Posted on 12/11/2021 6:40:16 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!
Very windy today in Michigan. Since this thread features birds there is a great 2 hour long youtube of birds eating in the snow in Norway. I discovered it last year. So many birds we don’t have here and the squirrels have these tufted ears so cute. The channel Movie Squirrels has some other cute squirrel videos but this one has lots of birds.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbOj2a8PFGA
We always referred to them as winter rats.
Love this .... one of my favorite sayings, similar in a way, is based on Matthew 10:29-31 - “His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me”. I have a small bird bath with that saying on it.
Feeling very ‘reflective’ right now ... back home from a graveside service at 1:00. Beautiful service ... simple, meaningful (the Pastor knew the deceased and added some very special, personal touches). Funerals around holidays are especially tough.
No gardening or outside work for the rest of the day - big front coming through with fairly heavy winds/rain expected. Radar is showing leading rain about 60 miles away. Very gray clouds are ‘scudding’ by in a hurry as the front gets near. No severe weather warnings, just wind gusts.
I’ve got on the Christmas tree lights, cup of coffee (put on a 2nd pot) and counting my blessings.
Have a great weekend, everybody. ~Q
Uh hun, thats about right. Its just a little snow. That’s why the stairs to the 2nd floor landing are there!
No snow or lines here on the KS/MO border. Already bought muh beer and a bottle of Mandarin Absolute for any chest cold I might develop this winter. :)
KU is playing Missou. Listening to the radio. I was not born here but they have a memory. Not many school rivalries start with Quantrill’s raiders showing up, robbing your banks and drinking your liquor, shooting your men, and riding back out of town.
Greetings from southern New Hampshire!
We had our first measurable snow fall this past week. Only about a 1/2”, but measurable.
I have the parts cut out for the eight side wall hatches on our new hoop house. I have four corners to patch to stop air flow. I will be assembling these hatches and painting in my heated wood shop, then installing them.
I have one half barrel planter to move into the hoop house, and several pots to fill with compost and place in there, as well. Then, we will see how it heats with sunlight, this winter. We have a bunch of cat litter jugs to paint flat black, fill with water, and locate in the hoop house, as well, for thermal mass.
I finished the plumbing in the basement for Barb’s planting area. She has grow lights hung and they are controlled by our smart home controllers to turn on at 0600 and off at 2100 hrs. She has a large number of Coleus plants down there, right now, but will be starting some vegetables, soon.
I have been busy decorating the outside of our house. The tree goes up tomorrow.
Great pictures as always!
🙂
Unfortunately, I have squirrels that will take over an open platform or fly-through feeder. The little buggers gnawed through one of my long plastic feeders completely ruining it.
I put all my feeders in this tree, which the squirrels will have to climb to get to them!:
Thank you!
It’s nice to be shouted out for all the hard work I’ve done - and do every day in those gardens.
I’ve got an orchid that is putting out a stem, hopefully full of flowers, they haven’t bloomed in a couple of years.
My family doesn’t understand the hard work and dedication a garden takes - but they’re happy to show it off.
OMG! WHAT is that tree called? I’ve never seen anything like that.
Yeah - looks squirrel proof, LOL!
I have orchids in the house (live in Wisconsin). Have 7 different colors and something is blooming all year long. Sometimes they all bloom at once. 😁
I have a few other plants in the house for the winter. I could not let my Mezoo or Cuphea ignata die outside, and made cuttings that rooted outside on the deck. I have 2 pots each of Mezoo and Cuphea in my brightest windows. Also saved a cutting of a lime green coleus that has magenta edges. Too pretty to not save a big cutting of that.
I planted somewhere under 200 bulbs this fall, tulips,daffodils and hyacinth. So many different colors of each. Should be a good show in spring.
Saved many seeds this year to germinate in my little greenhouse early in spring, also bought a few new seeds, and just pre-ordered dahlia tubers from Swan Island Dahlias (Oregon state grower) at www.dahlias.com. My first order with them. They were recommended on a dahlia lover website I ran across last week. They ship the dahlia tubers at the right time based on where one lives. Their website is amazing.
Had a fabulous show in my gardens this past year. Started out with the german bearded iris, tulips and daffodils. The huge zinnias I grew were the stars of the show, even the UPS man complimented me on my garden. 😁
I have 4 amaryllis potted up now, 2 showing the main shoot already. Giving one away for Christmas. Never grew those before.
I always enjoy your pictures. I must learn how to post my own pictures. Been on FR for many years. I have no excuse but laziness. 🙃
Cheers for the upcoming spring and summer growing season!
😄
Holy cow, what is that spiked thorn tree called! Wow!
Hello there! Thanks for the gardening threads!
I found a source for dahlias last week. I was reading a discussion on how often the variety of dahlia tuber purchased is not what you actually get when you see the plant bloom months later. The dahlia enthusiasts said big box stores are the worst and small growers are the best at keeping things straight.
They listed some small places but pointed out they sell out very quickly. Then they said there are a few that are big enough to produce larger numbers of tubers and will ship them to you.
Swan Island Dahlias is the place I tried, their website is www.dahlias.com.
I am getting 7 different dahlias, one of which was complimentary after my $50 purchase. They have you pre-order and the ship in spring nearer to planting time. They have gorgeous pictures of all the varieties on the website, and even an aerial video of their fields in bloom. I am going to try to save the tubers every fall, and looked into the proper way to have the best luck doing that.
I will need to dig up another new bed for the dahlias. Like I often say when doing hard labor “Hey, it’s good exercise!”. 😅
My hobby greenhouse is nearly done, just in time for the real winter weather to get here. I am going to work at my folks greenhouse starting in January, so they get everything planted on time. Dad will be 86 in spring.😅
Mine blooms late, in October, most bloom starting in July. The flowers look like orchids. This is from a few years ago, some years it explodes in blooms all the way to the bottom of the tree, other years, it blooms only along the top:
Yes, inventory is low and prices are high.
If you’re in the market for a vehicle you need to know exactly what will suit you, and how much you’re willing to spend.
If you find one that will do, and you hesitate, it probably won’t be there by the time you’ve climbed down from the fence.
Mrs. Augie let three cars that she liked slip through her fingers last week before her ‘welcome to reality’ dim bulb got a little brighter.
Thanks for the Dahlia tip. I will check it out. Not sure why it took me so long to go Dahlia Crazy, but I’m certifiable now, LOL!
Say ‘HI’ to your folks for me. I loved buying from them for Jung’s. They always had superb product. Your sister & her husband, too!
Your Dad is the Energizer Bunny! :)
Congrats on the new vehicle. I have a friend who has a RAV and she just loves it, so I’m sure Mrs. Augie is sad to see her go.
I need a new Ford Explorer or their cute, new ‘Maverick’ but the sticker SHOCK is holding me back. I know things aren’t going to get any better in the near future. :(
Having paid $60K for my first HOUSE, I can’t wrap my head around paying that for a truck, LOL!
Wow, amazing flower too! The trunk of the tree looks unreal. 🙃
I also found another dahlia interest website.
www.OnceUponADahlia.com
Found it while searching for tuber storage advice.
She is very sad that car is gone. It was a ‘12 model Limited - loaded with options and a smoking fast 3.5l V6. The Eclipse has a turbocharged 1.5l I4, which is adequate, but the acceleration doesn’t begin to compare with what the RAV would do. That said, the Eclipse is much nicer to look at than the RAV. I’m sure she’ll learn to love this one too.
Thanks!
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