The Garden Thread - October, 2024

October 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!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Ecclesiastes 11:6: Sow your seed in the morning, and do not rest your hands in the evening, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or if both will equally prosper.

Based the Solomonic direction, I set out late plantings of tomato Hybrid Picus, VFFNAStTswv 79 Days, and Double Yield Cucumber, 52 days, a late season crap shoot, but worth a shot given the extended Indian Summers we have here. At this time I have harvest-able green tomatoes that will ripen inside and female cucumbers with flowers that I will need to hand pollinate. (Not seeing any pollinators flying around, just a few cucumber beetles.)

We have a freeze warning tonight. I covered the cucumbers and determinate tomatoes. If I get through the next two nights I might have 2 weeks more of reasonably warm weather. We will see if either of these plantings prosper!

The okra will expire in tonight's frost. Other than these cold sensitive plants I have broccoli and brussel sprounts, radish and turnips, some grudging kale and some collards. I will need to dig up the horseradish. I think these will all be fine.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Someone with an interesting site devoted to soil fauna (Small bugs in the soil) and their importance to breaking down plants and producing soil!

https://www.chaosofdelight.org/

I found it when I was looking up Symphylans. I pulled up my 3 remaining zucchini plants today and symphylans were all over the stem buried in the soil. They had destroyed the roots which I think explains why I never, for the entire summer, had a zucchini larger than a finger. I will have to figure out how to deal with this before next year.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We spent part of yesterday harvesting what was left of the apples (Liberty) and the winter squashes. I have one zucchini with about a 6” fruit on it and blooms galore, but we got down to 29 last night and everything is frosted this morning, so I’m not counting on much from here on out.

Still have some ‘Good Mother Stallard’ beans to pick (they don’t all dry at the same time) and our Popcorn (’Puffy Pop’) will need to be harvested and dried inside this season - Beau got it in too late. He found an ear of sweet corn that he missed with exactly ONE kernel of corn on the entire cob - he wanted to show me, but the puppies swiped it before he could, LOL!

The Box Elder Bugs and the FAKE Ladybugs have breathed their last, so just some more sweeping up to do where they are concerned. So HAPPY that plague is over for the season!

[Qiviut]

We survived! I drove to the new house Sunday morning with a new router, a truck bed full of boxes & a trailer with some of the smaller dining room furniture pieces.

After unloading everything, I went room to room & made sure the spaces for furniture coming in were clear. Mom had set all the pictures she wants to hang against the walls & put down some rugs. I moved the pictures & took up the rugs.

After I called mom at 8:30 & talking until 10, I started on the new router. Of course, everything requires an app. Bottom line, the router connects to my smart phone but without internet. Keeps telling me to plug in the ethernet cable which I have done & double checked. I quit on the wifi issue at 11:40 pm & have a call in to the tech now.

After that, I cleaned the garage. Mower & trailer got squeezed into the shop. Everything that needed going to the basement went there. I swept cobwebs & blew out the garage with the blower (still sneezing). Went to bed at 2:30 am.

Got home at 12 noon Monday. Took a load to the dump & another to Goodwill. Loaded up the trailer with all the boxes mom had packed while I was gone. Brother, SIL, & Collie came over with a bottle of wine to sat goodbye. He unhooked the washer & dryer for me, loaded mom’s clothes in the pickup bed.

I was so tired I took an hour nap in the afternoon & went to bed at 10. Up at 3:30 - got TVs unhooked & mom’s laptop & printer packed. Packed the upright freezer contents in coolers & started on fridge - mom finished fridge. Loaded coolers on trailer plus a few more things, got all netted & tied down. Stuffed mom’s suitcase & other stuff in the back of the truck. Movers arrived at 8:50.

Move went great except they could not get the old fridge out of the house. Exterior doors are from 1920’s or so & narrow. I guess the doors were off the fridge when it came new. The company charges hourly & after 30 minutes trying everything to get it out (I was satisfied), I told them to leave it. With travel time of about 2.5 hours, they only spent about 6 hours loading & unloading - really hustled. All were super nice. Because the fridge didn’t go & there was some small room at the back of the 2nd truck, I got them to take my 7 cu. ft freezer with the half hog still in it (woo hoo!), 6 of mom’s largest flower pots, & a swing/frame off the porch.

Mom went to bed st 7:30 & I was up until 10 pm trying to unload freezer coolers & squeeze the old fridge stuff in our smaller fridge here. Mom & I cannot ‘live’ in the smaller fridge so we are going to buy a 2nd one this afternoon.

Other than fridge & wifi issues, the only other thing is the dryer is a 4 prong plug & the wall receptacle is a 3 prong. My youngest brother gave me some tips on getting that resolved.

Overall a good move - happy with the movers, all young guys in their 20’s .... very strong with cheerful attitudes. They were thrilled we had a handicap ramp at the old house which helped them speedily load & they also loved the French doors that both opened for a wide entryway into the new house & there was a 2” step. Carrying stuff to the 2nd floor was not easy, but they got the job done.

Still very tired today, but much more relaxed. Very chilly with windy conditions, but should warm up by the weekend, a good thing because the grass needs cutting. :-)

[FamiliarFace]

Ahhh, excellent!! I was thinking it might be several days before we heard back from you.

Your story of moving reminds me of when we moved here 11 years ago. 25 years worth of accumulation had to be gone through. We donated a garage full of “stuff” to Goodwill TWICE!!

Still had plenty to move. To tell you the truth, I still have boxes in the basement full of God only knows what, and I obviously don’t need any of that stuff. Occasionally we will get in a mood and go dig in to see what was in that box marked “living room” or “books” or “entry closet”. Most of it gets donated.

I love that your movers were cheerful and up to the task. Those guys sure earn their money.

I won’t soon forget the hours that one puts in during a move. You definitely burn the candle at both ends.

I hope your weather continues to hold for you, and me! I’m working on yard clean up (mostly LEAVES and some twigs) every day. I brought in some of my tender flowers that are still blooming. I don’t know if they hold up for much longer, but I’ll give it a whirl.

[FamiliarFace]

Diana, I thought of you yesterday. I had an opportunity to go thrifting for “new” clothes yesterday. Found some comfy sweatshirts and long sleeved blouses for bopping around the house in. One top is nice enough and in good enough shape to wear to church!

When I get that urge to update my wardrobe, thrifting is my way to go lately. Nobody knows it’s second hand but me. I don’t spend a lot of money, and look for good brands.

Now to get rid of some of the things I’m not getting “joy” from!

[Augie]

Augie, enjoy your trip! Hope the beach will be intact in your vacation spot!

Thanks Pete. We're going to Pensacola Beach. The previous storms didn't come anywhere close to there so everything should be in good shape.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

“Autumn seemed to arrive suddenly that year. The morning of the first September was crisp and golden as an apple.” J.K. Rowling,

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall. " -F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1896-1940, American writer

All picked and ready for cider and pies! We did not grow squash or apples, but in the fall growing up my father would load everyone in the car on Sundays and we would drive out in the country. He would buy a bushel of butternut squash and one or two of Apples and bring them home and they would sit on the porch until my mother cooked them or made applesauce.

I never raised shelling beans. You are fortunate to have some acreage!

“Autumn leaves don't fall, they fly. They take their time and wander on this their only chance to soar.” Delia Owens

"The Box Elder Bugs and the FAKE Ladybugs have breathed their last, so just some more sweeping up to do where they are concerned. So HAPPY that plague is over for the season!"

I pulled off the covers and only lost a few tips of basil. Should be good for a week at least! Your drifts of boxelder bugs are great food for your worms! Free food for your compost pile detritivors or worm farm!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

So happy things went relatively smoothly! You’re in the Home Stretch, Girlfriend! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Good for you! I used to find the most amazing deals on designer duds for my boys. I bought them and took off the tags and left them on their beds and they were almost always thrilled. With three of them only a year apart in age, if it didn’t fit one, it would fit another.

My ‘wardrobe’ needs some help these days. I have nice things to wear to weddings and funerals, and then I pretty much have rags to wear around here, LOL!

Now you’ve inspired ME to get back out there and do some thrifting for a few ‘upgrades.’ But FIRST - time to clean out closets and drawers and move from summer to fall and winter. :)

[FamiliarFace]

Have a great time! We were there a year ago, and had a spectacular time. Need to make a return trip!

[FamiliarFace]

Yeah, it’s the change of seasons. I get rid of stuff that I didn’t wear this Spring or Summer. After winter I will get rid of stuff that I didn’t wear during Fall or Winter.

I found two great Christmas tops, one a sweatshirt, and the other is a LS t-shirt. I’m excited cuz I never see this kind of thing when I’m shopping.

Mental note: this was the bigger town next to my smaller town. Maybe I should shop there more often.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Maybe you should! :)

I’ve never looked at clothing at my local thrift shop; I usually just look for books and DVDs and GLASSWARE - which is my obsession. I’ll look at clothes next time I’m in there.

My usual ‘haunt’ is St. Vincent’s which has a TON of outlets in the Madison area.

[FamiliarFace]

Glassware? You’re speaking my language!

I have found real Crystal on my thrift store treasure hunts. I have 6 stemmed wine glasses that are crystal. I was looking for my son years ago, when he was going off on his own for the first time. Those stems I picked up, well, they squealed as I washed them. He got my old ones, and I kept the Crystal. We only had two pieces that were gifted to us at our wedding, and one piece broke. It was so delicate. When I found the stemmed wine crystal, I was ecstatic. I paid 70 cents for each one. What a find!!

I’ve also found amazing bar ware. I have 4 vintage art deco old-fashioned glasses. They’re stunning.

I’m in to vintage and antique pieces. My house is full of that, not just in the kitchen and dining room. Pretty much every room. It goes with the house. We live in a modern day Victorian style home. My BIL is an architect, and though this house was built in 1996, he reassured me that the first owner made sure things were architecturally correct. So “old” stuff really fits. I blend antiques and traditional furniture. Nothing matches, but it all goes together!

I haven’t been to a St. Vincent’s in a while, but now that you’ve mentioned it, I should take a gander over that way. I’m sure there must be a couple of them in Indy. I’ve just never looked.

[Augie]

We’ve been to PB for vacation almost every year since 1992. We bounce around to other places once in awhile, but PB is our favorite.

Bonus on this trip will be two sessions of Blue Angels practice flights.

[bert]

I think my last opportunity to help my wife’s gardening effort will be to dig up the okra stalks.

We had the first frost last night

[Qiviut]

We took the scenic route (up the mountain behind us, down in a valley, then up another mountain out of that valley), to go to Lowe’s yesterday. There is another even bigger Lowe’s south of us ( where I bought the cedar fence planks) but we felt right at home in this one because it’s set up just like the one at the old house.

We bought a new fridge for me - I LOVE it. It’s being delivered tomorrow. It’s a side x side & the ice maker is on the door so it doesn’t take up freezer shelf space. There is no water hookup so unless I dump ice in the ice maker, I won’t have any*. On the fridge side, the shelves on the door have lots of space for tall items like sherry vinegar, wine bottles, etc.

We also bought a 3-prong plug for the dryer so my job today is to get the 4-prong off the dryer & the 3-prong on. The guy who sold us the fridge pulled up a youtube video to show me it’s “easy” & “you can do it”. If it goes like the video, it will be relatively easy, but there’s bound to be some wrinkle to figure out.

We also bought a toaster oven at Walmart - big splurge at $49. It has dials rather than being digital & mom thought she could work it (digital gives her fits).

Cue “Mission Impossible” music & visions of Peter Graves .... my mission today is to get the washer & dryer hooked up & working!!

*Ice maker is broken on the old fridge we left behind. We dumped bought bag ice in & it will dispense. We’ll do the same on new fridge when we have company & need more ice than the current fridge can produce.

2nd day in a row I woke up thinking I had to haul a load one way or the other - what a relief to realize I can ‘stay put’. Wind is not howling today & temps should start rising toward 70’s so the weather should be super nice for the weekend.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We’ve been ‘frosty’ the past few over-nights. October 15th is usually our first freeze of the year and it was right on time.

We harvested what remained of the apples and winter squashes, so I’m dealing with them through the weekend. :)

Apple Pie, here I come! Yay! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Today’s Gardening Thought:

“It is not graceful and it makes one hot, but it is a blessed sort of work, and if Eve had had a spade in Paradise and known what to do with it, we should not have had all that sad business of the apple.” ~ Countess Elizabeth Von Arnim

[Liz]

Chinese Hot Hot Chicken
A Bon Appetit recipe made popular by singer Dinah Shore. Ready In minutes.

Ing Sauce 1⁄4 cup chix stock 2 tbl dark soy sauce 1 tbl cream sherry 1 tsp ea chinese chili paste with garlic, red wine vinegar, sugar, cornstarch sesame seed oil 2 cups peanut oil (for frying) Chicken 1 egg white 1 tbl cornstarch 1⁄2 tsp salt 4 skinless chix breasts, cut bite size 1⁄2 cup dry roasted peanuts 10 whole dried chilies, stemmed 2 green onions in 1/2" pieces 2 minced gar/cloves,

Steps Sauce Combine well first eight ing. Set aside. Heat two cups peanut oil in the wok to 375 deg. Combine egg white, cornstarch, and salt, add chix pieces and coat evenly. Deep fry in batches til light golden and almost fully cooked. Remove w/ slotted strainer to drain. Add peanuts to oil and stir to a golden brown. Remove w/ slotted spoon to p/towels.

Drain oil into stainless pot to cool for another use. Place two tablespoons oil back into wok, add dried chili peppers; stir dark red, but do not burn. Add in the green sliced onion, garlic, and stir fry for 30 seconds. Return chicken to pan and cook one minute over high heat. Add sauce and stir until glazed and heated thru. Quickly toss in peanuts. Serve over steamed rice.

[FamiliarFace]

We have been going to Okaloosa island for our beach trips the last 10 years. I love the flyovers from Eglin. We’ve done a few day trips to Navarre (interesting) and as far east as Rosemary Beach (not my style). A year ago we switched up our route home and spent the night at PB. We both were reluctant to leave the beach, knowing it would likely be missed this year (due to several weddings on the calendar). It was a blast, and nice to have one more day of our feet in the white sand.