Weekly Garden Thread - July 2-8, 2022 [Our Founding Gardeners Edition]

July 2, 2022 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[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!

[Augie]

It was another hot and dry week here in Central Missouri. We've got a system moving through today that looks like it might bring some badly needed rainfall. Rain is always welcome this time of year, but it would have been nice if it could have come tomorrow. We're hosting a celebration today for Pops' 80th birthday, and it's looking like we'll be doing that indoors rather than out.

For the most part the garden is doing very well. Things could be a little neater out there but the gardener is old and slow and can't keep up. Mrs. Augie's pickle factory is in full swing. Summer squash harvest has started. Pole beans are loaded with blossoms. Winter squash are loaded. Garlic is ready to come out.

I got tired of looking at ugly pond water so I grabbed a jug of AquaShade at the farm-n-home store yesterday. Now it looks like the log flume at Six Flags. Can't decide if I like it or not.

[ryderann]

Many thanks to you both. I’m off to buy some neem oil.

[kvanbrunt2]

We are taking out 7 trees on Tuesday. should help with additional sun in front and longer sun in the back with the veggies. Need to replant winter squash as anything not in a raised garden area does not do well. maybe needs fertilizer. Looking to put in lots more flowers in the front.

[FamiliarFace]

I love plumerias but don’t have a ton of luck with them here in the Midwest. I do overwinter them somewhat successfully, meaning they survive. This last winter I had so many plants that I moved the plumerias into a lightly used room. I only watered once a week if that. They were pretty neglected. At any rate, one of the plants decided to put its energy into making blossoms, so for the first time I have a 3-4 foot plant that is producing lovely yellow blossoms like yours shown. This plant has very few leaves. I have no idea how this happened. I watered so sparingly over the winter, and didn’t fertilize once, not even in the early Spring. I’m THRILLED to have more than a blossom or two. This has never happened for me before, and I think I shall just count my blessings and enjoy it. I have my doubts that it will ever blossom like this again.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Neem oil; It can also be fortifed it with a bit of lavender and/or eucalyptus oil to make it more repellent. Add a few drops of soap as a surfactant to help it spray and coat the leaves. (I use Dr Bronners Sal Suds). https://www.tipsbulletin.com/how-to-use-neem-oil-for-cabbage-worms/

Neem Cake is a soil amendment and fertilizer and something that can be used to help control destructive nematodes, threadworms, and other insects that lay their eggs next to their target crops. This is not an immediate solution. Work a bit in around the base of the plant (I am using it on curcubits) and it will affect the ability things like striped cucumber bugs to grow and reproduce.

(I also use yellow sticky traps!)

https://neempedia.com/neem-organic-complexity/

"Neem cake is effective in the management of insects and pests. The bitter principles of the soil and cake have been reported to act as an antifeedant, attractant, repellent, insecticide, nematicide, growth disruptor and antimicrobial [48]."

(There! More than you probably want to know!)

[FamiliarFace]

I went on vacation last week, and had a little bit of a garden “fix” by going to a decently sized Amish farmer’s market, which helped me feel closer to harvesting vegetables than I’ve gotten to do myself. It was wonderful!!

Since we were limited on space, I only bought some eggplant and carrots to take home. We got back late Wednesday night, so couldn’t cook right away. I was able to make eggplant parmigiana and roasted carrots last night for dinner. So so so good! A local orchard here has a year round market, so I was able to find some nice romaine, kale, cucumbers, and tomatoes there, and the salad was a terrific accompaniment to the eggplant. I love when a meal plan comes together like that!

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Pete from Shawnee Mission :" Neem oil; It can also be fortified it with a bit of lavender and/or eucalyptus oil to make it more repellent"

Aha ! Fragrant camouflage ! What a concept !
That way you kill off the flea beetles,
and develop an additional deterrent.
I like it !

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks, Pete!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

We picked our first two red tomatoes today.
I count 30 more right behind the first pair.
Yum !

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I think the green looks better! Not sure what else would change the color....more oxygen? One of those pond areation systems?

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I got one here too!

[who knows what evil?]

My tomato and pepper plants are LOADED with young fruit at the moment...number one, though; are the sugar rush pepper plants...so many blossoms on them it looks like popcorn...unreal.

[spankalib]

Thank you for this effort, Diana, I learn so much from these threads!

I'm not 'there' yet, but as part of my edumakashun, I watch a lot of vids about gardening, storage, canning, freeze-drying, etc. The links you provide help a lot also!

I'm mesmerized by this (I think mother & son) country living/cooking duo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqmYzyoKiGY

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Thanks Diana!

Beautiful picture of the Monticello gardens!

[GaltAdonis]

Excellent!
Keep up the good work!

[Bon of Babble]

Some years my plumerias have done that - blossomed without leaves. There are times I’ve put a cutting into a pot and had it bloom straight off the cutting, nothing else.

Hard to say what they’ll do. I suspect it depends on the variety.

I’ve had a purple Jack for at least 15 years, it leafs out but hardly ever blooms.

Good luck with yours! I suspect they’ll love being outdoors during the summer.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

My occasional garden update. Rain last night, probably also tonight as well.

The first several zucchini and some of the beets have been picked. All the peas rutabagas, turnips, lettuce, chinese vegetables, and radishes have been picked.

June 9th, June 21st, June 29th

Estonian Garlic and multiplier onions harvested and curing on warm back porch. The Estonian garlic has stored well, I am still using garlic 11 months after picking. (6 heads left.) The same with the multiplier onions, which are smaller with thinner layers and a stronger taste than regular onions after a year. A good choice for prepping. (I do prefer sweet vidalia type onions though.)

Celebrity tomatos, basil, and marigold. First year growing any semi-determinate variety. I would normally remove the suckers and most of the leaves, but am waiting to see how they grow.

First year growing this determinate roma type Picus tomato. . Looks good so far. (Other varieties: Early Doll, Jaqui, Pineapple, Carbon/Purple Cherokee hybrid (lots of tomatoes on this variety!), Dad's sunrise, Amish paste, and Thortons Terracotta (Freebie seed that I started late and just planted in the garden.))

(Some 10 gallon trade pots with Korean Golden Sweet potatoes in the back ground. I need to start pruning the leaves soon....)

[DuncanWaring]

Oh no!

Don’t garden!

You’ll die!

“GREEN FINGERS Urgent warning to gardeners as soil ‘increases risk of killer heart disease’ (wear a mask while gardening)”

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4075648/posts

[mairdie]

These old packages brought so much warmth to the heart. Spring was for rebirth and happiness.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

You’re welcome! I’ll check out the link you posted. I have a few favorite You Tube gardeners, too. I especially like ‘Roots & Refuge Farm.’