Weekly Garden Thread - June 8-14, 2019

June 8, 2019 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Our 'Greeneyes' has been FOUND, but she is STILL having computer issues, so I have been asked to keep the Weekly Garden Thread rolling until she returns.

That said, I will be posting once a week, and I will TRY to stick to her schedule of a Friday Night/Saturday Morning Weekly Post, but it depends upon what is going on here at MY farm. (It's Spring; it's BUSY!)

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 to Gardeners are welcomed any time!

[Sir_Ed]

I love your garden pix!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Will check the local tractor store.

[MomwithHope]

When you set it up, it will be more effective if you set it next to something so the squirrels can climb up to see what’s in the bucket. We set ours next to the firewood stack. A tree would work well, or right next to your retaining beds.

[oldvirginian]

Thanks for the information on the boxwoods. I had wanted to get rid of them since they are along a sidewalk that no one uses and a PITA to mow around, but the new owners wife wants to keep them so I’ll try to make them pretty again.

I’ll top them out and apply Miracle Grow this year then worry about trimming the sides back next spring.

Once again, thank you.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Qiviut :" .. first raised bed I did Friday before last put me into back spasms.
Once I got over those, I started using a really low garden seat -
I’m bending from the waist instead of ‘hanging’ over on my back muscles - big difference!"

Is your low garden seat like FReeper "tubebender".'s shown in the photo of post #30 ?
It seems that kind of chair/kneeler combination would work well in the garden, especially folks who have back medical issues.
'Tubebender's chair/kneeler can be used either high, or inverted to be closer to the ground.
Also, it seems wide enough that you could safely go down a row without leaving footprints, or compacting the soil.
If not the same kind, what are you using (?), as other gardeners with back issues might benefit ?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Iris and Peony look lovely together!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Garden Tour, June 9, 2019:

Salad Bar is OPEN!

A GORGEOUS Red Romain called, 'Outredgeous.' From Jung's, of course!

Sugar Magnolia Peas. Pods will be purple when they form. Peas inside are green.

'Still Life With Herbs and Puppy Sunshine.'

Porch Pots got moved over to the garden area this season due to too much rain running off the roof onto them, PUPPIES, and the fact that I spent WAY too much $ on the plants and didn't want to lose them!

Hosta, 'June' to the left, Hosta, 'Guacamole' in light green and a 'Festiva Maxima' Peony I forgot I added! Any chew marks you see are courtesy of The Puppies. Thanks. NOT!

[Califreak]

That salad bar is gorgeous!

I haven’t been much for salad because of recalls on store bought salad stuff and the snail situation out back but I’m going to try again when we install our new 4 x 4 raised bed.

We put in some soaker hoses yesterday.Still have to hand water some things but they are going to be nice!

[Qiviut]

I have seen “kneelers” like that, but after being smashed into the corner of a barn by my very first pony the first time I rode her, I am uncomfortable kneeling for any length of time. Back in “the day”, there were no CT scans/MRIs - I’m fortunate I haven’t had more severe issues with that knee. The back is due to volunteer work on the AT - I love working with rocks (cribbing, steps, etc) and after almost 20 years of lifting, turning, placing rocks much larger than I should have been wrangling, the back was complaining much too often, so I took the “hint” & retired. Certain positions still get to me and I found out what one of them was/is the other day. Thanks for pointing out the bench/kneeler - I hadn’t noticed it.

[Qiviut]

I have seen “kneelers” like that, but after being smashed into the corner of a barn by my very first pony the first time I rode her, I am uncomfortable kneeling for any length of time. Back in “the day”, there were no CT scans/MRIs - I’m fortunate I haven’t had more severe issues with that knee. The back is due to volunteer work on the AT - I love working with rocks (cribbing, steps, etc) and after almost 20 years of lifting, turning, placing rocks much larger than I should have been wrangling, the back was complaining much too often, so I took the “hint” & retired. Certain positions still get to me and I found out what one of them was/is the other day. Thanks for pointing out the bench/kneeler - I hadn’t noticed it.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Califreak :" ..the snail situation out back but
I’m going to try again when we install our new 4 x 4 raised bed.
Treat snails and slugs either organicaly, or chemically.
Organic : placing an aluminum pie plate at soil level, and filling it stale beer (if ever there is such a thing ?).
The slugs and snails will crawl into it, drawn in by fermenting beverage, get intoxicated, and then will drown.
Another Organic : use food grade diatomaceous earth, which uses micro-crystals to shred the mucous membrane
of slugs and snails to desiccate (dry) them out, leaving a dried out carcass.
Chemically : Sluggo (unsafe for pets) and Escar-Go which contain iron phosphate (safe for use around pets, and mammals).

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Salad greens grow great in containers, too. That might help with the snail situation.

I try to get a salad into Beau at least ONCE a day. In the ‘off season’ I buy the same brand of produce (Tanimura & Antle) out of CA, AZ & TN and they’ve had no recalls that I’m aware of.

Walmart carries the brand. I’m very happy with the quality! Of course, homegrown salad greens are the best & stupid-easy to grow. ;)

http://www.taproduce.com/

[Augie]

Central Missouri, on high ground ~15 miles east of the very flooded Missouri River. algore says zone 6b, but I plant for zone 5.

My tomato plants are out of their post-transplant funk and starting to do what they’re supposed to do.

Peach and apple trees are loaded. Garlic harvest two-three weeks away. Cucumber plants starting to vine.

I’m not doing much in the garden this year. I have too many other projects that are competing for my time.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Peach and apple trees are loaded.”

Jealous! I had to leave my mature orchard behind when I sold my other farm. :( But it was a terrific selling point for the young couple that bought it. They are doing SUCH a lovely job of improving my old place. They’re doing all of the improvements I had in the chute before Beau swept me off my feet and further out into the Hinterlands, LOL!

That said, I’m three years in at the ‘new’ old farm (1900) and I’ve added apples, plums, cherries, peaches and pears out here, but we’re a few years off from harvest, though the cherry trees (Northstar) are loaded!

Now, to beat the birds to them, LOL!

I did have SEVEN lovely homegrown strawberries with my breakfast this morning...and I did NOT share. :)

[tubebender]

Great to see all the Monday morning garden updates!!! We woke up to another morning of rare noorthcoast Calif sunshine as usually it’s low clouds (fog) that burns off by 11 am and rolls back in around 4 pm. (That’s what makes the Redwoods grow here.) Our average summer temps are 54 lows and 62 highs. The Pacific Ocean is about 2 miles west of us. Just 15 miles east of us the day time temps will be 90 to 100...

[MomwithHope]

Just a few pics. Last evening I picked the first of the green onions and radishes. Radishes could have gone another day or 2 but I can't wait. Red ones are early scarlet globe and the yellow is the ukranian radish I have grown for years now, my absolute favorite. Don't have a name handy, got the seeds on ebay from the same seller. And m comfrey patch. I don't really use it anymore. Dried is good as a tea for indigestion which I never get. The pasture fence connected to the barn at one time and we planted the comfrey for the goats to eat through the fence. Still getting a few asparagus daily.

[Augie]

I can’t get a cherry tree to grow here. I’ve set out half a dozen over the past 11 years and they have all croaked.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Cherries need a wintertime freeze, and your zone probably can’t provide that. Wisconsin produces a decent amount of cherries and the picking is excellent in far Northern Wisconsin - Bayfield, WI where they also grow amazing apples and LOTS of berries.

Go figure!

You can take a tour that they call the, ‘Fruit Loop’ that takes you to all of the various farms and orchards. It’s really something special. :)

https://bayfield.org/what-to-do/orchards-berry-farms/

Our friend runs the ferry in the summertime from Bayfield out to Madeline Island; I’ve been there a number of times through the years. We have a cabin in the Clam Lake area of Wisconsin, so we love Northern WI as much as the SE where we live.

And the Apostle Islands are really something to see!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ve never grown yellow radishes! Neat! And that Comfrey is such a pretty plant when it’s in bloom. :)

[MomwithHope]

They have a really mild and different flavor.