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Weekly Garden Thread - May 23-29, 2020
May 23, 2020 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

Posted on 05/23/2020 7:34:43 AM PDT by 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!


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: agriculture; food; gardening; hobbies
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
My project for the week... starting a mealworm farm for my chickens:

F2-D01-E3-C-7385-47-F3-B192-6-EAA01-D3449-E

My injured hen is still hanging in there. No infection but no feathers on her back. I put a hen apron on her today as the rooster has taken an interest. Not good.

41 posted on 05/23/2020 11:22:33 AM PDT by LilFarmer
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

Thanks! The one I bought looked something like this but wasn’t solar powered. It didn’t last but a few seasons, but it was worth it.

https://www.costway.com/solar-powered-motion-activated-animal-repellent-sprinkler-scarecrow-black.html?fee=8&fep=3727&utm_source=connexity&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=connexity


42 posted on 05/23/2020 11:26:07 AM PDT by LilFarmer
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To: LilFarmer
Last May was even more busy, was going through 3lbs of sugar a day. Short video at link.

May 2019 hummingbird feeding frenzy

43 posted on 05/23/2020 11:28:43 AM PDT by redcatcherb412
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To: redcatcherb412
Wow! 😳
44 posted on 05/23/2020 11:35:44 AM PDT by LilFarmer
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To: Don W

The first ant invasion were little black ones. The second invasion has been large red ants. I moved the feeder a little bit, maybe 2 feet, & that might have made a difference, who knows! The new moat looks a lot more “formidable” so we’ll see how it goes :-)


45 posted on 05/23/2020 11:43:09 AM PDT by Qiviut ("I have never wished death upon a man, but I have read many obituaries with pleasure" Mark Twain)
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To: Bearshouse

Voles are hard to stop, once they are chomping on your root vegetables.

The first year I planted potatoes, back when Yukon Gold were hard to get, I was digging up my crop and I had the same thing happen. I’d see a GORGEOUS, HUGE potato - and the underside would be GONE! So frustrating!

The best ways to prevent this in the future are listed in the link below. When I plant potatoes in raised beds, there seems to be less of a vole problem.

https://bonnieplants.com/gardening/keeping-voles-out-of-the-garden/

The cats and the two house dogs have been patrolling for Chipmunks; they just LOVE to dig up my freshly planted things. Jerks!


46 posted on 05/23/2020 12:14:23 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: redcatcherb412

They are really dark,what kind are they?


47 posted on 05/23/2020 12:22:13 PM PDT by WHATNEXT?
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To: LilFarmer

I have 5 of those(they aren’t cheap). We put a trail camera out to see if they really worked. It’s 2:30am the buck and his harem came to eat the plants from my rail basket. He ate grass, the does moved around and I’m yelling CLOSER...CLOSER...Then it happened, the water went off and pure panic was had by all.

Loved it...they really work.


48 posted on 05/23/2020 12:28:58 PM PDT by WHATNEXT?
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

NW....forgot my own suggestion for noting region of country first when posting.


49 posted on 05/23/2020 12:31:08 PM PDT by WHATNEXT?
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To: WHATNEXT?
I they're called black chin hummingbirds. Males backs and throats can have some great metalic colorings. Blue, green, red, purple etc.


50 posted on 05/23/2020 12:34:15 PM PDT by redcatcherb412
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

I broke down and rented a manual sod cutter to get my next growing areas prepped.....I think it will be 25 dollars well spent.

It’s still work but it is much quicker


51 posted on 05/23/2020 1:41:43 PM PDT by TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig (Unlike Bloomberg, I have said "Fat broads"and "Horsefaced Lesbians" but cuz I luv them both.)
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To: Bearshouse

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DgPqplWC7jZI&ved=2ahUKEwik4dyl7crpAhUCHTQIHd31CBgQo7QBMAB6BAgFEAE&usg=AOvVaw3RS9A1H_zzxuRlQ-PC3e3e

This essentially is a poison bate tower that auto feeds the anticoagulat poison cakes.

Dogs and cats cannot get in it ..only mice rats and voles. They eat the poison and after each cake is nibbled away a new one drops down...auto feed....I have not yet tried it but that is my plan.


52 posted on 05/23/2020 1:48:58 PM PDT by TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig (Unlike Bloomberg, I have said "Fat broads"and "Horsefaced Lesbians" but cuz I luv them both.)
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To: redcatcherb412

NW
Great picture and thanks for the information. We don’t have them in my area.


53 posted on 05/23/2020 1:49:01 PM PDT by WHATNEXT?
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Beautiful Diana!!!


54 posted on 05/23/2020 2:16:15 PM PDT by tubebender
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

My wife has planted all her garden scattered here and there where there is maximum sunlight.

Last year she planted yellow squash and grew very good and strong plant with lots of male flowers. Strangely there were e no female flowers and thus no squash ever set on.

Is there a reason for a lack of female flowers?

The plants were adequately watered. They did not receive all day sun but they were not in perpetual shade.

As of today, the lettuce s doing well as are the snow peas.


55 posted on 05/23/2020 2:26:23 PM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Progressives are existential American enemies)
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To: redcatcherb412

Your picture is a perfect illustration of what I meant. If you have one feeder an interloper would be instantly divebombed by the dominant bird, who keeps constant watch between their own feedings. With two so close it’s too hard to keep up so you have groups of birds feeding instead of fighting.


56 posted on 05/23/2020 3:42:16 PM PDT by Oshkalaboomboom
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

I got bare root strawberries (Monterey) in the mail yesterday from a nursery in NC.(I’m in the SF Bay Area)

I planted them in one of those GreenStalk knockoffs after rehydrating the roots for an hour.

I used 1 part vermiculite, 1 part peat, 2 parts each of manure and Miracle Gro potting soil and 4 parts sand and put a tiny bit of hay (feed store didn’t have straw) in the bottom so it could drain without dirt running out through the holes.

They have some cedar hamster bedding as a light mulch which is more for keeping the moisture and dirt from piling up around the crowns.

Fingers crossed!

Tomatoes and potatoes are forming. I am kind of winning the war against slugs for a change so lettuce and whatnot is okay so far but had to yank beets out because the dang leaf miners got them again.

I never knew why the beets looked like that every year until a week ago.

Peas are almost a foot high but no sign of flowers. They’re in the shade.

Bell peppers puny as usual.

Corn, squash, beans and sunflowers kind of crowded together but still looking good. Weather is finally getting warm so maybe squash and cucumbers will liven up a bit.

Maybe I should dump some liquid plant food on everything pretty soon.....


57 posted on 05/23/2020 3:47:12 PM PDT by Califreak (If Obama had been treated like Trump the US would have been burnt down before Inauguration Day)
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To: LilFarmer

Thank you for that handy piece of information!

I have absolutely no indeterminate tomatoes this year so may have to put away massive quantities at one time instead of making a gallon of salsa every week or two.

At least, I hope so...


58 posted on 05/23/2020 3:49:51 PM PDT by Califreak (If Obama had been treated like Trump the US would have been burnt down before Inauguration Day)
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To: redcatcherb412

I’ve seen those little hummingbird feeders at the Dollar Tree!


59 posted on 05/23/2020 3:54:28 PM PDT by Califreak (If Obama had been treated like Trump the US would have been burnt down before Inauguration Day)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin; TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig

Here’s one for you guys...

Our front door lock malfunctioned and couldn’t be unlocked from either side yesterday.

Locksmith and hubs pushed on door to try and take it off the hinges after drilling all the lock mechanisms failed.

Locksmith finally had to take some kind of air chisel thingie to push door away from door jamb. We’re lucky the front door and frame weren’t damaged.

We sent the locksmith home after that and installed new stuff we bought at Ace hardware.

Yikes what a day that was!


60 posted on 05/23/2020 3:58:50 PM PDT by Califreak (If Obama had been treated like Trump the US would have been burnt down before Inauguration Day)
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