Weekly Garden Thread - April 3-9, 2021

April 3, 2021 | 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 a 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!

[Ellendra]

(Because Lord knows I need more squash recipes)

Pumpkin Custard/Pudding:

This recipe uses both starch and eggs to thicken it, which blurs the lines between “pudding” and “custard”. But it has proven to be simple to make, and makes a good substitute for pumpkin pie when you don’t feel like baking.

Ingredients:
2 cups, or one pound, or one 15-oz can of pumpkin. If the pumpkin you’re using isn’t pureed already, that’s ok.
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
UP TO 2/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp maple extract
1/2 tsp vanilla

To pre-warm the eggs, fill a bowl with hot water (tap water hot, not boiling) and store the eggs inside until you’re ready for them. Do this first, before collecting your other ingredients so they have time to absorb the heat.

In a medium saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients. Stir constantly while it cooks, to prevent scorching.

If using pureed pumpkin, combine the seasonings and extracts in a heat-proof bowl large enough to hold the entire recipe. If your squash isn’t pureed, use a blender in place of a bowl, as if you were making a smoothie.

When the milk mixture is close to boiling, remove the eggs from the hot water, dry them with a towel, and crack them into the bowl (or blender) with the seasonings.

When the milk mixture comes to a full rolling boil, remove from heat. Immediately blend a scoopful of the milk mixture in with the eggs and seasonings. When that is combined, pour the rest of the hot mixture in with the eggs, all at once, and blend thoroughly.

(If done right, the heat from the milk mixture should be enough to cook the eggs to a safe temperature, without curdling them.)

I make this with butternut squash, and usually have to cut the sugar in half. Sometimes 1/4th. After tasting some of what was left in the saucepan this last batch, I might skip the spices entirely next time. It tasted like a combination of peach, mango, and orange.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

What is an LGD?

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Disregard....I googled it.

[Augie]

Warm and dry over the past week here in Central Missouri.

Mrs. Augie was hard at her flower beds over the weekend. I brought two loader buckets of compost up and replenished a couple of the beds that were lacking. The giant mound of horse poop that we cleaned out of the barn last weekend has been moved to the compost heap, along with two of the winter round bale piles.

I didn't get anything accomplished in the kitchen garden, but now that we've got light in the evening I should be able to get some stuff planted this week.

I spent quite a bit of time working on the pond dam. I'm at he point now that I've started to work on the landscaping. I placed ~8 cubic yards of crushed stone on the dam, and got started filling in the low spots with topsoil. I caught one muskrat last week, and it might have been the only one in there. The water has cleared up dramatically since the rat was dispatched.

This is one of the spots that was damaged during the Great Muskrat Invasion of 2020. I don't think anyone was home when I ran the tractor over it, but if they were they will be staying there.

I think it's going to look nice when I'm finished.

[Augie]

Sorry your greenhouse got torn up. I’ve been wanting a small greenhouse for a long time, but I’ve been hesitant to pull the trigger because I wasn’t sure how durable they are.

Seeing what happened to yours has convinced me to build from scratch rather than buying a kit.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Your pond is awesome!

We worked on the greenhouse on Saturday and she is good as new, now. My old greenhouse was wood and plexiglass and seemed to be a heck of a lot sturdier than this one, but we DO have bad winds a few times a year.

Next time, I’m just going to open her up completely so the wind blows THROUGH her and not AGAINST her. Beau has it anchored 4 feet down, so the structure itself probably isn’t going anywhere.

Famous. Last. Words. LOL!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Did some work this morning trimming old Sedum and perennial grasses along the front of the house. Fertilized all of my fruit trees and a few flowering shrubs, the strawberries, rhubarb and spring bulbs coming up. We are adding more shelving to the greenhouse, today, and Beau is putting up a hand-made Wood Duck house near our neighboring stream. Some of my tomatoes are ready for potting up as are some of the peppers. I have some slow-pokes this season for some reason, but they're coming along. Put a pretty basket of white and purple pansies on the front porch, which make me smile every time I see them. Oh! Christmas is officially over - I put my lighted reindeer away and replaced them with my sparkly gazing ball. Going to hang fresh garden flags, too. Life Is Good!

[MomwithHope]

Wood ducks are back here still deciding what tree to nest in, we have many many options.

[LibWhacker]

This lady can paint her face so it blends in with the background

[LibWhacker]

New twist on painting a fence

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I haven’t seen a Wood Duck in ages, so I’m hoping Beau’s box will attract some so I can see them again! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Nice soaking rain, today. I am cleaning out the BIG pantry under the stairs and sorting through my canning jars to see what I still might need for later in the season. Hopefully, just lids.

[MomwithHope]

That hummingbird link I posted days ago has not changed - it is frozen, here is a different link and I had better get my feeder out!!!

https://www.hummingbirdcentral.com/hummingbird-migration-spring-2021-map.htm

[Liz]

A good and filling meatless meal. Served to Pres Trump at the G-7 economic summit in France
as an appetizer------- Basque country dish of tomatoes, onions, green peppers, topped w/ eggs.

PIPERADE / 2 servings

ING 2 large skinned tomatoes, diced, julienned Prosciutto,½ onion, sliced,
large red/green pepper, sliced large clove, diced, 7-8 sprigs of thyme, bay leave.
2 teaspoon of hot paprika, 2 eggs.

PREP---to skin tomatoes. Over high heat, boil the whole slit tomatoes 10-20 sec; cool in mixing bowl filled with ice and water, then peel. Dice and set aside.

METHOD cook the prosciutto crispy. Set aside. In same pan, drizzle a good amount of olive oil and caramelize the onions. Slowly add garlic, thyme, bay leaf, sliced red and green peppers and stir nicely. Continue to stir until the peppers are slightly soft. Salt. Add the diced tomatoes, crispy prosciutto, and hot paprika. Stir the mixture for a good five minutes. Then create two wells and add the eggs. Bake 450 deg 7-10 minutes.

[Liz]

A good and filling meatless meal. Served to Pres Trump at the G-7 economic summit in France
as an appetizer------- Basque country dish of tomatoes, onions, green peppers, topped w/ eggs.

PIPERADE / 2 servings

ING 2 large skinned tomatoes, diced, julienned Prosciutto,½ onion, sliced,
large red/green pepper, sliced large clove, diced, 7-8 sprigs of thyme, bay leave.
2 teaspoon of hot paprika, 2 eggs.

PREP---to skin tomatoes. Over high heat, boil the whole slit tomatoes 10-20 sec; cool in mixing bowl filled with ice and water, then peel. Dice and set aside.

METHOD cook the prosciutto crispy. Set aside. In same pan, drizzle a good amount of olive oil and caramelize the onions. Slowly add garlic, thyme, bay leaf, sliced red and green peppers and stir nicely. Continue to stir until the peppers are slightly soft. Salt. Add the diced tomatoes, crispy prosciutto, and hot paprika. Stir the mixture for a good five minutes. Then create two wells and add the eggs. Bake 450 deg 7-10 minutes.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Greeneyes! All your hard work and your canning! Nice!

[greeneyes]

To Clarify, that is the picture that goes with the article I linked to. I assume from some farmer’s market participant, since the article pertained to a lawsuit over foods produced by a “cottage industry”. The law protecting the right to buy such goods at farmer’s markets was upheld.

So not my canning. I have canned Meats, Beets, Cukes, Zukes, Green Beans, and tomatoes. Not much in the way of jelly - the birds and critters seem to beat us to the berries.

This year, I hope to get enough various veggies to make vegetarian vegetable soup for canning, and mixed veggies for canning and dehydrating.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Augie;

That is a nice looking pond!

Blueberries have shallow roots and they like to set about 2 feet above a water table! Something to consider!

Will you be putting trees along the south shore to provide shade for the perch? (Good place to sit an Fish!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Aw! Looking forward to a picture sometime!