Weekly Garden Thread - April 18-24, 2020

April 18, 2020 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

[Diana in Wisconsin]

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.

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 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 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! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.

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!

[Liz]

And they are?

[MomwithHope]

Raccoons. We tried over 30 years ago catching them with live traps and moving them. We just had too many. Then a guy hubby worked with was a trapper and we gave him permission. He laid traps along our creek and in a few weeks got over 40 of them. The next year not so many. Now we just use a .22 They just do too much damage. If you have a lot an trapping is legal I would find someone like that. Plus it won’t cost you anything.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Broken garden bed. I waived my Magic Wand and...

Ta-Da!

175 feet of new, florescent-green garden hose that I couldn't POSSIBLY run over with the mower, Right? That sounds like a CHALLENGE to me! ;) Does Beau know me, or what? LOL!

New 50 gallon rain barrel installed. From only 1/2" of rain/snow mix, it was completely full!

Diana's Most Awesome Brush Pile, 2020! Don't get too excited - this happens EVERY year - lots of trees in the house yard to clean up after each Spring. It will get hauled down to the OTHER brush pile in due time.

Our 1954 Allis-Chalmers Tractor. She sat outside all winter and started up like the workhorse she is! Behind her is an old grader that we use to smooth out the driveway. We've been having truckloads of recycled blacktop delivered to shore up the mile-long driveway; an ongoing project. The tractor is also known as a 'Hoyt-Clagwell.' ('Green Acres' reference.)

[MomwithHope]

Very nice pictures thanks for posting. I bet those old Green Acres shows would be fun to watch. My big goal today is to rake out the flower garden. I am still in recovery mode so it’s one day at a time.

[Augie]

Turned out it actually wasn't too wet to get the tiller on the garden.

After cleaning up all of the worn out weed barrier fabric my bones said no to the 5hp Craftsman tiller.

As I was backing up to get ready for the third pass I noticed something moving on the ground. I tilled up a baby western painted turtle on the previous pass. We admired the little guy for a few minutes then turned him loose in the pond.

We set all of the bedding plants that Mrs. Augie bought on Saturday. Cabbages went in the ground, and the rest of it went into pots.

I've come to grips with the fact that I'm not going to get this garden converted to raised beds this spring, so it will be business as usual for another year. I've been struggling to make a decision on how to construct the beds. I want something that will last, and not break the bank to build. The more I think about it the more I'm liking the idea of using poured concrete. That would be a one and done deal.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Sounds like a productive day, Augie! Thanks for saving the turtle! I used to live across the road from a lake and I had female Box Turtles crossing a rather busy road, and laying their eggs in my garden beds. Goofballs! You LIVE at the lake! :)

Slow and steady, Mom! I’m 100% healthy right now, and I have to MAKE myself slow down after a rather sedentary winter - or I’ll regret it, BIGLY!

Out to lay some mulch around my fruit trees. :)

[tob2]

It has been raining all day here and expected to continue all day. Bring on the flowers!

[Ellendra]

One 1+ acre field tilled!!! This time it only took 4 hours to do the whole thing!

Previous years, every time the tiller picked up a rock it meant at least an hour crawling in the dirt with a hammer and chisel to dislodge it. Once it was jammed in enough I had to get a masonry bit for my drill and drill the rock into smaller pieces! I think it took 2 months between the rain and the rocks to till my field last year, and there were parts I never got to.

But over the winter my dad added a reverse lever to the tiller, that I could reach from the tractor seat. Whenever it picked up a rock, I could pull that lever and the rock was spit back out. What a difference that made!!! I got more done in one day than I did last year in 2 months! The potato patch is now ready to be mulched and planted. The rest of the field has another tilling to be done in a week or so, after the seeds I uncovered get a chance to sprout.

My new seeder attachment arrived in the mail, too. I only bought the bean plate, because each plate is $40. But still, that means I can plant a much bigger bean patch this year, with a lot less work.

[TheConservativeParty]

22 suggestions... LOL 😄

[TheConservativeParty]

Love the Green Acres picture!

[dakine]

Ms. Wisconsin is the girl folks dream of... Thank goodness my Italian wife is loving the gardening experience... Hoping for corn and 8ft sunflowers here....

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Yay! You’re getting there, Girlfriend!

It’s wonderful when you can find a solution to a time-consuming problem! Your Dad ROCKS! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’m just in it for the jewelry. *SMIRK*

My favorite episodes are the very early ones when Oliver was growing corn in pots on his Penthouse Apartment balcony, LOL!

Lisa really DID give up a LOT...but never the Chanel or the jewelry. Smart Girl. ;)

How DID she manage to have her hair done and her make-up perfect every day? We never see her taking the train to Pixley or Crabwell Corners to a Beauty Parlor!

That’s one trick this Farm Girl has NOT mastered! ;)

[TheConservativeParty]

I caught an episode of Green Acres last week and Lisa was making her famous Hotcakes! Suitable substitute for bricks. Hee Hee.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I scored free wood chips!

Better than woodchips. Rough ground pine and maple tree stumps. So there are some larger pieces I have to sort out, and even some rocks as big as my fist, but because they are stumps there is healthy soil mixed n with the stump chips.

2 pickup truck loads today.....will get two more mods each day Saturday and Sunday.

The guy who cleared some land has probably 150 yards of these stump chips and a small tractor which he loads the chips for me!

Sorting out the offloading....put a long pallet in the back of the truck with. Tow strap attached. I am hoping when I get home and attach the strap to a fence post....the pallet pulls mpst of the chips out as I drive away from the fence post.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Califreak]

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZIMIDEiQu3IwuRHd8teRV0VFOT5ldHK2

Here is a playlist of videos a guy did about building raised beds out of concrete.

Looks interesting.

:)

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Anyone have a good recommendation for an inexpensive fertilizer for tomatoes and peppers?

I am presently using “Dr Earth” tomato and vegetable fertilizer but I am quadrupling, or maybe even more, my tomato and peppers this year and the Dr Earth is expensive.

It is about 60 bucks for a 12 lb bag.

[SaveFerris]

Broke down and bought a $2.88 bag of these

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sweet-Mini-Peppers-1-lb-Bag/10324377

Already harvested peppers from 4 of them - put 1/2 of the seeds into 5 little Jiffy starters. Should give me 6 months around here, most usually.

I could get 2 harvests at least. I certainly hope so.

First time I have tried to grow these but I put fresh seeds in - that usually works well for me in the past.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Anyone have a good recommendation for an inexpensive fertilizer for tomatoes and peppers?”

Choose any fertilizer that’s low in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus and potassium, organic or everyday.

N-P-K ratios on the package label for tomatoes/peppers should look something like: 8-32-16 or 6-24-24. LOW First Number, HIGH Second Number, 3rd number doesn’t matter all that much in this case.

You want little to no more nitrogen (first number) than is already in the soil or added during natural rain, or you’ll get a lot of leaves and big plants, but little fruiting.

And don’t forget the CALCIUM to prevent Blossom End Rot. I use a generous scoop of Bone Meal in the planting hole, and then a top dressing watered in when the plant is flowering/setting fruit.

Try the Espoma brand or Jack’s brand or Jobe’s Organics. They all make specific fertilizer for tomatoes, which is also fine for peppers, eggplant and summer squash.

I have used all of the above based upon which bags were accidentally broken by customers, staff or crazy Stock Boys in my Garden Center through the years. ;)

I have come to trust advice from Morning Chores, too:

https://morningchores.com/best-fertilizer-for-tomatoes/