank. I’ll get started on that project after work today.

We bought a toy hauler camper two weeks ago. Brought it home on Saturday. Mrs. Augie bought a golf cart last week. Brought it home yesterday.

Got the wire up on the new pasture fence that I started back during the winter. Still need to hang the gates, but with panels across the gap that pasture can be put back into service.

[twyn1]

LOL! We had a similar plan, it was the “6 year paint-the-shed project”.

I always keep saying I want to try fall plantings, esp. garlic ... and I never do it. maybe this year! Unfortunately, potatoes (which I would also love to try) are now out ... not good for hubby’s diet.

[Vipper]

Do you sell any of your produce or just put it up?

---

The idea is to make the place self sufficent. We will keep a year+ worth that we will put up. The wine grapes we will sell them all, along with all the overstock of any other items.

[greeneyes]

I am not a big fan of greens of any kind. But if I’m really hungry, I can eat them no problem. LOL

I can eat cornbread any way with or without sugar-it’s all good.

Wheat - Not prepared correctly for what is in grocery. Should be sprouted, dried and ground. Or soaked for 24 hours before using.

Some of the earliest wheats are better to use for people with adverse reactions to wheat than the modern varieties. I only have 1 meal a day that allows Carbs-that’s usually a potato or maybe a high fiber tortilla used as a sandwich wrap.

[greeneyes]

Hubby moved all his stuff off the shelf units today and put them on the back patio along the retaining wall. I think they will get some protection from the house.

[greeneyes]

LOL. WE talk about getting chickens, and since we live just outside the city limits, I think we could do it, unless the neighbors would object. I just don’t want to mess with them in the winter time.

[greeneyes]

LOL. Filed under projects that might happen someday.

[greeneyes]

Sounds like some interesting projects coming along.

[Califreak]

I bought a head of leaf lettuce the other day and I just can’t bring myself to eat any salad!(shudder)

I’d rather eat double helpings of steamed veggies instead.

I really need to go low carb again and ditch the wheat.

I started buying Wheat Montana flour for the baking.

Supposed to be organic and non GMO, blah blah blah.

But it can’t be good for me because it’s still wheat....

[Califreak]

Oh neat.

Bees would be great for gardening plus you get the honey.

[Ellendra]

I think Baker Creek is awesome! They have really good-quality seeds, and their staff is really friendly. They do a lot of research and preservation work, too.