Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The Garden Thread - March, 2024
March 2, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

Posted on 03/02/2024 6:26:35 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin

The MONTHLY Gardening Thread is a 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 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/removed from our New & Improved Ping List.

NOTE: This is a once a MONTH Ping List, but we DO post to the thread all throughout the month. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time!


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; Hobbies
KEYWORDS: food; garden; gardening; hobbies
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 421-426 next last

1 posted on 03/02/2024 6:26:35 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

I’m starting snow peas and lettuce today.


2 posted on 03/02/2024 6:35:42 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 4everontheRight; Augie; Apple Pan Dowdy; Aevery_Freeman; ApplegateRanch; ArtDodger; AloneInMass; ...
Hi, Gang! I've changed the Garden Thread to a MONTHLY thread, versus a WEEKLY. I'll still post items of interest related to gardening as I come across them throughout the month. Just trying to simplify things for myself a little bit. Life is getting busier for us now, and though we're retired we have a LOT on our plates plus many farm-related improvement projects that we're taking on these days. I hope everyone will still enjoy the thread and continue to contribute. Many Hands Make Small Work. Thanks!


3 posted on 03/02/2024 6:35:53 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom

I’m starting my Peppers inside, today. Excited! Trying not to jump the gun with all of this warm weather we’re having, though.

Beau is starting to boil down his sap collected for Maple Syrup. Life Is Good. :)


4 posted on 03/02/2024 6:37:49 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

A monthly thread can work although I do look forward to my Saturday morning ping to the garden thread.

I can see that not putting together and posting a new thread every week would be a time saver.

Are you going to just ping it out once a week for updates?


5 posted on 03/02/2024 6:40:31 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Just got my large Grow light set up, gathered seed-starting mix and other needed paraphernalia to start tomato seeds that I couldn’t find in seedlings to buy...Amarillo Rust Heart to give sauce that little extra something, Sunset Torch, a large cherry that looks yummy, and Hossinator, a slicer that I want to try. Can’t wait to get my hands down in the rich garden soil again.


6 posted on 03/02/2024 6:42:02 AM PST by ryderann
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metmom

Yes, I think I’ll keep sending a PING out on Saturday Mornings each week throughout the month. I just can’t keep up with a weekly ‘topic’ anymore - and I’m starting to duplicate myself in that area.

I mean, it’s an ENDLESS amount of topics, but I think we learn a lot more from one another and it’s interesting to see what’s happening in other parts of the country each week. :)


7 posted on 03/02/2024 6:44:47 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

I have a fair number of small yellow pear(?) tomatoes. They seem to have rather tough skins and supermarket tomato taste.

My green pepper plants have not done well in the rather cool Florida weather this year. I will have to start from seed again.

I’ve bought three Mexican Talavera pots and one blue/white Mexican pot from Beall’s Outlet.

My bareroot roses are doing well. I’m using about 40% peat moss with the rest the rather poor Florida sand.


8 posted on 03/02/2024 6:47:38 AM PST by Brian Griffin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

This is azalea bloom time in my part of Florida 60 miles south of Tampa.

They only do well here when protected from full sun. This year is not their best.


9 posted on 03/02/2024 6:50:59 AM PST by Brian Griffin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ryderann

I’ve never head of those tomato varieties, so I had to go look, of course! They all look great. :)

I’m going heavier on the ‘paste’ tomatoes this season. They just make better Salsa and such. I’m lower in stock on my homemade V-8 Juice than I want to be at this time of the year, so gotta bump up production of that for the coming season. ;)


10 posted on 03/02/2024 6:51:23 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Brian Griffin

We’ve had such a WARM ‘winter’ up here in SW Wisconsin that my Magnolia is fully budded out and looks like it wants to bloom. Our Maple trees are all leafed out! I have chives coming up as well as tulips, daffs and strawberries, though all are still under cover and will stay that way until the time really IS right for them to bloom. Ugh!

Everything is about a MONTH ahead of itself this season, which is going to turn UGLY once we get the remaining 20” of SNOW come the middle of this month - or beyond.

Last year we had a BIG snowfall in early April. The Robins were not happy about that. ;)


11 posted on 03/02/2024 6:55:03 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Sounds good to me.


12 posted on 03/02/2024 6:57:20 AM PST by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Your maple trees have leafed out already? Wow. That is nuts. Still looks like winter here in central Indiana, with spring bulbs poking up through the soil.

I’ve always wondered how you did a weekly garden thread. It’s been a lot of fun, and very much great conversation. Appreciate that you’ve done that for so long. Thank you!


13 posted on 03/02/2024 7:07:59 AM PST by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Coming in like a LION here in MA.


14 posted on 03/02/2024 7:26:32 AM PST by left that other site ("Salvation is of the LORD" (Prayer of St. Patrick) from Psalm 3:8)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
We have rain, beautiful rain today! Always welcome in So Cal because soon our hot weather and (worse) hot winds will return. Love the looks of my water bill too...

Daffodils are starting to bloom:

465732-E0-80-AB-44-FB-9-B3-B-40-E6-BAE9-F428-1-105-c

Also California Poppies:

345-E45-ED-9030-4-D4-D-A655-21899-C128-A2-B-1-105-c

My helper taking her break from catching rats and mice:

3789-B138-227-E-4-B9-D-BBCC-AC3-AC1-A0677-F-1-201-a

15 posted on 03/02/2024 7:55:36 AM PST by Bon of Babble (You Say You Want a Revolution?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

I think monthly will work fine - a Saturday morning ping will be like ‘old weekly times’ & a reminder to share gardens. :-)

Brought a large load to the new house yesterday. Rain was on the way so I had to hustle to unload the trailer. It was raining in less than an hour from finishing getting everything in the garage so the timing worked out.

It poured all night - all is wet & soggy this morning. The forecast is “rain wraps up, clouds hang out”. We’re down to 20% chance of rain now & that should be 0% by 1:00. It’s cool, 40’s headed for 50’s today, should see sunshine & 60’s tomorrow (yay - maybe work outside!).

The clouds are heavy around the mountain tops & beautiful in a mystical, dark way. There are two flicker woodpeckers down on the front yard grass pecking away at mini-machine gun speed - must be finding something. We definitely have blue jays & I have seen cardinals - no blue birds spotted yet. Lots of noisy crows - they mostly hang out near the cows.

Since it’s not great outside, I have 2 plumbing projects to do inside (not my favorite thing) & I need to design & build a frame from 2x4s that will fit some wire shelves - that should test the old brain cells a bit. I want to do the sawing outside so I don’t get sawdust in the garage.

No daffodils yet - can’t wait to see them here, the green parts are up - they are blooming at the old house. I think we’re at least 2, probably 3 weeks behind due to being further west & higher elevation.


16 posted on 03/02/2024 7:55:51 AM PST by Qiviut (If the genocide was unintentional, they would have pulled the poison vaccines, long ago.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
I'll change the link on my profile page. It's a search that returns all past Weekly Garden Threads.

It's currently https://freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;q=quick;s=Weekly%20Garden%20Thread
Weekly Garden Threads

Remove "Weekly": https://freerepublic.com/focus/search?m=all;o=time;q=quick;s=Garden%20Thread (as per 3/2/23)
Diana's Garden Threads

Viola - shows this thread plus all the past weekly garden threads.


Another nice weekend. Woke up early and did some shopping and got back before 9am. Yay me. Grabbed another bag of seed starting mix from Walmart just to try it. Looked at cell trays from Burpee and Jiffy(w/pellets) and they were all super thin so I passed on them. Going to grab some from Bootstrap Farmer but I've got enough to get started which I didn't get around to doing last weekend.

Got the mix moist and covered it so it's still moist and nice and even. Going to do the 60 of 72 cell tray. I cut the 72 cell tray up into 12 six packs last year but two of them got damaged so that leaves 10 six packs. I kind of like the extra room in the 1020 tray. Going to sow those 60 tonight. Six pack of this, six pack of that.

Last Sunday I got the F150 fired up and moved and got the ladder rigged up in the back to use as a crane. Also got sides put on the trailer for the upcoming big dump run.

Scheduled my week vacation for April 1-5, Mon-Fri so weather(and money) permitting, I should be able to get a lot done on the tunnel. We have March 29th off for Good Friday, plus the 2 weekends and 5 vacation days will give me 10 days off in a row. Day 10 will likely be rest/recover day.

17 posted on 03/02/2024 8:04:26 AM PST by Pollard (#BoycottBlue)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: metmom
I second fourth the weekly ping idea
18 posted on 03/02/2024 8:11:41 AM PST by Pollard (#BoycottBlue)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Bon of Babble

Always love your pictures. Thank you. So Diana you decided to make a monthly permanent. Sounds like a good idea. We’ll have longer threads and more info on each thread. With the WEF wanting to outlaw home gardening (fat chance smirk) I expect we will have a lot of newcomers.
Daffodils are starting to peek out and garlic is about 5” tall. west Michigan
Posting reminder zone or state info can be really helpful if you post an update or question. March madness!


19 posted on 03/02/2024 8:13:46 AM PST by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

Good morning. Appreciate all the work it takes to do this. Will look forward to checking in weekly...learn lots here. I am moving my grow lights from colder to warmer area of house based on comments here. Spring is coming!


20 posted on 03/02/2024 8:39:05 AM PST by goodnesswins (The "pandemic" was never serious enough to close the US southern border.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 421-426 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson