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The Garden Thread - August, 2024
August 1, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

Posted on 08/01/2024 6:19:57 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.

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: august; food; garden; gardening; hobbies
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To: MomwithHope

I tried pressure canning corn and it turned dingy right off the bat and whenI looked at it recently, it’s gotten even worse.

It looks terrible and I’ll probably end up tossing it. Nobody is going to want to eat it looking like that.


301 posted on 08/21/2024 2:08:23 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Nice trellis.


302 posted on 08/21/2024 2:09:20 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: Pollard

The one and only time I got CoVid, I think I was lucky. It only lasted a few days for me. I caught it from my husband who had to travel for work to a distribution center that they were opening. He knows he caught it in the breakroom. Twenty or so other people who were there got it at the same time. This from around 100 or so people who were working that week.

Since then he’s gotten it one more time. I never caught it that time (over Thanksgiving last year). I keep us dosed up on quercetin every day because we have small amount of zinc in our vitamins.

When we get ready to go somewhere, especially if by airplane, I dose us up with zinc a little more. If either of us gets it, I increase the zinc, and add lysine. His second bout was gone in 3 days.

It appears to be going around again, but so far, knock on wood, neither of us has gotten it. Just lots of others that we know.


303 posted on 08/21/2024 2:26:47 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Pollard

It looks AMAZING!! Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done!


304 posted on 08/21/2024 2:30:01 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

My understanding is that even the ground needs a break from growing once in a while.

We bought our house in 2019, and the previous owners had moved out that year and never got their garden growing. it turned into a massive weed infested mess. He very kindly tilled it later in the summer, but the weeds took over again.

And then the next year, I did plant a few things so it was kind of another rest for most of the garden.

My raised beds were built a few years ago so the soil in them is in pretty good shape. And I’ve been amending it every year with all kinds of goodies so they should be good for a while.


305 posted on 08/21/2024 2:32:05 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Those were some good tips. Lots of those I do myself, but I can always do a bit more. Thanks for the link.

Oh, and I’m a creamer girl too. I’ve got to cut back somehow, so I’m going to investigate your homemade creamer idea.


306 posted on 08/21/2024 2:39:54 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Growing up mom always used evaporated milk in tea or coffee. I do the same. Or I pay 8.00 for a half gallon of pure cream at our local milk store Mooville.


307 posted on 08/21/2024 4:52:32 PM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: metmom

We have always cut it off the cob and frozen it raw.


308 posted on 08/21/2024 4:54:17 PM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: MomwithHope

I did that, too, and it worked beautifully!

I wanted to see how successful pressure canning the corn would be to save freezer space for meat.


309 posted on 08/21/2024 5:19:50 PM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: metmom

I know what you mean but cooking corn that long cooks away the sweetness. We use vacuum sealing bags too. Out last bag from last year we ate at the beginning of this August. So 1 year old corn still sweet.


310 posted on 08/21/2024 5:33:25 PM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
My dad did straight condensed milk with his coffee. Mom liked half & half. I need to get a can of milk and try it.

Morning view from the road. (between my 2nd and 3rd cup this morning:)


311 posted on 08/21/2024 5:50:35 PM PDT by Pollard (Will work for high tunnel money!)
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To: metmom

This season has been a struggle for me, so I am very much into the ‘resting/soil building’ mantra this year. I don’t remember such a lackluster year since about 2012 when we were in drought conditions - but even then the peppers and tomatoes did well, being the South American WEEDS that they are designed to be. ;)

Mom and her BFF are coming to raid the garden tomorrow - I’ve already warned them that while there WILL be tomatoes for them, they will NOT be going home with bushel-baskets full to feed all of their neighbors. :(

Luckily only a FEW years have been like this for me in my many years of growing food stuffs! :)


312 posted on 08/21/2024 5:59:21 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: FamiliarFace

“I’m going to investigate your homemade creamer idea.”

Please do! I’ve made one batch so far and it is more than tolerable. ;)

It’s got to be the Food Industry getting us HOOKED on this stuff! I know they put millions, if not billions into their taste-testing and whatnot. It took me a long time to wean myself off of the McDonald’s ‘Exactly WHAT Kind of Fish Is This?’ Burger in the years I was working on the road. My only salvation was that I WAS a runner back then and the calories were burned off on a daily basis.

Some of these ‘fake foods’ are like crack! Addictive and SO BAD for you!

If you need a gentle reminder - read the label on whatever creamer is in your house right now. It will shock you back to reality. ;)


313 posted on 08/21/2024 6:08:10 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: MomwithHope

Thanks for THAT tip! I always have Evap Milk on hand in my Prepper stash. Never thought of using that for creamer. Duh! Probably would have figured that out if/when the balloon goes up. ;)

I need Sugar & Caffeine in the mornings...obviously. As much as I love and miss my Grandma Anita, I still can’t drink it black and boiling right off the stove from the Percolator. (Though I ALSO have one of those in my stash.)


314 posted on 08/21/2024 6:14:38 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Pollard

It’s all going to be worth it. The cost, the blood, sweat and tears - all of it. :)


315 posted on 08/21/2024 6:16:34 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Thanks for the kick in the butt. Sometimes I really need one

Hey, guess what?!!

About a week ago, I was at Costco, and came across a really nice looking upright freezer. Hubby was out of town, but I sent photos and told him that a new freezer was on my “list” officially. This one was frost free, not manual defrost, which is what we’ve had for 3-1/2 years. Plus it was double the space, which I ALWAYS feel like I need.

So I did my due diligence on reviews, and decided against that one because the company had poor reviews for customer service.

I DID find one that I hope suits my needs. Same size, frost free, fits in my garage, and a good name behind it.

HE APPROVED!!!

This morning the new freezer was delivered and installed. By the late afternoon, the food had been transferred to the new freezer.

By early evening, when most people are eating dinner but hubby was working late (I swear I paid the ransom!), I had the old freezer defrosted and completely cleaned up, ready for its new owners, a young family with a newborn that are hard working folks and very appreciative, wonderful kids. Both are schoolteachers. Humble and from conservative farm families.

I am excited to have the extra room. I’ve ordered freezer baskets so I can keep the beef separate from the chicken separate from the pork. Wish me luck! I’m not the most organized person, but I have my moments. Kitchen, cooking, and storage spaces are usually well organized.

Not so for the rest of my house. I guess I know what’s important to me and what isn’t. Do I need to organize my t-shirts? By color? Or by season? By teams? That part gets confusing to me.

Fancy clothes in one section. Tshirts and team clothing in another. That’s about as good as I get in my closet.

I do need help in most of my home. My kitchen orderliness blows my family away. Well, I guess that’s because I work in it every single day, multiple times a day. It’s almost like a lab, but not quite. Much homier than a lab. 🤣


316 posted on 08/21/2024 7:05:05 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Pollard

Nothing short of beautiful!


317 posted on 08/21/2024 7:32:34 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin; MomwithHope

Evaporated milk was always my mom’s secret ingredient in mashed potatoes when there was no cream available. I’ve made it that way for years and years and years. I’ve never had a complaint.

However, I AM known as the mashed potato queen AND more importantly, the GRAVY queen (which has little to do with evaporated milk). I can turn nothing into something spectacular with both of those.


318 posted on 08/21/2024 7:40:22 PM PDT by FamiliarFace (I got my own way of livin' But everything gets done With a southern accent Where I come from. TPetty)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Just picked up another 4 cans yesterday always try to have a dozen in the pantry. I use a rubber pet food lid for a cover works great.


319 posted on 08/22/2024 5:40:14 AM PDT by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: FamiliarFace

“Well, I guess that’s because I work in [the kitchen] every single day, multiple times a day. It’s almost like a lab, but not quite. Much homier than a lab. 🤣”

Great way to look at it. I agree. I’m in the kitchen a lot, so it needs to be functional. Mine is small, so it REALLY needs to be functional. When Beau remodeled this place (from top to bottom) he took space from the kitchen for the pantry and the laundry room - which is nice to have right off the kitchen, so it was a good sacrifice of space.

Congrats on the new freezer! We have two chest-types, which I HATE, being short, but I organize things into baskets too, for the organization aspect of it. And I make that tall person I live with do the deep dive into it if needed. ;) Nice of you to give your old one to a family in need. I did that with my Ford Escape - and they’re still using it a few year in. Pay It Forward! :)


320 posted on 08/22/2024 6:28:21 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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