Weekly Garden Thread - July 31-August 6, 2021 [Old Farmer's Almanac Edition]

July 31, 2021 | Diana in Wisconsin/Greeneyes

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Thanks 17strings! (Dandelions help with covid?)

https://www.naturalnews.com/2021-06-28-dandelion-leaf-extract-blocks-spike-proteins-binding-to-ace2-receptor.html

Posting for review, you decide what to do with the information! As long as they aren't growing in my lawn they are good greens. (I think everyone knows not to use dandelions from sprayed lawns!)

13 Potential Health Benefits of Dandelion

"Dandelion are a family of flowering plants that grow in many parts of the world.
They’re also known as Taraxacum spp., though Taraxacum officinale is the most common species.
You may be most familiar with dandelion as a stubborn weed that never seems to leave your lawn or garden.

For centuries, they’ve been used to treat a myriad of physical ailments, including cancer, acne, liver disease and digestive disorders.
Here are 13 potential health benefits of dandelion, and what science has to say about them." (More at link!)

Baker Creek Italiko Rosso Dandelion!

(Any thoughts Diana?)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

SunFlower Psyh-op! Walk toward the flowers, repeating, walk toward the flowers!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I think they look quite tasty with the red stems. They’d also look prettier in the lawn than your average Dandelion.

I have made Dandelion Wine from time to time, but you use the blossoms for that. Never have developed a taste for Dandelion Greens, but a lot of people swear by them!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Don't Worry Diana, I wouldn't try to persuade you!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/dandelion-salad-with-warm-bacon-dressing-106375

https://www.vibrantplate.com/dandelion-salad-eggs-bacon/

https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-kale-bistro-salad-232441

Just add some dandelion if you run out of Kale! (Also remember not to overdo it with dandelions;)

https://www.wildfooduk.com/edible-wild-plants/dandelion/

Medicinal Uses

Dandelion is a diuretic, increasing urine production, so is good as detox for the blood and helps improve kidney and liver function. It can be used as a tea, the roots, leaves and flowers. The white sap in the stem and leaves has been used traditionally for curing warts. Other Facts

Eaten by man in times of famine the roots contain starch. The leaves are diuretic hence the name Pissabed. The dandelion has many food uses such as salad, a green vegetable, a flavouring for soft and alcoholic drinks, a substitute for coffee and a calorific staple.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

‘Pissabed,’ LOL! Lovely. I already take a mild diuretic, so I WILL have to pass on this one. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Fall 2021 Forecast released today per AccuWeather:

[Diana in Wisconsin]

For our 'lurkers' on this thread:

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Just saw something reeeeeaaly cool in my garden.

1st if all the number of different bee specials in what is essentially a small vegetable garden is astounding. The borage that grows adjacent to my tomatoes really brings in the bees.

But I was watering my cucumbers and have some bamboo poles holding up the old fencing material I use to trellis the plants.

A long black wasp flew by with a translucent green grasshopper looking g bug in it’s clutches. It hovered over a bamboo pole then flew down inside the open top.

I could not get a photo.....even after tapping and shaking the pole to try and get it to fly back out.

So I dribbled water in the opening until it filled up (about 16 inches deep by 3/8ths diameter......when was totally full I only had to wait 5 or 6 seconds and the wasp flew back out sans grasshopper.

Still no photo because he flew away rapido.

An internet search seems to 8ndicate it is called a “Great Black Wasp”

Hoping to get a photo of this thing someday with another insect in his clutches.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Yikes! Hope it doesn’t carry off the family pets, LOL!

Pretty cool way to store the bodies to eat later. *SHUDDER*

Had another Zoodle Success last night. I put fresh Zoodles in a pan with EVOO, warmed them through well, added three ‘blops’ of Ricotta cheese and shredded parm, some fresh chopped basil, warmed that all through. Turned into a Zoodle Alfredo and it was really good!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Lidia Bastianich's String Bean and Potato Salad Recipe

Highly recommended! I make this every time I have all the ingredients ready in the garden. And guess what? They are! Treat yourself. Recipe below:

[Diana in Wisconsin]

https://www.today.com/recipes/lidia-bastianich-s-string-bean-potato-salad-recipe-t109644

[Liz]

Mmmmmmmm..........

Deelish.......And so easy.

[Liz]

Eat red dandelion raw in salads.

Blitzed into a simple pesto sauce tossed with pasta, or sandwich spread.

When using them raw, tame their peppery bite by combining them with more tender and mild leafy greens, like spinach or lettuce.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Rainy today. 1st measurable rain in Seattle in over 56 days.

Only had 2 tomato plants that did the yoga pose where you bend over and touch the ground..... since i spent plenty of time zip tying all of them to bamboo poles the last 3 or 4 days.

I am hoping for rain today then dry out so we can avoid any fungus issues and the bugs that like dampness