Posted on 12/25/2021 7:20:14 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!
Great idea on the powdered milk!
I have 4, #32 cans of the stuff leftover from my Dad’s ‘prepper stash’ that I ‘inherited’ when I moved him from his apartment. I’ll use up some of it for soups & baking; we don’t like powdered milk unless we’ll HAVE to drink it in the future. (I will save 2 cans for the two of us; it makes a TON of milk.)
As you know, when I have an empty milk jug, I fill it with water and feed that to houseplants. My Geraniums and Christmas Cactus are in full bloom right now and loving life. :)
Thanks, Pete!
That is the plan. I have already done plenty of research but as you know, even the best book learning from locals who “wrote the book” still does not compare to personal experience.
I have already reached out to the local extension office and they allegedly will do site visits to assist in planning. I am getting too old to redo a garden every year as I learn new stuff. I want to plan this out at the beginning with options to add features later.
My red and my pink Christmas cacti had a nice flush of blooms a few weeks ago. There were a lot of small budding flowers too, but now they are all drying up and falling off. Was there a way to encourage a second flush of blooms that I don’t know about? Most of the buds are now gone.
Congratulation on 30 year!!
(16 Lb Boneless Prime! Not a small investment!)
I watered the garlic and potato onions. Like you said, it has been warm and the tops were poking through. Also watered rhubarb and Viking Aronia, the lilacs (including Moscow beauty!) and some replanted day lily beds.
I have some fig trees in the basement with a couple of florescent lights and a south window and they have amazingly, been ripening figs even though all the leaves have fallen off. However, its probably taking longer because with those leave gone. I may just just remove the remaining figs and get them dorment before we get to much deeper into winter. Once dormant I can prune them and will have some cuttings that I can sell or give away.
I will get some seeds this year even though I probably do not need them. (It is prudent to have them of course....) I will buy more fertilizer than I need. Same reason.
In any case have a great anniversary!
2 slices French bread, 2 T butter 2 oz. Monterey Jack, 1 T Chevre cheese 2 slices cooked Apple-Smoked Bacon or Vegetarian Bacon, Jalapeno/ Apricot Jelly (”Joy’s Peach-Jalapeno Jam” is good) or any good Red Pepper Jelly
Directions: Butter one side of bread thoroughly. Spread approx 1/2 oz of Chevre cheese on unbuttered side. Layer w/ 2 oz sliced Monterey Jack and 2 slices cooked bacon. On the unbuttered side of second slice, spread approx 1 T jam or jelly.
Place the first piece of bread, cheese/bacon side up into a hot skillet that has been greased with about 1/4 t butter. Immediately place second piece of bread buttered side up, jam side down, on top of this.
Cook covered, 2-3 minutes, then flip with a spatula. Cook other side for another 2-3 minutes or until bread is toasted brown on both sides and cheese is melted. Feel free to press down sandwich with spatula on second side to make it brown faster. Cut in half and serve.
Mmmm! It is Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup weather here, today! 1-5” of snow with more coming this week/end.
I’m so ready for Winter! Loved that we had a VERY long & warm Fall, though.
Love the idea of adding apples - have never done that, but will give it a try. Bacon, with EVERYTHING, goes without saying, LOL!
Tip for grilling sandwiches: butter the pan, not the bread.
When you butter the bread, at least one side always ends up soggy. Sometimes both sides do. But, if you start with a hot pan, and smear butter just in the spot where the bread will sit (or as close as you can manage when eyeballing it), then the bread only absorbs a little of the grease, giving you a perfectly crisp, grilled surface.
Flipping the sandwich can be tricky. If the pan is big enough, butter a spot to flip it to right before flipping. If the pan is too small, have the butter right there ready to go, lift the sandwich with one hand, butter the pan with the other, then flip the sandwich into the freshly-prepared spot.
My grandfather has been in the restaurant business, either as owner/chef or just head chef, for more than 60 years. He told me it wasn’t possible to make a grilled cheese sandwich without one side ending up soggy. I hate soggy bread enough that I just had to fix that. He said it was the best grilled cheese he’d ever had, and he is NOT one to hand out empty compliments!
If you absolutely must butter the bread, keep the top piece away from heat until you’re ready to flip it, or else grill both pieces separately and assemble the sandwich after they’ve grilled. The key is not to let the butter melt into the bread until said bread is touching the hot surface.
Love the plan! Can’t wait for you to share the results.
It would be very, VERY hard for me to start over once again. Granted, life changes, and I may HAVE to at some point, but going back to just gardening in pots, or one raised bed would be painful. :(
You, however, are going to do great. So VERY happy you are getting what could become your ‘dream job’ and a more calm life, all around. :)
Plan the WORK, then WORK the plan, Baby! Works every time it’s tried! :)
Those second set of blooms falling off is usually due to a change in temperature or light.
Is it getting dry air blown on it from having your furnace on now? Did you move it? Is it getting enough water? They need more water when they’re blooming than when they’re not.
Just off top, those are usually the reasons for bud drop.
Mine has bloomed beautifully, but she needs a good clean-up, today to remove the spent blossoms and hopefully get some more blooms from those coming up behind. ;)
Oh! I read ‘apple bacon’ as just ‘apples’ but now I want to try it with thinly sliced (even shredded) apples! :)
Thx for the pro cheffy tips.
Sounds mighty good.
Thanks for the info. Should I snap off the spent blossoms immediately, or let them fall when completely dry? Should I try misting?
I take the spent blossoms off when they look withered and ugly. I just snap them off right where they meet the stem.
Misting won’t be of benefit, but check if it needs a drink.
Does your pot have good drainage? They like to try out between watering, except, again, they need a little more water when in bloom.
My ‘Miss Peach’ has been in the same clay pot for 10 years. This has been her best bloom-year ever - so I hope it’s not her last! (I started some cuttings for my Mom - I think we talked about that?)
I may repot in claumpots instead of plastic. Also cut off some of the longer arms and try to root them for new plants. Iam saving the dry blossoms to some day try to make flower infused paper.
I’ve always had the best luck with clay pots and cactus mix soil for Christmas Cactus - or any type of succulents.
I think I’ll start some more cuttings from Miss Peach, just to hedge my bets. The peach-colored ones seem to be hard to come by.
I must have been really tired last night when I tried to write clay pots. ;-) I had never seen a pink Christmas cactus, so grabbed the only one I saw. It was beautiful.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.