Weekly Garden Thread - December 31-January 6, 2023 [2022 Lessons Learned Edition]

December 31, 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.

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[waterhill]

Cool looking doggy.

[Pollard]

To you greenhouse owners; How much does having a greenhouse reduce the amount of stuff you would do indoors if you didn’t have a greenhouse?

Got the room cleaned out that I’ll be using for a seed starting room. Trying to figure out how many new trays and grow lights to buy.

I’ll have a high tunnel this year so Indoors >> Greenhouse >> High Tunnel would be the order that plants would shuffle through I would think.(if I buy/build a greenhouse)

Greenhouse would be against the house and I’d put black plastic drums full of water in it to soak up heat by day and keep the temp up a little by night.

Just trying to figure out where money is best spent and wanting to reduce as much indoor gardening activity as possible. High tunnels only add 5-10 degrees and it will be hundreds of feet from the house. A greenhouse against the house with water barrels should be warmer and will be right here.

[GaltAdonis]

I'm not really a fan of green beans, unless they are raw
and dipped in a ranch or cucumber dressing.
Weird, huh?

[Liz]

Recipe? Please?

[Liz]

You might like Tuna Frenchie......a batter dipped fried tuna sandwich.

Tuna Frenchie

1 can (4 oz.) tuna packed in spring water, drained and all liquid pressed out
1 T. Miracle Whip
2 T. real mayonnaise
1 t. dry minced onion
1 T. sweet pickle relish
6 slices bread, white, whole wheat or rye
2 beaten eggs
1/3 c. milk
pinch salt
1/4 lb. butter or margarine
2 T. oil

Combine the first 5 ingredients to make the filling and set aside.
Arrange bread slices on working surface and beat eggs, milk and salt
in a shallow bowl.

Melt butter with oil in a roomy skillet (don’t let
the butter turn brown). Divide filling between half of bread slices and
place remaining slices on top. Heat the oil over medium high heat.
Dip each sandwich into egg mixture, coating both sides well and transfer
between 2 pancake turners or spatulas to the oil. Brown (this happens
quickly so watch it). Turn the sandwich over using the spatulas
to secure each sandwich. Brown the other side and remove to a paper
towel to drain.

Cut in half and serve quickly.
(makes 3 generous sandwiches)

[Liz]

File in summer recipes file

LBJ Texas Ranch BBQ Sauce / secret recipe revealed

Ingredients

1 c ketchup
1/2 c cider vinegar
1 ts sugar
1 ts chili powder
1/2 ts salt
1 1/2 c water
3 ribs celery; chopped
3 bay leaves
1 clove garlic; minced
2 tb chopped onions
4 tb wosteshire sauce
1 ts paprika
1 dash black pepper
4 tb butter

Combine all ingredients. Bring to a
boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and strain.

[Pollard]

1 c ketchup

1/2 c cider vinegar (thin liquid)
1 1/2 c water (thin liquid)
4 tb wosteshire sauce (thin-ish liquid)

Seems like that would be pretty watery

[Liz]

You cook it down........needs to cook all the veggies.

[GaltAdonis]

"Recipe? Please?"

.

This recipe from Food & Wine is a good basic starting point.

But I would add some seasonings to the flour/water mixture.
I would suggest a dash of ginger powder, a dash of garlic powder.
Maybe dash of mustard powder and/or (very small dash of) cayenne pepper.
Perhaps a sprinkle of black pepper.

What do you like?
Experiment & have fun with it!

But otherwise just follow the recipe.

HINTS:

Do NOT use olive oil for the frying.
Use safflower or canola oil.
You could add a dash of sesame oil or coconut oil to the other oils for flavor.

After cooking, serve these things dipping sauce(s) -

Soy sauce, spicy mustard, szechuan sauce (very spicy),
horseradish sauce, wasabi, or plain old ketchup -
Whatever suits you fancy!

Good Luck & Enjoy!

Broccoli Tempura

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“How much does having a greenhouse reduce the amount of stuff you would do indoors if you didn’t have a greenhouse?”

I start just about everything from seed indoors in my grow light rack in the pantry and things are moved into the (unheated) greenhouse to harden off and grow to size before planting outside as the weather warms up. I also move flats in and out as weather permits, to help harden things off.

I did the same thing without the greenhouse, but there was a lot more moving in and out of flats each morning and evening, when I was putting flats in sunny spots on the porch.

Then, there were years when I was raising puppies and flats of produce and puppies do NOT mix, LOL!

Before I had my grow light rack, I just used shop lights and boards for shelving and bricks for moving the lights up or down as needed.

I never approached it as an economical solution, though starting everything myself ended up being more economical in the long run.

Up here, I love the greenhouse on the back side because I can keep salad greens (and some years cherry-type tomatoes) going well into the Fall. This year I had salad greens up until December 23rd! Zone 5a.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Very nice! I’m hungry for a Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup, today!

[Liz]

Many thx.

[Liz]

Sounds mighty good.

[Augie]

Strange weather this past week here in Central Missouri. We went from the freezer to t-shirts and shorts almost overnight. Also got some badly needed rainfall over the last few days. Not enough, but better than nothing for sure.

Once again the plants in my greenhouse have tricked me. I thought everything was dead after that below zero crap we had Christmas weekend, but I was wrong. The spinach has perked up and looks no worse for the wear. The radishes are making a comeback. Some of the lettuce is making a comeback. The more I ponder Pete's idea of using pipe heating tape in the planter beds the more brilliant the idea becomes. I'm going to grab a couple or three of those things and try it myself.

I took full advantage of the warm weather over the New Year's weekend to frame the ends of my tunnel house. Now it won't be much work to get the plastic back on and properly secured.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Gorgeous! Well done! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Diana’s 2022 Lessons/Successes/Failures

1. Plant more Jalapenos in 2023. I am ADDICTED to Poppers, LOL!

2. A few less tomatoes. More determinate varieties so I get my canning done all at once, and a few more Heirloom slicers for FLAVOR.

3. More salad greens. Work on planting in succession through the whole season versus just spring and fall. Do that with beans and zukes and cukes as well. There is NO reason I should buy ANY produce in the summer months. Duh.

4. More use of the Greenhouse in Fall, 2023. Start a few cherry-types in pots for later transfer to the greenhouse and see how long I can keep them producing.

5. Light tilling and compost added to older beds this spring. It’s time. Top dressing on perennial beds. Production was down just a wee bit, but we had a very COLD Spring in 2022.

6. Keep a diary of foodstuffs eaten from the garden for all of 2023. (A ‘Challenge’ coming up for us all in a future post.)

7. More flowers. One full bed dedicated to cutting flowers. Food for the SOUL!

8. Use up seed from 2022. Start as much from seed as possible, versus being TEMPTED at the Garden Centers.

9. Stock up on favorite fertilizers and potting mixes earlier this season; there were some shortages last year of things I needed to keep going in the fall.

10. Plant potatoes and popcorn in my raised beds, versus the Big Garden, or the garden down below the barn. Raccoons get corn and popcorn down there every. d@mn. time. Enough! Half of The Big Garden is going over to perennial wildflowers for pollinators. Beau can have the rest of it for whatever he wants. It’s too much work for me to do both gardens plus all the lawn chores. If I hate doing it, WHY am I doing it? It doesn’t make me the least bit happy. Duh.

11. BEHAVE with the 2023 seed catalogs. Buy the AAS varieties and my ‘Tried and True’ varieties that never fail me. Don’t get all fancy about things. Back to the BASICS. Production is key for 2023.

[Pollard]

Sounds about how I figured it will work. Temps fluctuate so much here, seeds have to be started indoors and seedlings need to stay indoors for a while. Greenhouse should help me get some of the bigger plants out of the house sooner. Still might be some shuffling indoors on cold spells.

I was running out of room in here last Spring and had lighting hanging at 3-4 different heights in different spots. Having a dedicated room will be a big help. Also got my eye on a shelving unit to use for a seed tray rack.

I will be setting up some sort of lean-to greenhouse against this SE wall, however crude/cheap it may be.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

If you can find old sliding glass doors that no one wants anymore, those work great. HOWEVER - be mindful of overheating if it’s facing South. Leave some gaps between the windows for air.

I built my first ‘greenhouse’ that way and cooked more than I grew! ;)

[Pollard]

Yeah we had a makeshift version and I was amazed at how warm it got in there. There was a window to the kitchen on that wall so we’d open it up for free heat. Never did grow anything in it. Definitely not year round greenhouses.

[Pollard]

Just ordered one of these from Lowes. Not using it outdoors and I may or may not use the cover. Just a cheap shelving unit that will hold 8 seed trays and it has wire mesh shelves so hanging lights will be easy. Bottom shelf near floor will just be storage. I'm also putting a 7 1/2 foot counter in the seedling room so when things get too tall for the shelves, they can go on the counter.

BootStrapFarmer has extra strength flats and 50 cell seed trays they sell in 5 packs so I'll get those next. Need to get them while supplies last. Everyone ran out of trays last year.

I have two of the flimsy 72 cell trays with flats, two humidity domes, two lights, two heat mats. Need 6 more lights and probably a couple of heat mats. Maybe a couple more domes just for germination.

The room I'm using is normally kept closed off when it gets real cold but I can stick a space heater in there if need be or use the cover. Doubt it will zip up being 19" deep shelves with trays side by side that are 21" long/deep but even just having the door draped ought to help on cold nights. Will have to see what works. Could just drape regular clear poly plastic over it.

Between holidays & bad/icy weather, I've only gotten one full week's pay so far and it was the smaller, three 12s week. The four 12s is $300 more. I'll get one of those checks on the 24th. Bought this shelving unit now because it was half price with the sale ending today. Ship to store by the 10th. I'll get trays as soon as I can(24th) and hopefully they'll still have them. Pair of tires for the truck comes first though.

Now that the holidays are over, I'll be caught up in a few weeks. Don't really need much for seeds. Major shopping will start February. Month of May will have three big paychecks so that will be finishing off the high tunnel. Should have it up and covered by then so May will be compost, all the gadgets, motorized vents, automation, drip irrigation or at least nice soaker hoses with a timer on them.

Working 6am - 6pm, plus an hour travel each way, it will be hard to do much gardening on those days. I work three days in a row every other week, have those three days off on alternating weeks and the rest is two days work, two days off. After 90 days, I'm supposed to be moving to nights but I'm going to try and talk my way out of that. I watched my ex try to adjust her sleeping hours every day or three to have some awake daytime. I don't think it's good for one's health. Hell, I don't think being nocturnal is normal or healthy for humans either. Tip toeing around because someone sleeps by day sucks as well.