Posted on 04/29/2023 7:01:57 AM PDT 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.
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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!
A few years ago, I was at that same Master Gardener show that I mentioned up thread. Met a men who was selling his new invention, the Roto-Shovel. I purchased one and it has made my life (and my husband’s) easier. I don’t need his help anymore for the big holes with rocks buried deep. I think it’s available on Amazon now, too.
“Oh, Lord! Please wait, I have too much to do on Earth!”
LOL! Love that! :)
And I’ve had a couple of mean roosters through the years, too. They’re psychotic!
Brilliant! I love DIY projects of all kinds. :)
I hear Beau tooling around on my mower, making a pass through the back yard. It might be ‘wheels up’ for some mowing yet today - he was having problems with the seal on one tire.
When it comes to Bamboo, Knotweed and Wild Parsnip, nuking it from space is your only option! ;)
Tarragon is a favorite of mine - thanks for the reminder to pick up a pot when I see it.
Shallots are Zoned 2-10, so just about everyone can grow them. Timing is the key. Another wonderful thing to have on hand!
https://www.thespruce.com/growing-shallots-in-the-vegetable-garden-1403464
Once was in Maine and was going to spend an afternoon in the Lie-Nielson store and factory.
A quilt shop hijacked my wife and i missed it. I have a lot of wonderful carving tools i never get time to use. Someone somewhere will be very happy to have them when i am gone.
Shade update - worked like a charm! Easy to put on and remove & they stayed put, even with some breezes this afternoon. The plants look good this evening. Clouding up ... rain due in early morning, expecting another inch & potentially some severe weather tomorrow afternoon.
Hummer update: I saw one today! I was walking under the maple tree where the feeder is hanging on a shepherd’s hook & heard that distinctive bzzzzzzz they do ..... stopped on the porch to look back at the feeder & there was a hummer! I think they’re a little late this year due to the cooler weather, but there should be more any day now.
Thanks for that link. Don’t know how I’ve missed that one. The Spruce is usually a go to place for me.
Is that Jed of the Beverly Hillbillies?
You are probably not looking for this kind of solution, but Goats and Pandas! They work on hillsides!
https://goodsidekick.com/can-goats-eat-bamboo/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUcZH3QirBI
https://youtu.be/bJbqb8SB6lU?t=104
You can probably start up your own goat herd, but will probably have to rent the Pandas from the CCP.
Be careful though do not let them loose on your Bamboo field at the same time....Pandas will sometimes eat goats!
(I suspect that after the cost of fencing and veterinary bills it would be cheaper to pave your hillside with concrete! Good Luck!)
Hummers! Awesome! Remind me where you’re located, please. I set my hummie feeders out a week ago. No sightings though I know it’s still early.
I saw a gray catbird a few days ago. I think he was a scout. So it prompted me to put out my jelly feeders for the orioles and catbirds. They usually show up within a day of each other.
Red-headed woodpeckers are here all year round, but they don’t come to the feeders in the winter. Two have been hanging around again for about a week.
Oh, and the most exciting bird news I have right now…Billy and Betty Bluebird have 5 eggs in one of the houses I have set up for them. They should hatch by May 8th or 9th, and then 2 more weeks to fledging. ;)
(Wrap it with a lightweight garden fabric and provide additional insect and cold protection!)
The white columbine are gorgeous!
😊
I got them mainly for shade so I do have lightweight row cover fabric around them and tied at the top with a piece of string. I used one the other day for protection on one of my smaller tomatoes and I did have a brick on top to hold it down since we were getting some heavy rain with wind.
Reverting back to a question I asked here weeks ago, I looked into coffee bean grinders to grind up chicken egg shells, per a FReeper’s suggestion. However, most under $50 or so are small. I’d like to grind up the eggshells a half gallon to gallon (loosely filled) at a time, maybe every month or two.
I also looked at grains’ grinders — there’s one on Amazon and eBay that looks pretty good for around $30, but, it looks to me like the grinding disks themselves are aluminum. That seems like it’d wear quickly.
Some people roll ‘em under a rolling pin. Seems a bit messy if doing many.
What about putting some in a large, well washed out laundry detergent bottle (take out the plastic insert under the cap), add ~ 1 pint medium large gravel (say, 1” to 2” pieces), shake well, and then “screen” out any large pieces of shell surviving, and the gravel pieces. ??? Has anyone tried that? Did it work?
Above question to “All”, of course...
My neighbor hogs all the hummingbirds with several feeders. We did have a whippoorwill out here at 5:30 this morning.
Victorio has been rebranded as VKP Brands and in the pic below, on the left is discontinued and on right is identical under new VKP name.($80)
https://www.amazon.com/Operated-Adjustable-Grain-Grains-VKP1012/dp/B0018P54TS/
Self-aligning stainless steel grinding burrs for long life and smooth even milling.
I have no idea how good or bad of a job a grain mill will do for egg shells though. Seems like it should work fine as long as they're nice and dry as not to clog up the unit.
Interesting. 12vdc
I’ll probably get this 2 auger set(1.6 and 3”) for $27 and use my 20vdc cordless drill.
OR if I want to do it standing up, this 4 inch diameter one is 32 inches long.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/XtremepowerUS-4-in-Post-Hole-Digger-Earth-Auger-Bit-81097-H/312001997
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