The Garden Thread - August, 2024

August 1, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[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!

[Augie]

Last week brought cool temps and more rain to Central Missouri. Wound up with 2.5” for the week. Saved me from watering for another week.

Cukes and summer squash are running us out. Tomatoes are blooming again with the cooler weather. Sweet corn is starting to fill out the ears.

I spent most of Saturday doing chores. Mowed around the bait pond and the fencerows in the back pasture, and started moving the dirt pile that was left from digging that pond up to the house where I’ll use it to complete the finish grade on the front yard pond dam. Cut up a dead limb that fell out of a piss elm tree and landed on the dry lot fence. Luckily no damage to the fence. I need to drop what’s left of that tree and clean it up. Once that’s done I can move the chicken house to its permanent home and build a new section of fence to close off what will become the chicken yard from the dry lot.

[Pollard]

Took me three hours to get to this point. After taking the pic, I got the peaks pulled with wiggle wire started. Came in for a much needed break. My legs were rubber.

Still no appetite. I'm having a cup of noodles right now and have actual chicken noodle soup for dinner.

Once I get the plastic squared and centered on the frame, things should go pretty quick.

---

Never did hit the post button so the above has been sitting here for a couple of hours.

cont;d

Got some wrinkles to work out.

The corners simply lack some wiggle wire. The left arch above. One end of each of the hip boards. Right in the above pic and left in the pic below.

All easy fixes. Not bad for a little guy who's still sick/weak while working alone.

Took me a little while to get the hang of wiggle wire. The trick is when stretching the plastic, stretch harder along the length of the track than adjacent to it. The wiggle wire itself is capable of tensioning to some degree, - 1/8 - 1/4.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Pollard. Looks good. I hope it works and hope that you start feeling better!

You almost have enough room for a Loft! (Do greenhouses have lofts??)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Daniel; Your garden lane is filled with green, oit’s vigorous and a bit wild! Glad that the additional spacing is helping with your tomato production! Looking good!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Cut up a dead limb that fell out of a piss elm tree and landed on the dry lot fence. Luckily no damage to the fence. I need to drop what’s left of that tree and clean it up.”

‘P*ss Elm’ cracked me up, LOL!

Beau is currently working on a fencing project for a neighbor. His cows have been ‘wandering’ onto land that we use for our local gun range! Granted, everyone that uses it IS a Farmer and probably would NOT shoot if there was a cow in their sights - but better to be safe than sorry! ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

It’s BEAUTIFUL! Like a Cathedral! I cannot WAIT to see all that you’re able to grow in it! Yay! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

P.S. ‘P*ss Elms are GREAT for growing mushrooms. We have Golden Oysters on our fallen (and about to fall) Elms. ;)

[daniel1212]

Very nice Daniel! Spacing makes a difference in tomato production. Your squash is racing all over the place! Butternut?

Butternut and Acorn, praise God. They require hardly any care, and provide much for little work, and last so long in storage, But bullies they are. If the season was longer a couple vines might grow over 25 feet. However, while the Acorn are healthy looking, some of the Butternut has powdery mildew.

[Paul R.]

Haha - yeah, if it isn’t still green?

My old pastor has a small farm and some years would grow pumpkins, mainly for the delight of the congregation’s kids when they’d do a visit to the farm in the fall. He’d prune off all but one fruit on a couple of the most vigorous plants, so he’d always have a couple really big ones to nominate for “Great Pumpkin” for the kids.

I never thought to ask him when the fruits began developing, though. Mid August seems awfully late? (Zone 7a)

(This is my 1st rodeo with growing a pumpkin — as if it doesn’t show!!!)

As of this evening, my “splint” seems to be working - yay!

It looks like we’ll have over a week with no chance of rain (3% next Sat. morning, IIRC), so, thank heavens I have the well pump working reasonably well. :-)

[Paul R.]

I seriously think even some of my tomatoes are really “confused” this year!

[Qiviut]

No raised beds made yet - maybe tomorrow. Yesterday afternoon, after ‘noodling’ for weeks & even dreaming (not kidding) about how to use salvageable metal wire shelving & support beams when the metal side supports are hopelessly damaged, I figured it out. Today is ‘put it together day’ & see if it actually works.

I reset one of my 4 100 lb slate slabs yesterday & am happy with the result. I had to pick it up & move it out of the way ‘only’ twice to work on the base underneath. My piriformis (aka pseudo sciatica) is ‘talking’ to me, but not at a knife stabbing level.

GORGEOUS day here - sunny, low humidity, great breeze, currently 69 degrees. The next few days are forecast to be like ‘early fall’ - yay! If I can find a couple of hours, I would like to go to an orchard I visited last year, not far over the mountain gap. Apples & peaches are coming in :-)

[Augie]

‘P*ss Elm’ cracked me up, LOL!

Stick a chainsaw into one in springtime when the sap is rising and look out! It's like standing under Niagara Falls.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Never knew that about Elms. We do tap our Maples, Birch and Box Elder for Maple Syrup. ;)

[MomwithHope]

I am really impressed with what you have built. Thanks for posting all the pictures. And get well soon.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Some good ideas in here - I make a lot of things from scratch, at home, but there were a few in here that I need to add to my list. Many garden-related ways for using up extra produce.

43 Things You’ve Been Buying that You Should Make Instead

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/grocery-store-foods-to-make-at-home/

I am weaning myself off commercial coffee creamers - there are SO many CHEMICALS in those things it’s ridiculous! I have switched to 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk, 2 cups milk. Shake vigorously in a capped Mason jar. It doesn’t seem to separate once mixed well. Store in fridge and use up in a week-10 days. Um, NO PROBLEM with that, LOL! You can also add vanilla extract or any other flavoring extract that you like. It also works well for a mid-day Iced Coffee* pick-me-up when needed. :)

*My Grandpa: “WHO in their RIGHT MIND would PAY for, let alone DRINK, COLD COFFEE?!”

Miss you, Grandpa! :)

[Liz]

Your coffee creamer sounds deelish.......condensed milk recipes always get to me.

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Pumpkin Spice Creamer / save this for the holidays
Pumpkin spice muffins, pumpkin bread, and pumpkin spice latte w/ natural ing.

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup heavy cream 3/4-1 cup whole milk 1 TBSP pure pumpkin puree 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or to taste 1 tsp pumpkin spice blend or to taste

HOW TO Add ing to qt mason jar. Immersion blender slowly to thicken slightly. You can also whisk 1-2 min to become slightly whipped cream. Leave in mason jar or pour into flip top bottles for easy pouring and storage. Fridges 2-3 weeks.

Notes give the creamer a good shake before each use----will settle and separate when it sits in the fridge. This homemade pumpkin spice creamer gives you all the feels of warm spices and pumpkin flavor. Add a slice of pumpkin bread or pumpkin muffin and you have a perfect pair.

Use coconut cream in place of the heavy cream and any non-dairy milk substitute of your choice. Some options would be coconut milk, unflavored almond milk, unsweetened cashew milk or oat milk. These are all good options to make a dairy-free pumpkin spice creamer.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ve made that Pumpkin Spice Creamer before and it’s really good, too.

I have some Rum extract leftover from baking Christmas Cookies (Aunt Erma’s Eggnog Logs, to be exact) and I think I’ll add a dash to the next batch of creamer.

I’ve also read that those coffee syrups are good in this creamer recipe, too.

https://coffeebreaklovers.com/popular-coffee-flavors/

And you can always make your own syrups:

https://coffeeorbust.com/how-to-make-coffee-syrups-at-home/

I have some Caramel Sauce leftover from Christmas when SIL Gina and I were in charge of ‘Fancy Dranks.’ We made ‘Caramel Martinis’ last year and they were a big hit. Kind of sticky though, and one is MORE than sweet enough. ;)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“...condensed milk recipes always get to me.”

You can trust me with your husband, but I am NOT to be trusted if there’s a pan of ‘Seven Layer Bars’ in the house!

A once-every-few years TREAT. ;)

[Liz]

Love those 7-layer bars.

[metmom]

I’m with you on pushing Christmas so early.

Just stop already.