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Weekly Garden Thread - January 21-27, 2023 [Seed Shortages: Opinions & Articles As To Why]
Various Publications | January 21, 2023 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

Posted on 01/21/2023 8:00:22 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!


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: food; gardening; health; hobbies
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

It’s definitely something I recommend everyone grow a little of, just to get the hang of it. I thought I had done enough research to know what I was doing, but my first wheat few patches were still disasters.


61 posted on 01/22/2023 10:11:46 AM PST by Ellendra (A single lie on our side does more damage than a thousand lies on their side.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

I have a habit of sitting like that still! My family thinks I’m nuts! Ok, maybe I am sometimes.


62 posted on 01/22/2023 10:18:21 AM PST by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TP)
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To: Ellendra

Every few seasons the Dairy Farmer that rents crop land from us grows wheat or oats in a field that butts right up to my lawn on the east side of the house yard.

I think I’ll just do a little ‘harvesting around the edges’ next time he does that. ;)


63 posted on 01/22/2023 7:03:34 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

About seed shortages, I ordered all of mine before Christmas so got everything this time, but when I got the Johnny’s catalog last week it hit me like a brick. 244 pages last year, 72 pages this year. So little, and some categories not offered at all any more. We better get everything we’ll need for a couple years of viability NOW.


64 posted on 01/22/2023 7:07:26 PM PST by CatDancer (President Trump will remain the President in Exile)
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To: CatDancer

“We better get everything we’ll need for a couple years of viability NOW.”

I agree. I, too, had no problems getting what I needed/wanted this season from the seed catalogs, but I’m a Jung’s Girl (who also own Totally Tomatoes, Vermont Bean Seed Company, Edmund’s Roses...and a few others). I help support my retirement by buying from them! ;)

ANYHOW - I just pulled my Johnny’s catalog and you’re right; smaller samplings than last year. BUT - at least they’re pro-active enough to not disappoint their customers, and especially NEW gardeners. “72 PAGES of seeds? Yippee!”

I used to help put together the Seed Savers catalog each year; (mostly copy proofing, nothing GLAMOROUS) - it is INSANELY expensive to print catalogs. I’m thinking we may not even have them in the future. :(

So, save seeds AND save seed catalogs! ;)

FWIW, I’m going to order a little something from every catalog sent my way. It’s probably the only way to keep them going.


65 posted on 01/22/2023 7:17:37 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

That is the cutest picture!
Adorable.
😊


66 posted on 01/22/2023 7:17:57 PM PST by TheConservativeParty (Comfy with Frens 🐸 )
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To: TheConservativeParty

Thanks! Dad always said I was pretty adorable...right up until I became a TEENAGER, LOL!

(Having raised three myself; he speaks the TRUTH!)


67 posted on 01/22/2023 7:21:35 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Those old toy farm sets were great.
☺️


68 posted on 01/22/2023 7:51:29 PM PST by TheConservativeParty (Comfy with Frens 🐸 )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Wait until after he harvests it. Machines miss a lot, and there is nothing wrong with gleaning what they’ve missed.


69 posted on 01/22/2023 8:47:15 PM PST by Ellendra (A single lie on our side does more damage than a thousand lies on their side.)
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To: Ellendra
Amaranth is supposed to be the biggest bang for your buck as far as grains go. Technically a pseudocereal but some varieties are grown and consumed as a leafy vegetable and some as ornamental while most edible use is as a grain. Some varieties are considered invasive, depending on locale. https://foodrevolution.org/blog/what-is-amaranth/

While quinoa is famously mild and uncomplainingly takes on the flavor of whatever it’s cooked with, amaranth has some definite ideas of its own. When cooked, the taste of amaranth has been described as “nutty” by fans, and — in the interest of full transparency — “grassy” by some who don’t like its flavor. You’ll have to try it and decide for yourself."

70 posted on 01/23/2023 3:21:53 AM PST by Pollard ( >>> The Great Reset is already underway! <<<)
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To: Pollard

Garden shopping begins tomorrow for me. I’ll be shopping for weeks if not months

Stage 1

Getting 1020 trays from trueleafmarket because the reviews on them say sturdy and they’re near half price of bootstrapfarmer’s.

Getting preloaded Jiffy Pot cell trays from HarrisSeeds. They call them Jiffy Pot Sheets.

Got plenty of seeds from last year but might pick up a few things like onions and one variety of maters, either Sungold F1 or Sungold II open pollinated.

Stage 2

Undecided on lights but will probably just get more of what I have. Probably a few more heat mats since my seedling room gets chilly.

Hoping Yukon Gold seed potatoes will be more available locally this year. All I could find was a single 5 lb bag last year.

Stage 3, 4, 5 etc

Then later, it’s onto infrastructure. Hoops or frame for hoophouse/greenhouse. Greenhouse/tunnel plastic for that and the high tunnel. Shade cloth for the same. Concrete for high tunnel frame. Material to frame end walls and make doors, vents and roll down sides. Lean and lower setup. Automation at least for the vents and maybe roll down sides.

Lots of compost to kick things off and plenty of mulch since I won’t have much time for weeding and I liked how I didn’t have to water every day in last year’s heat wave like my neighbor with his bare soil garden. Could do like some of the youtube market gardeners and put the compost on really thick so it doubles as mulch.

Gonna be some expensive veggies this year but most things will last for years.

Going to get some laying hens this year. Nice that they don’t require a minimum of 25 these days and I do have a hatchery 1 1/2 hours away so I could go get them. Could also get them from the farm store. Coup, goat shed and fence(s) all need improvements/additions.


71 posted on 01/23/2023 5:27:40 AM PST by Pollard ( >>> The Great Reset is already underway! <<<)
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To: Sacajaweau

Woah! I didn’t mean it to sound so “braggy”.

I meant in the 30 years I’ve been gardening (meaning I’m an old fart); I’ve never seen this weird white mold before. It is mold, or a fungus, as it has hair like filaments.

Anyway, I’m sure it is from too much water.

I did have one actual question in the initial post:

Is Daconil an acceptable chemical to use on seedlings? I ask because most of the time I garden without using any chemicals. I’m not against them, I just luckily never had the need.


72 posted on 01/23/2023 5:38:33 AM PST by Alas Babylon! (Gov't declaring misinformation is tyranny: “Who determines what false information is?” )
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To: Alas Babylon!
I didn't take it that way...It gave me a special respect for you as being very experienced at this...you see...this old fart just turned 79.

Personally...I'd never put any chems on seedlings.

I just started gardening at 75...but I have a farmer friend who gave me a lot of help.

My prize crop was heirloom tomatoes....Krim and Black Cherry.

I used a fertilizer with calcium...and though it was dry and fertilized by hand, it was worth it. No cracking...the Krim were perfect in every way and the taste was 10 times better than any others in the garden. Yes...I'm bragging. Even I didn't believe what I had accomplished. My dad would have been proud.

73 posted on 01/23/2023 6:13:30 AM PST by Sacajaweau ( )
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To: Alas Babylon!
Ick

Sygenta - https://www.greencastonline.com/labels/daconil-action

No mention of even home lawn use.

74 posted on 01/23/2023 7:57:16 AM PST by Pollard ( >>> The Great Reset is already underway! <<<)
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To: Pollard

No need to plant amaranth where I am. It plants itself! I have the wild form of it growing everywhere. Along with Lambsquarters, which is the wild form of quinoa.

Every once in a while I plant a domesticated form, just to try and improve the gene pool in the wild ones.


75 posted on 01/23/2023 8:07:28 AM PST by Ellendra (A single lie on our side does more damage than a thousand lies on their side.)
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To: Alas Babylon!

I watched a few videos from this guy yesterday including this one on watering seedlings, something I overdid last year and ended up with white stuff growing on the potting mix around seedling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DygZK4Q9WVA

Like I said, I just scraped away the white stuff and on some, added dry potting mix back in. Then I tried to go easy on watering from then on and it stopped unless I forgot a batch when bottom watering and got the potting mix saturated. Then I’d stick those in front of a West facing window, if it was daytime, and the sun would dry the top out pretty quick.

I had 72 cell trays but won’t be using them again. The cells are so tiny, it’s a short time span between perfectly moist and too dry. Potting up 144 tiny seedlings was no fun either. I’ll go with 32 or 50 cell trays from now on.

Next year I’ll try soil blocks. This will be my second year growing from seed and I have enough to try and master without making soil blocks and getting or making a mix for them.


76 posted on 01/23/2023 8:12:54 AM PST by Pollard ( >>> The Great Reset is already underway! <<<)
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To: Alas Babylon!

I’d suggest looking for a bacterial fungicides. They’re least likely to hurt the seedlings. You can usually find them under the name “biofungicide”.

If you’re planning to start more trays, it might be worth looking at mycorrhizal inoculants. Those are just fungi that help the plants instead of hurting them, but they can also out-compete the bad fungi if given a head start.


77 posted on 01/23/2023 8:21:00 AM PST by Ellendra (A single lie on our side does more damage than a thousand lies on their side.)
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To: Ellendra

There’s quite a few varieties - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaranth#Species - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Amaranthus_species

Burgundy looks interesting and Plainsman is designed for mechanical harvesting. https://morningchores.com/growing-amaranth/

Maybe next year. Burgundy for salad greens in 50 days and an ornamental and then let the goats eat it when it reaches grain stage.


78 posted on 01/23/2023 8:23:43 AM PST by Pollard ( >>> The Great Reset is already underway! <<<)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

I know this thread is mostly about seeds, I do heirlooms but always have some leftover. Every year, I plant a few “iffy” rows with all my old seeds. Tomatoes, corn and jalapeños always seem to germinate pretty well. Last year I had four year old corn kernels (kept in mason jars with desiccants) that had an amazing germination rate. So that’s good!

I have an unrelated question - I need to switch to drip watering this year because I am constantly battling blight and such. Does anyone have a recommended system they use?

We also need to do some major water redirection - my neighbor did a lot of construction that has now directed so much of water through my garden and blueberry bushes, the bottom half is waterlogged, almost like quicksand now. We are going to rent a ditch digger and try to dig trenches to redirect water. I hate to spend so much on gardening, but I also don’t want to have crops fail if/when we come to a point of needing them to survive!


79 posted on 01/23/2023 8:44:39 AM PST by LilFarmer
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To: LilFarmer; Pollard; Augie; Pete from Shawnee Mission

“I have an unrelated question - I need to switch to drip watering this year because I am constantly battling blight and such. Does anyone have a recommended system they use?”

I’m going to pass you on to some people I think have set up drip irrigation systems. :)


80 posted on 01/23/2023 8:50:51 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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