The Garden Thread - November, 2024

November 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!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"Love those guilty looks and the dirt on their snouts! LOL"

Trust me - they regret NOTHING! ;)

Told Beau that when I was unloading groceries from the car to the house yesterday - there were NO puppies underfoot 'helping' me. :( He said I should be more grateful for small mercies, LOL!

Four were sold to local hunting families and the last two that we're keeping are 6 months old now, so they're in the kennel shed with 'the big dawgs' learning the ropes.

These were puppies 20-27 that I've raised since 2016. I've gotten pretty good at it, but I dearly look forward to 'puppy-less' years now, too!

'Crow' at 6 weeks

Last batch of puppies, April, 2024

Proud new owner, Ridge & 'Daisy'

These pups are Treeing Walker Coon Hounds for hunting raccoon and/or black bear. We also raise Plott Hounds which are used for bear and bobcat and coyote. Below is Plott Hound 'Shawnee' who we kept from the previous litter.

[Augie]

This past week here in Central Missouri was another unseasonably warm one. That's about to end. We're looking at highs in the 30°s and lows in the teens this coming weekend.

I'm hoping plumber guy makes it out this week to install the new freeze-proof water hydrant in my yard. Also need to check to make sure the heater in the horse drinker is working. Laying on the frozen ground thawing that thing out isn't my idea of fun. lol

Bambi joined his mom in the freezer Saturday evening. I'll take a cooler full of meat to the locker plant over the lunch hour today to have made into jalapeno/cheese sticks. The doe I harvested opening weekend made 26lbs of sausage meat. Buck made 37lbs so everyone in the family will be getting a nice sack of slim jims for Christmas.

I didn't do anything with the gardens over the weekend but I did spend some more time grooming the driveway. I used most of the crushed limestone that I had on hand and I'm still not 100% satisfied with the current state of the surface so I'm going to order another load today. I won't need even half a load to finish but it's always nice to have some stockpiled for small jobs.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Pinetree Seeds is having a 20% Off sale. I’ve purchased from them before and have liked their seeds. Good selection. Did I say TWENTY PERCENT OFF? Yes, I did!

https://www.superseeds.com/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Good shootin’ Augie! We’ve only harvested one small buck so far - but there are still many days of the season to go.

Love your idea of the meat sticks as gifts. I’ll bet people love those. :)

[Augie]

Yeah everyone in the family is extra nice to me around Christmas time. lol

Mrs. Augie has been skunked so far this season but there’s still time. It’s open through Sunday evening, then reopens for another week on December 7th.

I filled both of the tags that I bought. I could buy more but I need to get back to the property projects around here.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Diana; Box Elder bugs....maybe a resouce???

In view of the WEF "food" initiatives, i queried Brave Search: "Can Humans eat Box elder bugs?"

Happily, the robo-automaton search reply was:

No, it’s not recommended to eat Box elder bugs. While some animals, such as rodents, chipmunks, and certain birds, may consume them, humans are not advised to do so. Box elder bugs are considered a nuisance pest and are not considered a food source for humans. They are also known to emit an unpleasant odor and have a bitter taste, which may deter humans from consuming them even if they were edible." (Also source of bacteria and allergens, etc.)

However, when rephrased to: " Can Chickens Eat Boxelder Bugs?"

The Brave robo-search compiler Also happily replied:

"Based on the search results provided, here’s a summary of the information:

Yes, chickens can eat Box elder bugs. Several sources mention that chickens will consume Box elder bugs as a snack, and some even enjoy them as a treat.
One source notes that Box elder bugs are a “great snack” for chickens, and another mentions that they are a “favorite” of some chickens.
There is no indication that eating Box elder bugs is harmful to chickens. In fact, one source suggests that chickens will eat them as a natural part of their diet, and another notes that they are a good source of nutrition for chickens.
However, it’s worth noting that Box elder bugs emit a foul odor when crushed or disturbed, which may deter some chickens from eating them. Additionally, some sources mention that chickens may not eat Box elder bugs if they are not hungry or if they have access to more preferred foods.

Overall, based on the search results, it appears that chickens can safely eat Box elder bugs and may even enjoy them as a treat. However, as with any food source, it’s always a good idea to ensure that the bugs are free of pesticides and other contaminants before offering them to your flock."

Good deal! Chicken food for your future flock! Admit it, its fun to watch them run around all crazy chasing bugs! (Its also humorous to see the types of dead robotic replies you get in reply to IA Search inquiries!)

Winnebago flies....the fish may eat them, but I would not recommend that Augie introduce them to Missouri to feed his fish!

[Albion Wilde]

They look so happy and well loved!! Great job, DIW!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Diana; Nice pictures! Nice dogs and a fairly agreeable new batch!

Looks like Augie is hunting deer from his front end loader! (A easy carry home in the bucket rather than fully field dressing them too I suppose! Nice deer Augie!)

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Diana; Nice pictures! Nice dogs and a fairly agreeable new batch!

Looks like Augie is hunting deer from his front end loader! (A easy carry home in the bucket rather than fully field dressing them too I suppose! Nice deer Augie!)

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I just saw how badly my auto incorrect destroyed what I typed in my original question/post.

There is something about when I post on FR that really excentuates the auto correct’s wayward ways.

Of course it would help if I actually went back and proofread before hitting “post” but where is the fun in that.

I have since looked into the spinosad again and realized thay I had forgotten it was biological not chemical.

I will add it to the rotation.

After reading your reply I realized that, unlike last year, I saw a lack if “bee assassin” bugs in my garden this year.

I wonder why that was.....

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Don't even get me started on Assassin Bugs! I had THREE of them in my top floor bedroom this past fall.

Seriously? I have a lovely garden for you to play in and you need to be IN MY BEDROOM? They are vicious looking, but with much screaming and shuddering, I managed to trap and flush them all!

I would NEVER kill one out in the wild, but in my bedroom, uninvited? You're dead, Mister! ;)

They come in a number of varieties/colors/species, but these are the ones I had. And yes, they were all about a FOOT TALL and hissing at me and fighting back...in my mind, LOL!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Zucchini Poisoning Is a Thing — Here’s Why it Happens and How to Avoid It

Most of us don’t think of zucchini, the star of side dishes and baked goods, as dangerous to eat. But as it turns out, the popular squash can be toxic in rare instances.

A 2024 study published in the Polish Archives of Internal Medicine highlighted such a case. It involved a 54-year-old relatively healthy woman who ended up in a Czech Republic emergency department with severe abdominal pain accompanied by vomiting and bloody, watery diarrhea. The next day, doctors found she had liver damage.

Puzzled by why an otherwise healthy patient would develop such intense, sudden symptoms, the medical team tried to pinpoint a cause. One clue emerged: The patient recalled consuming unusually bitter zucchini bread before developing symptoms. Doctors eventually diagnosed her with cucurbitacin poisoning, caused by toxic compounds that can form in zucchini and other plants in the Cucurbita family.

“Cucurbitacin poisoning occurs when these compounds disrupt cellular processes, causing tissue irritation, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract,” Babeta Čápková, MD, case study co-author and a general medicine physician in the department of Internal Medicine at Tomas Bata Hospital Zlinin in the Czech Republic, told Health. “A bitter taste is indeed a hallmark of high cucurbitacin concentrations and often the only immediate indicator.”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/zucchini-poisoning-is-a-thing-here-s-why-it-happens-and-how-to-avoid-it/ar-AA1uJfkH?rc=1&ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=1b9db4f7c1a9485eeda665dde372140f&ei=8

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Consider this product, too, for organic bug control:

https://growarber.com/products/bio-insecticide

[FrozenAssets]

A happy thanksgiving to to all of you. Hold your loved ones close.

We are suppose to get -37 Wednesday evening, a high of -27 on Thanksgiving day, and a low of -34 Thanksgiving evening. Just another day in paradise!

I spent about 5 or 6 hours today re-arranging the snow we got the last couple days. A lot more fun at 5 degrees than at 30 below.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Gotta say, I don’t envy you one bit, LOL! We’ll get some below-zero days this winter - sometimes we get a string of a week of them. Not really fun for anyone - especially the critters!

I bought pet-friendly deicer the other day and Beau will have my sand bucket and shovel at the ready pretty soon. I am in charge of shoveling the 7 landings up to the house, and sometimes a path is needed down to the barn. He plows the mile-long driveway to the County Road with the skid-steer with a snowplow attached. It’s a refurbished blade and he’s excited to test it out this season.

It’s The Little Things in life, LOL!

[Qiviut]

Thanksgiving tomorrow - woo hoo! I hope everyone’s plans are coming together, whether cooking, traveling or whatever you are doing to celebrate the day. My family is MAGA so we are grateful & feeling blessed with hope for the future .... might even do the Trump dance after a few glasses of somethin’ somethin’.

I am packing Christmas gifts to hand out tomorrow - I do not think I will see any of the great-nieces/nephews over Christmas. I’m not sure about the brothers either. So presents for the kids & goodies for the brothers & their wives will be trekking along to the feast.

As I am packing canned jelly, preserves & relishes, I have found a great use for those Amazon bubble envelopes .... cut them up & use them to wrap the glass jelly jars so they travel safely! I just cut a strip that is the height of the jar & goes around it - piece of tape to hold it & the jar is well-padded. :-)

[Pollard]

And I came here to complain about a low of 15 Monday morning.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Save your forks! There's PIE!

[mairdie]

Adorable!

A very Happy Thanksgiving to all. I’m thankful for a place where I can indulge in my love of former/future/Best President Ever Donald Trump. And I’m thankful for the humor and beauty that so many cafe visitors bring to each day. Worries are lightened when they’re shared with supportive friends. Joy, the real kind and not the Harris kind, is made more joyous when friends smile with you. Thinking of you all this Thanksgiving Day.

NCIS and NCIS-LA - Camouflage and Christmas Lights - Duck the Hall

https://youtu.be/srBvwtbIVn4

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Nicely done! Great song - and I LOVE those characters so much. :)

A Blessed Thanksgiving to You & Yours. :)