Posted on 11/20/2021 6:48:41 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.
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!
I’m on my second cup already.
Me, too! Up at 5am today to feed my hunters and shove them out the door, LOL!
Good Morning! :-)
Meanwhile, I went down a bit of a 'rabbit hole' this week. My SIL had come over last Sunday to watch the compost pile being filled & as she was walking across the garden to head back home, she said “oh look – you have 'Dead Man's Fingers'” (the 'polite' name). I had noticed one growing when I was clearing out the zinnias several weeks ago, but a bunch more have come up, growing in the wood shavings. They are just around that one zinnia bed, too.
So what are we talking about here? These things …. most have 'collapsed' due to the cold, so they are not the best specimens & past prime, but you can see what is currently in the garden:
I had noticed when working on the zinnias that the top of the large 'finger' had been knocked off and there were a bunch of “Blue Bottle” (ie 'blow') flies on it. I figured it must have smelled like rotting meat to attract those types of flies, thus the “Dead” part of the name.
So I did a little research and here is what I found about the fungi:
From link: Another common name, “common stinkhorn,” refers to the species’ scent rather than its shape; stinkhorns as a group are notable for having spores that are dispersed by flies rather than by wind, and the mushroom recruits flies by mixing its spores in a layer of slime that smells very strongly of rotting animal flesh. The spores and their slime are exuded by the outer surface of the cap, making it appear smooth. Once most of the slime has been removed by flies, the cap surface is revealed to be pitted, very much like a morel—stinkhorns are even referred to as morels in some older sources.
So about those Blue Bottle flies I saw on the fungus …. I ran into a super interesting article about carrot seed growers using Blue Bottle flies to pollinate the carrot flowers – cheaper than honey bees, work harder, and don't sting! Here is the article, that I found:
Managing Alternative Pollinators - The Blue Bottle Fly
If you're interested in general Blue Bottle fly info, there's this:
Calliphora vomitoria
As a general rule, I'd just as soon not have Blue Bottle flies around, but as long as I've got 'stinkhorns' growing, there will be the flies! I'm curious if I'll get stinkhorns next year – they like rotting wood & the wood chips I'm using to keep the grass down around my beds must be at just the right stage for them to grow.
(The resource area is posted at the end of the the July 3-6 Gardening Thread beginning after post 112!)
In the years that followed...I did it your way and enjoyed my week of vacation.
Looking out today it is overcast and drizzly - perfect gardening weather after weeks of relentless heat.
This morning glory knows its days are numbered and is trying to put on a show so I won't kill it off:
I wouldn't be so angry at it if it weren't so invasive. I'm constantly pulling it out of my orange tree.
We've had such warm weather, my paperwhites are blooming (they usually bloom in December or January):
It's also last call for roses before they get cut back in a couple of weeks. This one is called "Ink Spots."
And "Pinata"
Finally, Happy Thanksgiving to all! We've been invited by a relative for Thanksgiving dinner and told "not to bring anything." I'll see if I can rustle up some flowers from my garden for the table.
Nice to have a thread that isn’t about COVID, the vax or the Rittenhouse affair.
Gardens are calming, a way to escape from the madness.
Thank God for them.
I grew Morning Glories this year for the first time. They were gorgeous when blooming, but I don’t think I’ll grow them again. They were very invasive and took a lot of ‘unwinding’ from everything they could grab. As pretty as they are, they only bloom in the mornings (which I knew), but those brief blooms just don’t offset all the vine issues you have to deal with. Maybe along a fence or something where they couldn’t get into other flowers (they were all tangled in my zinnias & marigolds) would work - I’ll have to look around for another spot, but right now, no MGs next year.
You won’t have to grow them again; they’ll do that all on their own. Pretty much impossible to get rid of once established, like all too many other plants I can think of.
Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Steps Bring water to a boil in a small pan. Stir in your oats and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Serve immediately.
Tips and FAQ’s: What is the difference between Old Fashioned Oatmeal and Quick Cooking Oats? All oats begin as groats, or kernels of grain that are later processed into different varieties. Meaning that they each provide the same health benefits. What makes each oat variety different is the way they are processed.
Old Fashioned Oatmeal – This version of oatmeal is flat and flaky in appearance and often referred to as rolled oats. They typically take five minutes to cook and tend to soak up more water than quick cooking oats. Old fashioned is the variety I reach for when making granola, cookies, or muffins.
Quick Cooking Oats – Quick cooking oatmeal are rolled oats that have been coarsely chopped. By breaking them down into smaller pieces, you have a quicker cooking oatmeal with a slightly finer texture.
Healthy alternatives to sugar in oatmeal: While this recipe calls for brown sugar, I know that many of you are on the hunt for more healthy alternatives. Maple Syrup Honey Agave Dates Coconut Sugar
What to add to maple brown sugar oatmeal: Sometimes you need a little extra to help with either filling you up or flavor. Here are our go-to oatmeal mix-in’s: dried fruit Blueberries Pecans Walnuts
It is definitely Oatmeal Season around here!
Beau makes his own Maple Syrup, and it’s really good on Oatmeal. I always add chopped nuts and dried fruit - I don’t like it plain. Blech! ;)
Liz; Enjoying right now! ( Quick w dried cranberries, raisins and pecans!)
Mmmmmmm.......love dried cranberries.
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