Weekly Garden Thread - February 25 - March 3, 2023 [Gardening Quiz Edition]

February 25, 2023 | 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!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Never going to eat all that Chinese Cabbage in the next 4 weeks. I suppose I need to make some kimchi of the chinese cabbage but if I do I will be the only one eating it! (Gift to friends time...:)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Hope you feel better! Don’t want to jeopardize the new job!

Once you have your high tunnel up you can can use coverings on your beds and garden all winter! (A low tunnel in your high tunnel!) Lettuc and radishes and turmips and sSalad all winter!

Leeks also work well during the winter. They do not need a minimum number of hours of unlight to keep growing, but will work with whatever they recieve.

[Pollard]

Hope you feel better! Don’t want to jeopardize the new job!

Thanks. It's just sinus and mild head cold

Direct supervisor said; If you still feel bad in the morning stay home please. I don’t want to risk giving it to my grandson when I babysit him.

I'm covered. Will lose a day's pay is all.

[MomwithHope]

Sorry I don’t save seeds. Besides they are very difficult to start from seeds.

[OftheOhio]

I was a country boy. I ate many pawpaws. I know they like some shade. The groves of them in the woods were usually under cover with some sunshine. We lived in the woods as boys. I so miss that taste. I had two on my old property and the birds usually ate the few pawpaws before I could get to them. The lake gave me a gift once again.

There is more to this story. I heard a commotion in the boat last spring and lifted up the cover to investigate. There were little kitties. You woudn’t believe all the hissing, arched backs, and teeth showing...all but one. She came right over to the bench seat corner and lifted her little front paws up toward me to get her. I fell in love with the little runt immediately. She died this winter from some respiratory problems and I buried her in the tree planter in the garden that my brother had given me last summer. Will there be a pawpaw tree, you betcha.

[OftheOhio]

I remember a majestic chestnut tree in the woods as a boy. It’s hard to believe those are gone now.

[MomwithHope]

I did not taste one until I was well into middle age. Still the most amazing taste of my life. I only get 7 or 8 from 4 trees. Pollination is tough. And winds and birds.

[Qiviut]

I love Neil Oliver - his monologues are really good. The title of this one caught my eye ..... good thing we ‘Garden threaders’ can grow our own and not just tomatoes!

Neil Oliver, “What the Hell – We’re Rationing Tomatoes”…
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2023/02/25/neil-oliver-what-the-hell-were-rationing-tomatoes/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

There IS rationing in the UK:

Tesco and Aldi Join Grocers Rationing Fruit and Vegetable Sales in UK
https://financialpost.com/pmn/business-pmn/aldi-joins-uk-grocers-rationing-fruit-and-vegetables

“Tesco Plc has joined discounter Aldi in limiting purchases of some fruit and vegetables in the UK after difficult harvests due to cold weather in southern Spain and north Africa.

Both retailers are capping purchases of peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes to three units per person. The moves follow Morrisons which has a limit of two products and Asda with a restriction of three.”

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I know; I just wanted to alert you to another Paw Paw fan. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Chestnuts are few and far between these days. There was one on the road to my old farm. It was always a majestic looking tree, but in the Spring when it bloomed? YOWSAH!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Looks like there will be a developing ‘Black Market’ in the UK for tomatoes, cukes and peppers! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[tob2]

Good evening.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

QUIZ: What Type of Tree Are You?

https://www.buzzfeed.com/sofiadeangelo/which-tree-are-you-eos2m56la2

I am a 5’1” Giant Sequoia! Who knew? :)

[Augie]

We got a couple significant rain events here in Central Missouri over the past week. The one that rolled through last night was quite a squall. All of Mrs. Augie’s patio furniture was turned over and scattered about the deck. The porch swing was the only thing that was damaged. It wasn’t in great shape before it got flipped over and was probably going to be replaced this summer anyway.

I was quite pleased to see the greenhouse and low tunnel both came through the winds unscathed. With all the rain it was too muddy to do much in the garden aside from watering baby plants in the greenhouse. The spinach I planted there back in December is ready for harvest. I’ve never been able to get a crop of that stuff outdoors so I’m pleased to know that I’ll be able to grow it reliably in the future.

I’m still noodling on what to do for better control of the airflow through the greenhouse. It doesn’t get enough fresh air when the weather is warm and sunny, and it gets too much when the weather is cold and miserable. So it’s probably going to require the installation of a properly sized exhaust fan and a thermostat to control it.

We retrieved Mrs. Augie’s golf cart Flash from the golf cart doctor place on Saturday. That thing is worth another warm body when we’re doing chores outside so it’s really nice to have it back and operating properly.

Yesterday we snagged Pops and drove to Arnold, MO to meet the new granddaughter.

It was a good weekend.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“The spinach I planted there back in December is ready for harvest. I’ve never been able to get a crop of that stuff outdoors so I’m pleased to know that I’ll be able to grow it reliably in the future.”

Success! Congrats again on the new baby girl! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Augie]

Buddy at work was married to a Korean gal. When I asked him for her Gramma's kimchi recipe he sent this:

Traditional long process kimchi

Said it's 100% the way his wife's Granny made it minus the shove it in a jar and bury it in the dirt part.

[FamiliarFace]

That’s cool! Thank you!

[Augie]

I forgot to include in that last post that I ordered four Belle of Georgia peach trees from Stark Brothers Nursery. Those should be shipping the first week of March.

I’ve also got 10 Dunstan Chestnut trees coming from Chestnut Hill Nursery that should be shipping around the end of March so I’ve got some digging to look forward to.