Weekly Garden Thread - September 16-22, 2023 [Successes, Failures & Lessons Learned in 2023 Edition]

September 16, 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.

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[Diana in Wisconsin]

If the figs don’t work as bait, try Marshmallows.

I think I’m done mowing this season; they keep predicting rain, but we’re not getting more than 1/8” at a time!

I stop mowing October 1st, shaggy lawn or not. ;)

Peeling apples this morning...

[Qiviut]

Someone (online comment) was catching them with sheep mineral granules & bananas, which was interesting. Cantaloupe is supposedly a favorite, but I have had no luck with it. A friend used watermelon with great success (I tried that, too - no luck). I also have those fresh apples from the orchard - cutting up one of those might work if the figs don’t.

[Pollard]

This is the system I'll probably be going with in the end. ControlByWeb SMART Relays and I/O Controllers. Doesn't require any programming language and has a set of web pages built in for setup and monitoring. They have an online demo with live controllers/relays/sensors at their location for people to try out. Typically, it would be accessible via your local/home network only.

The below X410 unit should be here within an hour or two via USPS

This is what the web pages for setup/control/monitor look like.

I/O Setup - Relays (original names were Relay 1, Relay 2 etc. I renamed for tunnel drop down sides.

I/O Setup - 1-wire Sensors (temp/humidity)

Control Logic - I set sides to open when >68 and sides to close when <40 degrees

Monitor Page - Since it's 77 degrees in their facility where the 1-wire temp sensor is, the sides are open.

It has four 1 amp repays.. One amp isn't enough so I'll have to use these internal relays to actuate four Bosch automotive relays which will run the motors that open the tunnel sides. Automotive relays can handle heat/cold/moisture and last for years and they're cheap.

It has four digital inputs which are on/off, true/false etc. I can connect those to a proximity sensor at the 80% closed position for the tunnel sides. That way if it's windy but 95 degrees, I can close the sides most of the way.

It has up to 16, 1-wire sensors for temp/humidity and I think it will work with the wind speed sensor aka anemometer.

The control logic will be a little more complex for the wind speed + temperature combo plus that third mid-position for the sides compared to just temp based open/close.

Bought a used X410 to try it out but would be better off with all new stuff. They're fairly affordable and have a 5 year warranty, plus I'd get support. Beyond the control logic page, you can add your own BASIC programming language scripts and I'd need some help with that. That and probably connecting the anemometer.

Between this X410, the Unitronics PLC, and a $15 temp sensor, I'll have sides that open/close based on temps and be able to run whatever irrigation schedule I want, including pulse watering. Add a $60 anemometer and I should be able to control sides based on temp vs wind. That'll do for quite a while. Less than $500 for an automated high tunnel ain't bad. There's only one good brand of soil moisture sensors and they're pricey so I probably won't bother as it would be another $500. A finger works fine.

Mailman just showed up. Figured he'd be later being a Monday. The other goodies he brought are two camlock fittings to connect to those IBC tanks. Just need a few basic plumbing fittings to add to those. I have plenty of spigots here.

No playing with gadgets today. I have stuff to do outdoors and the weather is nice with mid-high 70s. I can fiddle with the tech at night.

[Augie]

Home from the racetrack in one piece, more or less. Lots of camper cleanup needed due to heavy rain Saturday night. RV generator took a dump so that will need to be repaired or replaced, and one ruined trailer tire will need to be replaced. It was an expensive weekend.

I don’t feel like working on any of that stuff today so I think I’ll go out and do some cleanup in the garden instead.

2/10ths inch of rain at home while we were gone. Not even enough to knock the dust down.

[MomwithHope]

I have a few empty quart jars left and I’ve been looking up V8 recipes. Care to share yours? I would not be cooking it, using a champion juicer and minimal processing. Thanks.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ll post my V-8 recipe it in the morning, Mom! :)

Mine is a cooked version, but all of the components will be there for your juicer. :)

[MomwithHope]

Thanks. I thought I was done canning but I’ve got the Jones to do some v8. In think I have everything now but actually need to get some tomatoes. Looking to can about 8 quarts.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

This is the recipe (link below) I started with years ago and it is for fresh juicing, but I’ve revised the recipe and I cook it down, put it through my Foley Food Mill to get out seeds and peels, return it to a pot, then get it good and hot prior to water-bath canning. 35 minutes for pints or quarts.

I have found that this recipe doubles and triples and quadruples just fine. The original juicing recipe only makes 1 Quart of juice.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/235433/copycat-v8-juice/

My Double-Batch amounts:

6 cups chopped tomatoes
1 chopped onion
2 big stalks celery, chopped with leaves
2 grated carrots
2 tsp. chopped garlic
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 large, peeled & chopped cucumber
1 can drained sliced beets (plain, not pickled!)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

Cook everything down together until all veggies are soft, food mill and return juice to pan. Add 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice and 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce.

Other additions: If you want Bloody Mary Mix, add 1 or 2 seeded and chopped Jalapeno peppers to the initial cook down. On the second cook down/heat through, add 1 Tbsp. Horseradish and 1 small can of tomato paste to thicken.

Hot water bath can for 35 minutes for pints or quarts.

[MomwithHope]

We literally just walked in the door with a half bushel. Thanks for the recipe. How many quarts did you get from a double batch?? My canner hold 8 quarts.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I use tall 'Pint & a Half' jars (Ball) wide-mouth for my V-8. That double batch usually gets me 6 of those and a little left for 'quality control' taste-testing. ;)

So, probably 3 quarts per batch? Hard to say, as it varies based on the size of the veggies used, etc.

As of now I have 28 of that size canned as V-8 and one open in the fridge.

For reference:

[MomwithHope]

Thanks, we are processing 7 quarts right now and one quart fresh in the fridge. So I doubled your recipe and used about 1/4 bushel of tomatoes. For garlic I used better than bouillon roasted garlic and the same with the beef bouillon and we had a jar of veggie based bouillon too. Also threw in more carrots, 5 green peppers and three shishitos. Basically we juiced all the veg first. Seasoned and then juiced and added the tomato juice a little at a time. It’s outstanding and so fast with the champion. That thing has served us well for 44 years. Thanks again, now what to do with the 1/4 bushel of tomatoes on the table. Got the half for 15.00 could not pass it up.

[Qiviut]

What a day! Mostly sunny, 78° & a mere 37% humidity. Nice breeze, too. Sitting on the front porch, I am noticing that the maples along the driveway are starting to show some color at the ends of their branches.

It would be a nice night for a fire in the firepit, but the slab of rock it sits on has to get moved first & I am not sure the ol’ back is up to heavy moving today. I may be able to work something out with the car jack & golf cart .... the “muscle” between the ears tends to work things out better than just my arm & back muscles.

On the menu tonight (I am craving soup/stew because of the fallish weather) is ‘Keto Pumpkin & Sausage Soup’. A little pumpkin thickens up the broth & I have some nice Butcher Box pork sausage just looking for a recipe. Fall is my favorite time of year & I can feel my spirits lifting on the cool breezes after the brutal heat spell(s) we had late summer.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Glad it worked out for you! I love the stuff - it’s an easy way to get more servings of veggies into you every day. :)

I’m working on Applesauce, today.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

That soup sounds great! We’re having a cool day today - lots of color starting, too. I’ve made soup once so far, but next week is to be warm again, so I’ll have to wait. :)

[Osage Orange]

I'm a long time gardener. back in So Cal...I had a large garden and over 24 fruit trees.

Now here in OK....not as large. I've turned to container gardening...it has it's pros and cons.

[Qiviut]

The soup was really good- ‘hit the spot’ as the saying goes.

Watching the hummer activity at the feeder a few minutes before sunset. They are coming in hot & heavy, tanking up for the night. I think we need Air Traffic Control!

Waiting until after dark to take a stroll to the horse barn & see if there is anything of interest going on there re:figs. 🤞

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Every little bit helps! Anything you can do for you and yours helps in the long run. Each One, Teach One! :)

I’ve been blessed to live on decent sized chunks of land for the past 30+ years and I’ve taken total advantage of it.

That’s not to say that some days I long for a small house with a small garden space. I can’t keep up this pace forever! ;)

[Qiviut]

The firepit got moved this morning - all arm/leg/back & a rock bar.... so far, no damage appears to have been done (back is not talking to me). The rock slab the pit sits on is actually level, too - no adjusting necessary .... don’t know how I got so lucky! This is one of my major projects I can mark off the list.

Working out grass & weed barriers around the pit seating area with a combo of shingles & landscape fabric. I need garden ‘staples’/pins to hold it all down. I have some nice cedar chips to put on top of it all. Cedar is one of my favorite scents.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The fire pit is going to look really nice!

Today I have switched from Apples back to Tomatoes. Dehydrator is filled with halved and seeded Roma-types sprinkled with Garlic Powder and some Italian Blend seasoning. Smells like Little Italy in here, LOL!

Up next is more Tomato Jam.

Tomorrow will be apple pies for the freezer, maybe some apple bread/muffins. I found a rather large zucchini that was hiding from me, so Zucchini Bread is on the docket, too.

Can’t wait to show you guys my ‘Canned Goods Staging Area’ - the Dining Room table. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Problem solved! Apple Cinnamon Zucchini Muffins!

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/238979/apple-cinnamon-zucchini-muffins/