Weekly Garden Thread - June 5-11, 2021

June 5, 021 | 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.

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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!

[Red Badger]

Hollyhocks!.....................

An English Country Garden

(Sharpe/Jordan)

How many gentle flowers grow
In an English country garden?
I’ll tell you now of some I know
And those I’ll miss I hope you’ll pardon
Daffodils, heart’s ease and flox
Meadowsweet and lilly stalks
Gentain, lupine and tall hollihocks
Roses, foxgloves, snowdrops, forget-me-nots
In an English country garden.

How many insects find their home
In an English country garden?
I’ll tell you now of some I know
Those I miss I hope you’ll pardon
Dragonflies, moths and bees
Spiders falling from the trees
Butterflies sway in the mild gentle breeze
There are hedgehogs that roam
And little gnomes

How many songbirds make their nests
In an English country garden?
I’ll tell you now of some I know
Those I miss I hope you’ll pardon
Bobolink, coo cooing doves
Robins and the whirlwind thrush
Bluebird, lark, pigeon, nightingale
We all smile in the spring
When the birds all start to sing
In an English country garden.

[Augie]

It was mostly warm and dry here in Central Missouri over the past week, which was welcome relief from the cool and wet pattern that we’ve been mired in.

We were able to get all of the grass mowed, including the back paddock around what should be a sunflower field, and the wetland area below the bait pond. It’s been too wet this spring to work the sunflower field, and now it’s so late that there’s not much point in spending the money to do it, so I’ve decided to leave it fallow this summer.

The kitchen garden is looking pretty good. We were able to do a bit of badly-needed weeding over the weekend. I pruned the low suckers on all of the tomato plants yesterday. Those are doing much better after a few days of sunshine and warm weather. Squash and cucumbers are starting to take off. Beets are gaining. Pole beans are showing signs of improvement. Peppers look good. Kale is flourishing. Carrots are up nicely, with a good stand. Turnips and rutabaga freshly sprouted. Green salad is slowing down, but hanging in there. Radishes are starting to get woody. The rhubarb division that I thought was croaked has put out a sprig of new growth, so there’s hope yet for that one.

It looks like we might get a small fruit crop in spite of the late freeze. Pears, apples, plums, and peaches are all present. The crop is thin, but better than nothing. Hopefully what’s there will be able to mature before the bugs wreck it.

Weather guessers are thinking we might get some rain over the next few days, which wouldn’t be all bad at this point. It’s amazing how fast the ground dries up with 80°+ temps and 20mph winds blowing all day long.

[Augie]

Just like clockwork; every June, Beatles in my garden!

I'd be digging into my stash of DDT and malathion if I had that!

[Liz]

Got any good shisito recipes?

[Augie]

(Note** First year of infestation I used a Japanese beetle trap, which I will never do again. It attracts a massive amount of them. I have made 2 applications of Milky Spore and at least 1 of predatory nematodes in the past 3 years with a reduction of population. I am waiting for the first visit this year.)

The traps do attract JBs by the thousands. I can't count how many hundreds of pounds of JBs I've trapped out here, but I can say with certainty that after three years of keeping ten or so traps out, the past two summers have been virtually beetle-free.

I suppose it's possible that JB numbers are cyclical, but so far, for my place at least, trapping them has been effective.

If they begin to show up again, I'll put traps out again, and now that my pond is full and stocked with fish, I'll place the traps where the bugs will fall into the water. That will relieve me of dealing with the stinking mess of full traps, and provide free groceries for the fish.

[MomwithHope]

Now that’s a switch - you asking for a good recipe! LOL! See my post 89 on this thread. They are good in anything that asks for green pepper. I found the flank steak recipe just by searching for shishito recipes. They are a favorite with chefs I guess. Not like any other pepper. Like I said great with eggs, probably great in a quiche. I have chopped them on pizza. Good in a greek salad instead of green bell peppers. So I wish I had some actual recipes. We just eat them. Probably great with shiska bobs. Trick is to not have them cook very long.

[MomwithHope]

very nice flowerts!

[Augie]

Tacos are a favorite at Casa de Augie.

I turn two pounds of ground venison into taco meat almost every week. Sometimes we do crispy shells, sometimes we do taco salad, sometimes we do loaded nachos. Last week we did wraps.

It’s also a really nice main ingredient for loaded baked potatoes.

[MomwithHope]

Actually I have had this recipe bookmarked since the winter, I just need some bonita flakes and will have to get them online. It sounds good to me -
\
https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/shishito-peppers-bonito-sand-and-tofu-mustard

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Well, with that GLOWING recommendation, I had to go look:

https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/peppers/sweet-peppers/mellow-star-f1-shishito-pepper-seed-2592.html

I’m going to see if I need anything else yet, maybe some fall lettuces, and I’ll order some and give them a try. I have enough growing season left, even if I start them from seed, but these might be a candidate to see how long I can keep them going in the greenhouse into the fall/early winter. ;)

This season I am growing red pepper varieties (but they can be used at green if I need them): Barron, Alliance, Margaret’s, Carmen, Big Red (Jung’s Freebie this season) Habanada (looks hot, but it’s not) and a few Ancho/Poblano peppers and a Jalapeno of course.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

And, THEN, because we're obviously NUTS, we added this 100 x 20' garden bed to our never-ending chore list. This has been a food plot for animals and we tried a wildflower garden without much success. I have 4 rows of potatoes planted, four rows of sweet corn, about 20 hills of winter squash, watermelon, musk & honeydew melon, spaghetti squash and pumpkins. The rest will be filled in with big Zinnia, I already have a row of 75 gladiolus in there across the back and I will also add monster-sized Sunflowers for the birds and smaller cutting ones for me. 🙂 I grew the flat of bright and cheerful Bonanza Bolero Marigold to tuck into my garden beds, and my salad garden is still going strong, even with this heat wave. Also, I'm tired, LOL! But now it's pretty much weed, water and wait. 🙂

Here's the Long View of the Kitchen Garden, facing East and exposing the ONE side of my house that still needs painting - but Mick will be here next weekend to work on it some more.

There are two more 8x4' raised beds that Beau added for me this season, to the south, next to the greenhouse. They are currently growing tomatoes and flowers and herbs, but this fall will be planted with garlic and all manner of spring blooming bulbs for cutting. Mom & I have BIG plans for bulb planting this season at her house and mine. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

It takes me about 2 hours to water all the garden beds right now, as well as selected younger trees and shrubs. We’re currently in a drought, so they all need me! I like to get up early and get it done before it gets too hot. If I start at 8am, I’m done by 10am. So, I was wondering...am I doing it correctly and am I being efficient? Granted, we have a well, and water is not a problem for us, but no sense in wasting a drop when you don’t need to!

The Proper Way to Water Your Garden

Watering Plants and Lawns Efficiently

DO When is the best time to water plants? That’s a popular question. Water early in the morning when sunlight is weakest, the ground is coolest and foliage will have hours to dry before nightfall. Aim for between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m.

DON’T water in the evening when soil is warm and wet foliage can attract insects, fungus and disease.

DO water deeply and at fewer intervals so that you reach roots, the part of the plant that needs the nutrients, sugars and hormones contained in water. Soaking the soil to a depth of 5 to 6 inches encourages plants to grow deeper roots, which in the long run will make for a healthier garden.

DON’T water lightly and often, which promotes shallow root growth. (One of the worst watering crimes you can commit is to dash outside after work every evening and sprinkle the lawn for 10 minutes. Book ‘em, Danno!)

DO direct water at the base of a plant and avoid wetting foliage, which invites fungus. Also, you’ll lose less water to evaporation and, since your’re applying water directly to the root zone, the water will be readily available to the plant roots.

DON’T water from overhead. Depending on the size of the plant, the water may never actually hit the ground because the foliage may overshadow the plant’s base.

DO give lawns an inch of water per week during dry spells which, with a sprinkler, takes about 90 minutes to deliver to one area. If you don’t have a water gauge, set out an empty tuna fish can. When it’s full, you’re done!

DON’T water a lawn more or less than what’s needed because the amount affects root growth — the foundation of a healthy, beautiful lawn.

DO use irrigation systems with fixtures close to the ground. If using a sprinkler, opt for small sprinklers that allow you to change water delivery patterns or, for large areas, use a pulsating, revolving sprinkler that shoots water out horizontally at a high speed that overcomes loss due to evaporation or wind.

DON’T use sprinklers that spray vast amounts of water into the air, most of which evaporates before it ever hits the ground. Avoid watering on windy days as well.

DO give trees and shrubs — especially newly planted ones — direct watering every 7 to 10 days.

DON’T rely on sprinklers and irrigation systems to reach the bases of trees and shrubs.

DO use soaker hoses to water vegetable gardens. Again, hit the ground, not the plant.

DON’T use overhead sprinklers in vegetable gardens. More water is lost to evaporation than is absorbed by the soil.

DO use a watering wand to water annuals and perennials, both in ground and containers.

DON’T use a hose and nozzle which casts a wide spray that wets the foliage and not always the ground.

DO water container gardens regularly, typically once a day during hot, dry spells. Stick your finger in the soil. If it feels dry all the way to your second knuckle, it’s time to water.

DON’T think that container gardens need watering only when everything else does. Pots hold heat, so the confined soil dries out faster than garden soil does.

DO mulch beds and containers with several inches of composted material, which cools soil, retains moisture and helps deter weeds.

DON’T water un-mulched soil. The force of the water can spatter plants with moist soil and cause runoff.

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/gardens/planting-and-maintenance/the-proper-way-to-water-your-garden

[cherry]

we had temps in the mid 90's several days ago....

this morning we had to turn the heat on in the house....

the ways of a gardener....

[TianaHighrider]

I can’t believe how much all grocery costs risen this year alone!

On another subject, We are having rain for a week straight. At least I don’t have to water my garden. But cutting grass is going to be terrible when this it stops.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“I’d like to be, under the sea, in an octopus’s garden in the shade...”

The Beautiful Story Behind Ringo Starr’s “Octopus Garden”

As The Beatles’ song describes, octopuses build gardens outside their houses to enjoy the surroundings.

We all remember The Beatles’ “Octopus’ Garden” as a song full of peace and frivolous narrative. A good place to go when things get tough because who would not like to be beneath the waves drinking tea in an octopus’ garden? This was the second song written by Ringo Starr and it tells one of the most beautiful undersea tales. The common octopus, in fact, collects crustaceans’ shells and other shiny objects to build a garden around their cozy caves.

These animals are solitary creatures; they abscond into small spaces to feel protected from the imminent marine depravation. Scientists have even discovered that when an octopus finds a new home it spends time cleaning it and doing some ‘refurbishment’ to make itself at home, once it does so, it begins a careful arrangement of its personal garden. These prodigious masters of camouflage are also adorable aesthetes.

The idea for the song came to Starr when he was on a boat that belonged to the actor Peter Sellers in Sardinia in 1968. The brilliant captain of the boat told Starr how octopuses move around the ocean floor collecting stones and other shiny objects to build gardens. The musician had temporarily withdrawn from the recording sessions for the White Album after becoming fed up with the growing tension in the group.

[Peter Sellers] told me that they hang out in their caves and they go around the seabed finding shiny stones and tin cans and bottles to put in front of their cave like a garden. I thought this was fabulous, because at the time I just wanted to be under the sea too.

The song was first recorded by Starr and George Harrison during the “Get Back” sessions in 1969; Harrison talked about the song like few others in the band’s history:

Ringo gets bored playing the drums, and at home he plays a bit of piano, but he only knows about three chords. He knows about the same on guitar. I think it’s a really great song, because on the surface, it just like a daft kids’ song, but the lyrics are great. […] All the thing like ‘resting our head on the sea bed’ and ‘We’ll be warm beneath the storm’ which is really great, you know. Because it’s like this level is a storm, and if you get sort of deep in your consciousness, it’s very peaceful. So Ringo’s writing his cosmic songs without noticing.

An octopus’ garden is the perfect place to take refuge from the storms that sometimes break over our personal worlds, and if it weren’t for this song many of us wouldn’t know that there is such a thing as an octopus’ garden.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Updated Drought Map of the USA. June 3, 2021:

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

[Red Badger]

A local bar owner happened to catch an octopus while fishing one day.

Instead of throwing it back or using it for bait, which is common, he took it to his bar and placed it in an aquarium.

He noticed that the octopus rearranged the objects in the aquarium.

He would rearrange them back to where they were and the next morning they would be back to where the octopus wanted them.

He finally gave up.............................

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“They’re really amazingly smart...and delicious,” she said from the TOP of the Food Chain. ;)

[Red Badger]

I’ve eaten octopus.
Kind of chewy, a lot like calamari (squid).

They have a beak, like a bird, so make sure you remove that first, or you might chip a tooth......................

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Yep. That ‘beak’ can do a lot of damage. I’ve only had Octopus once - you’re right, like Calamari, which is ALSO delicious.

I think I need some lunch...LOL!