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!
It’s a new month again! Time is flying! Before you know it, we will be celebrating the end of this hear, and welcoming a new one in!
There is an Italian restaurant in upper Baltimore County, MD, almost to Pennsylvania) that is owned by a Neapolitan guy who imported an entire huge, tile-covered wood-fired oven, made for him in Naples. There's always a cord of wood stacked outside. He also imports the ultra-fine flour for the dough; and there is an extensive menu of scrumptious Neapolitan-style dishes. Everyone who knows me knows where I want to go on my birthday, Mother's Day, etc.
Kecco's mussels:
Yay...August...101 today...too hot, but the cukes are growing fast. I have two plants in a hanging pot...as starts they went on vacation with us to Montana and back. They are hanging on an arbor to prevent grey diggers from eating them. So far so good, as long as I water them well during this high heat I may actually get some to eat this year. Tomatoe that vacationed with us doing “ok” but slow.
OK to add pepperoni, salami, etc.
That looks delicious!
Yeah, they have those legs that wrap around kitty's tongue—yuck!
For once, my tomatoes are growing well. :-) Planted from seed around late April / early May, courtesy of the generosity of my sister. She gave me some “Better Boy”, “Early Girl”, and “Abe Lincoln” out of her seed supply. Knocking on wood that at least a couple of each kind survive to harvest time.
I’ve become a big fan of (and unofficial local spokesman for) Diatomaceous Earth to deal with the blister beetles and grasshoppers. Seeing far, far fewer of them than usual, which is A-OK in my book.
We put hollies in an area that sounds similar to yours, with a couple of evergreen azaleas for Spring color, and a Beautyberry for fall color. It’s working so far.
Those Caprese appetizers are a favorite to make in our family. Always refreshing and yummy. ‘Summer on a Stick!’
Here’s another idea for using up tomatoes. Tomato Freezer Jam. I’ve made it two years running now, and we all love it.
https://www.allrecipes.com/article/how-to-make-tomato-freezer-jam/
Thanks!
I have to tell you that I DESPISE hollies! My dad had a thing for them & was constantly scrounging small ones from the wooded areas around the pastures & planting them all over. Mowing around some really big ones was the pits & the small ones were a pain in the you-know-what to maneuver around. There are 2 larger hollies at the new place & I have them trimmed back so I can mow with no prickles. There will be no more hollies on this place. Whew! Sorry for the rant, but hollies are a ‘hot’ topic with me ... they are pretty with the red berries as long as they are on someone else’s property.
We had azaleas & replaced them with the boxwoods I mentioned. My mom has the compulsion to “snip” away at any stray shoots so she ended up trimming off all the flowers being set for the next year ... not doing that again. Dad & I used to joke about burying her with a pair of clippers. She literally cannot stop herself from snipping & clipping. So far, she has left the boxwoods alone.
I will check out the Beauty berries - thanks!
No worries about ranting with me. We all have our beefs with something or another. I hardly ever see hollies around here, but they do well enough, so we are ok with them. They’re on the side of the house that we can’t see much of.
I started an experiment with regrowing vegetables that I get from my local grocery store. I am currently growing green onions, radish, and garlic. I have gotten almost immediate regrow from the green onions and I see positive results from the others. All of this in less than a week.
I called my local radio garden show and was immediately scoffed at and told the quality of the product that I was growing was inferior and that I was wasting my time.
I would to hear from FReepers and what are your thoughts.
oh, I want to go there!!
We keep saying that we were going to take trips to the northeast, do all the historical sites. I don’t think I’ve left Tennessee more than 10 times and that was just to go across the border briefly to the NC mountains!!
ty! What kind of things do you put the jam on?
I noticed after I posted that there was a link to fresh tomato recipes, just what I needed! One day I will actually read before posting.
I’m in Florida.
My purple flowered queen crepe myrtle tree is spectacular.
I was in Providence, RI in the first week of May and what I believe to be crab apple trees were flowering magnificently.
I use a conventional oven with a pizza stone and a metal pan.
The pizza stone gets preheated will continue to cook the pizza dough from underneath after the oven cooks the pizza as much as the cheese will tolerate.
1. put pizza stone in oven on top shelf
2. preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. make pizza on metal pan
4. put metal pan with pizza on hot pizza stone
5. let cook about 12 minutes until cheese is melted and browned
6. open oven door
7. slide oven shelf with metal pan and pizza out
8. leave metal pan with pizza on pizza stone about five more minutes so dough will bake fully.
I LOVE a pot of garlic greens in the kitchen for snipping and adding to dishes. You can do the same with green onions, really.
I’ve had SOME luck re-growing celery. If you want to do re-grow veggies, then do it!
I’ll bet the people you were talking to are a bunch of snotty Master Gardeners. ;)
I’m a not-quite, still have a few courses to finish now that I’m retired, Master Gardener, but I TRY not to be snotty about it. Trust me, 18 YEARS in Garden Center Retail Management totally humbles you. And, I HAVE done, and have SEEN every dumb thing a Gardener can possibly do! :)
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