Posted on 05/01/2024 6:00:41 AM PDT 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.
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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.
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Today will be the first Asparagus picking for us. I spotted 7 or 8 stalks when I was mowing, yesterday. Enough for a meal, at least. LOVE the stuff!
I miss my 40’ row of it at the other farm but I had a lot more mouths to feed back then. And, amazing as it sounds, one CAN grow tired of Asparagus, LOL!
If you have any specific Hydrangea questions for me, I’m all ears. They are an awesome shrub! ;)
April showers bring May flowers.
Ours is not that big a patch. About 6 foot square. We start out getting a few spears every other day. Quickly changes to a few a day at least. Plenty for us to eat. I’ve tried lightly sauteeing and vac sealing but it still comes out soft.
When I was growing up in Suburbia, Mom and the neighbor ladies would buy (what felt like) a truckload of Sweet Corn. Us kids were paid a PENNY for every ear we shucked. And it had to be PRISTINE! No silk left behind on those ears!
When it was all done, ‘The Moms’ would do the canning and us kids would ride our bikes to the Dairy Queen to spend our vast fortunes.
Good memories. :)
I’ve often wondered what to use Olive Brine for - other than to make my Friday Night Dirty Martini! ;)
I like to use pickled beet juice (from the can) with peeled, hard boiled eggs. They color up fast and look very pretty sliced in a salad.
Liz you are just the best. I always have a bottle of cayenne pepper oil in the fridge. I dry them first, poke a few holes in each one with a toothpick and fill a packed bottle with bertoli extra light olive oil. After a couple of days on the counter the oil gets really pink. Then it goes in the fridge.
This lady says to blanch it, then freeze it individually on cookie sheets. THEN bag/seal it for not-mushy Asparagus.
https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/how-to-freeze-asparagus/
I always just chopped it up raw into bite-sized pieces, put it in meal-sized freezer bags and put it in the freezer.
*SHRUG*
Blanching before freezing usually DOES make things more colorful and less prone to mushiness, though. I blanch Broccoli before I freeze it, now. But that ‘Lieutenant’ Broccoli is too good to waste even a bit! ;)
They do well on the Oregon coast, even under some canopy cover.
I thought hydrangeas like some shade.
In my excitement yesterday, I forgot that it was the end of the month. I had an exciting birding day yesterday that ended with me getting to watch 2 (of 4) bluebirds fledging. If I had been more aware, I would’ve waited until today to share. Any one who is also interested in birds can find a few shots at the end of last month’s thread.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/4228224/posts?page=506#506
Beau cleaned out the Bluebird houses a few weeks ago, reported back that they had been used last year - brought me a few shed Bluebird feathers for my collection.
Lucky you! Our houses are so far away from the house, along the north fence line, that I rarely get to see one.
I saw your photos. That was good work. Love blue birds. Even the scrub jay!
Baltimore is blooming! My roses are fully leafed up and starting to bud. One climber has the first flower. My heucheras are fully leafed out, as are the majority of my hostas. The pulmonaria has lovely pink and purple flowers. The comfrey is covered with pretty blue flowers, and the Jacob’s ladder is thriving in its shady spot. My weigela (My Monet) is flowering and the dwarf crape myrtles are budding up. The echinacea is starting to leaf up. The flowering succulents (mostly delosperma) in the front yard are flowering like crazy. I expect the dwarf spirea shrubs to start flowering soon. “Candy Corn” is especially beautiful, with orange and burgundy leaves.
I heard an interview with Amy Tan this morning - her book sounds like it would be a good one.
The Backyard Bird Chronicles
https://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Bird-Chronicles-Amy-Tan/dp/0593536134
From Amazon:
“The drawings and essays in this book do a lot more than just describe the birds. They carry a sense of discovery through observation and drawing, suggest the layers of patterns in the natural world, and emphasize a deep personal connection between the watcher and the watched. The birds that inhabit Amy Tan’s backyard seem a lot like the characters in her novels.” —David Allen Sibley, from the foreword
Tracking the natural beauty that surrounds us, The Backyard Bird Chronicles maps the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful original sketches. With boundless charm and wit, author Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world.
In 2016, Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds visiting her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater—an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired.
*** In 2016, Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds visiting her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater—an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired.***
I’ve been retreating more and more the last few years. I got my DSLR in 2016 and that began my photo journey with the birds. They are lots of fun to watch and observe. I think I would like Tan’s book, so thanks for the tip. The natural world helps ground me when everything else seems to be so haywire. It is good to slow down long enough to see the wisdom that’s out there.
Various Clematis in bloom.
While preparing to mulch a section near my porch I found an “old school” trowel. Digging further produced a small tin pail with the bottom pointed upward. I dug it out and the pail covered a plastic sewer section that was capped with a screw on lid. I covered it back up.
Does treasure await. I’m sure this is something old Merle might have done, maybe his wife. I had a friends wife that used to bury money in the yard. Crazy Tammy.
Anticipation...
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