Posted on 03/06/2021 6:48:20 AM PST 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.
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Bought LED light and self watering seed tray, since I am working away from home half the week. One LED light made in Taiwan, not China, found at home depot.
Discovered that heating mat not working real well. Planted seeds, which will probably sprout and develop at different rates, causing issues.
Some seed packets were 15 years old, dumped them or planted them all.
Today, during breaks at work, starting a dozen winter sowing soda bottles.
Tetsukobuto squash the only ones not killed by borers, old seeds, none up so far in germination test. Why didn’t I replant earlier? Oh the deer, that’s right. Finally got up a deer fence last year, have to fix snow damage. Deer were so hungry they ate Japanese holly which they never touched in 20 years.
Do seed...it’s one of the easiest things to gro.
Brain-eating amoebae
Things you do after your brain is eaten by brain- eating amoebae
Japan's robotic fish
Use turkey size cooking bags to kill off the critters living in your new dirt. 350 or 375 for an hour does the trick...
The local housing authority was rebuilding the ghetto apartments ablut 10 yrs ago. They had a community garden and greehouse.
I asked them if they were going to rebuild rh greenhouse (several polycarbonate panels were broken or missing and when they said they were going to bulldoze it... I volunteered to take off their hands.
End result is I habe an 8x12 wooden framed greenhouse with polycarbonate panel windows.
I have learned several lessons the hard way.....
Feel free to send me your questions as they arise.
I love in an area with many tall evergreen trees and the gray months can get windy (ignore my Texas location setting. .thatvis for my future planned retirement.)
Today one of my hot pepper seed starts began emerging. I planted then and placed them in the greenhouse the last few days of January/1st few days of February.
The space heater kept the greenhouse frok.gettong below high 50s in the worst of pur snowy weather and now with the sunny patches of weather it is getting warm in the greenhouse....warm enough at times that the roof vent pops open occasionally so I am seeing activity picking up with seed starts.
Last expected frost in Seattle area is 3-21 so by mid April I should be hardening these babies off.
1st to pop Cosmos them Blue Larkspur, then Cherokee purples tomatoes, a couple of Black Krim and Bonny Bests...1 eggplant and now 1 caperino hot pepper.
It is hard watching g them occasionally struggle to dispense with the seed shell after they emerge.
I occasionally have to use tweezers to crack the shell carefully when they cannot shed it and let the 1st two (not true) leaves emerge.
“The smell in the backyard is heavenly.”
Now I have Trini Lopez singing ‘Lemon Tree’ in my head, LOL!
Thanks for the response Ern.
You really lucked out.
I don’t think I’m going to find one I can afford that doesn’t blow away.
CAFE ZUPAS WISCONSIN CAULIFLOWER SOUP
ING 3 Tb butter chp med onion 1/4 Cup flour 2 Cup HnH 1 1/2 cup water 14 1/2 oz can chicken broth 2 lb cauliflower
in one inch pieces 1 1/2 Cup sharp cheddar shredded 1/2 Cup shredded pepperjack 1/2 tsp salt tsp dijon
Toppings: chp scallions Bacon Bits Cheese
METHOD Melt: Cook onion in melted butter til translucent and golden brown. Whisk in the flour. Gradually
add HnH, water and broth; stir constantly to delump. Add chp cauliflower, BTB. Reduce to med-low; cook tender 15 min.
FINAL blender smooth. Return to the pot. Turn up flame to medium. Add Dijon and cheese; stir till melted.
SERVE with fave toppings.
=======================================
Chef Tips---If you can’t find fresh cauliflower, use frozen. Steam as per package
(You won’t need to simmer it, just stir in and blend it).
You can leave it a bit chunky, maybe add in diced cooked potatoes for heartiness.
Try parmesan or asiago instead of pepper jack. Sharp white cheddar is also great.
Top with even more cheese, bacon crumbles, croutons, and green onions.
If you’re wanting free heated space for activity a low thermal mass attached greenhouse is great!
https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Sunspace/sunspaces.htm
I can sit buck naked in mine after 2 - 3 hours of sunshine even when the outdoor temps are in the teens.
Not much good for plants though as they get too warm in the day and too cold at night.
🌅 Hello Sunshine!
If you are handy with tools you can make a lean-to hot house with a little lumber and buy the polycarbonate panels via Amazon.
Think A frame with hinges to lift one side to access the shelves inside.... and on panel with an auto open hinge.
The auto open hinges have a piston that is filled with temperature sensitive gel....it expands as the temp gets over 80 and then the panel opens to vent the excess heat.
Whole thing would cost about 300 bucks for lumber box of poly panels, and 2 hinges.
That link was a disappointment considering your description if it’s abilities.;)
Sorry. There’s a lot there, perhaps it’s hard to find what one wants.
Searching the internet for “low thermal mass greenhouse” will bring up many sites.
I repeat though that they’re not optimal for plant production.
“buy the polycarbonate panels”
I bought the much cheaper “clear” ( but you can’t see clearly through it) 4 year greenhouse film. Has lasted 8 years and still doing fine.
Ha! Still have the link:
https://www.growerssolution.com/PROD/4-year-6-mil-clear-greenhouse-film/G4Y6MGF
If making one for occupation T recommend getting clear vinyl for some clear windows. The vinyl will have to be replaced every year so don’t overdo it’s use..
An old farmer lived alone in Ireland because his only son joined the rebellion and was in a British prison.
The old farmer wrote to his son: “You left me all alone and now it’s planting time and I have no one to help me spade the potato garden, so I’ll surely starve before the year is out.”
The son wrote back: “For God’s sake, don’t touch that garden, that’s where I buried all the guns!”
The next morning the old man was dragged off to the police station while the police dug up his whole property looking for guns.
But he was released when they didn’t find any.
The man wrote to the son: “You’ve made me look like a criminal and I’ve been humiliated me in front of the whole village. Now what am I supposed to do?”
The son wrote back: “Now plant your potatoes.”
Find sniper
Find helicopter
Carpet based on aerial photographs
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