The Garden Thread - November, 2025

November 1, 2025 | 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.

[FamiliarFace]

Our youngest was born on the 28th. The year he was born was one of the only times we’ve ever been to a restaurant on Thanksgiving Day, which was “early” that year. You should have seen the reactions with the wait staff! They watched curiously as a young father, a young mother very pregnant (and a HUGE belly) with a 4 yr old and a 2 year old in tow arrived at the appointed time. We were given the royal treatment! We were all dressed up in nice clothes, so the kids behaved just as a perfect gentleman and young lady are expected to behave. It was very nice not to have to prepare anything other than getting dressed for the occasion, too! Fond memories, but I couldn’t wait for the baby to arrive!

[Liz]

Salad’ is a very loosely used term! ;)

---

Make a dressing, slap it on anything......boom, you got a salad.

[Augie]

We've gone from unseasonably warm and dry to a little less warm and a lot more wet over the past few days here in Central Missouri. We got .5" precip in about 20 minutes Monday afternoon. Most of it came as hail. TWO STINKING DAYS after the new roof was installed on our house. Fortunately it was small hail (dime-size or less) and didn't do any damage.

I would very much like to finish cleanup in the new garden patch over the weekend. It's raining again this morning so I might be SOL on that deal. Weather guessers say the rain should move out by lunchtime, and it's supposed to be dry over the weekend. Maybe I'll get lucky.

If I'm not able to work in the garden I'm going to start getting ready for a major shop project. The 860 Ford tractor needs some serious work. It needs a new drive clutch, a new pivot bushing in the front axle, a new right-side front axle beam, and who knows what else I'll find worn out while I'm fixing that stuff. While I've got it torn into a thousand pieces I'm going change it over from Armstrong power steering to hydraulic power steering. That tractor has always been hard to steer and Pops can't use it all now with his bad shoulders (not that he has any business using it anyway, but that's beside the point), so I'm going to make it a bit more user-friendly for him. If he only gets to drive it one more time ever the effort and expense will be worth it to me.

I brought a dog crate inside yesterday and let Howard give it a try. The cushion Mrs. Augie bought for him lasted all of two minutes, but he had fun with it while it lasted. He was quite content to be there and took a nice long nap after the cushion had been sufficiently shredded. I'm going to bring him inside for Round 2 after lunch today.

[MomwithHope]

He made a nest! He’s also got the - let me out I will be good - look.

[Augie]

More like his ‘if you let me out I’ll be good I promise until I see the next thing that I want to shred’ look. lol

[FamiliarFace]

We had a rescue dog (part black lab, part beagle) that when we first got her tried to crate train her. None of us were any good at it. All she had to do was whimper, and one of the five of us would come over and pet her and hug her. I think we used that crate for less than a week. Sammie spent most nights at the foot of the bed of our youngest. Those two were meant for each other.

Sadly, when we were preparing to move to Indiana, she must’ve suspected. She stopped wanting to go on walks. She was so faithful to the very end. If there was a contractor coming to fix something at the house, she stayed by my side the entire team a worker was there. Sweet baby. She was with us for almost a dozen years. We had to put her down about 2 weeks before moving. That was so darn hard. I hate doing that, but sometimes you have to.

[Augie]

I think crate training is as much about training the owner as it is about training the dog. It can be quite a challenge, especially if you have one that’s feeling sorry for itself while you’re trying to sleep. You definitely have to ignore your feelers (and your ears) a bit.

A few years back I watched a buddy’s Australian Shepherd for a weekend while he was out of town. I specifically asked if the dog was crate trained before I agreed to watch her - “Oh yeah, she’s been crated since she was a pup.”

Uh-huh, sure she was. Nobody at my house got any sleep that weekend. It was awful. lol

I hope Howard doesn’t do that. I can’t live without sleep. He’ll either be quiet and get to spend some cold winter nights indoors where it’s warm, or he’ll bark his fool head off and spend all of his nights in his dog box outdoors. Time will tell.

It’s always hard when they leave you. A few months after Pops lost his last dog I asked him when he was going to get another one. “Not getting another one.” I asked him why not. “I’ve buried enough dogs.”

I understood exactly what he meant.

[MomwithHope]

Some AI advice about stopping shredding. Maybe it will help.

To stop a dog from tearing up their bed, redirect their chewing to appropriate toys, ensure they get enough physical and mental exercise, and invest in a durable, “chew-proof” bed. If the behavior continues, consider using a pet-safe deterrent spray, and if the problem is severe, address potential underlying anxiety or stress with calming products or professional help.
Provide alternatives and training
Redirect chewing: When you see your dog start to chew the bed, calmly interrupt them and immediately give them an appropriate chew toy instead.
Praise good choices: Whenever they choose to chew their toy instead of their bed, praise them enthusiastically.
Offer varied toys: Keep a variety of appropriate chew toys available, like sturdy rubber toys or edible chews, and rotate them to keep your dog interested.
Increase exercise and mental stimulation
Increase physical activity: Make sure your dog gets enough exercise through walks or playtime to burn off excess energy.
Provide mental challenges: Use puzzle toys or treat-dispensing toys to keep their mind occupied.
Adjust the environment and bed
Choose a durable bed: If your dog destroys beds easily, opt for a chew-proof, durable bed designed to withstand chewing.
Use a deterrent spray: Spray a pet-safe, bitter-tasting spray on the bed to make it less appealing.
Add a simple blanket: Place an easily replaceable blanket on top of the bed. This can satisfy the urge to “dig” while protecting the bed underneath.
Address underlying issues
Identify stressors: Look for stressors that might trigger the behavior, especially if it only happens when you are away.
Use calming products: If anxiety is the cause, try calming products like pheromone diffusers or leaving the TV on as background noise.
Consult a professional: If the behavior persists despite your best efforts, consult a veterinarian to rule out medical issues or a professional dog trainer to address potential separation anxiety or other behavioral problems.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Oh, Howard! Auntie Diana is disappointed in you...BUT, not unexpected behavior from a hound. ;)

That cushion can be re-stuffed and given to a dog that APPRECIATES the finer things in life! :)

When I’ve crated dogs, inside and on the porch, I just give them old towels and blankets. Sometimes they get chewed on a little, or dragged around the yard, play a little ‘Tuggy’ with them, but they don’t totally destroy them.

The Condo Dogs and the Kennel Dogs all get wood shavings in their houses in the winter - but that would be a mess in the house...we can only aggravate Mrs. Augie so much, Right? LOL!

I still have 6 beds to clean out, but unless it dries out substantially, they’ll have to wait for that first sunny 40 degree March day when I am chomping at the bit! The straw is all in the greenhouse, so it will stay dry all winter and the cats like to sleep in there on sunny days.

The things we do for our pets! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“I understood exactly what he meant.”

Otto - Dachshund
Ginger - Mutt
(The first two were Family Pets of my Youth)
LONG GAP...Army Life
Cinder - Black Lab
Murphy - Black Lab
Miss Lucy - Yellow Lab
Rufus (Dog of my HEART; Basset Hound)
Pearl - Lady Basset
Belle - Lady Basset
Chief - Beagle

Dolly (Beagle) is going on 15. I’m not sure if I can take on another house dog but one more Basset Hound is SO tempting! I mean, really - I have literally NO stress or frustration in my life right now, so why not? LOL!

(Re: No stress! ‘Stew’ got out of his Luxury Stall today. NOT MY FAULT! I am NOT in charge of him right now! And I am NOT cleaning up the mess he made in the barn aisles! Grrrr!

I don’t want any more cats. I have NEVER bought a cat for myself - EVER! Of the dozens I’ve had thrust upon me, only ONE (Timothy Two-Tone) had ANY personality and charm. They’ve either been gifted to me, or just showed up on my farm. Beau LOVES cats. So, I guess we’ll always have indoor/outdoor cats. :(

[FamiliarFace]

I had buried 6 dogs before our Sammie, from being a child to adulthood.

We are on our last pet. He’s another rescue, a cat. He’s 15-1/2 years old, and his name is Watson. We adopted him and another cat (Crick) who had been dropped off at the shelter on the same day. They weren’t related, but they became bonded brothers when they were just 2 weeks old. Our daughter fostered them until they were big enough to be adopted. Guess who helped give them their meds when they were still little? That’s right. FF.

I think that was part of our daughter’s plan. She wanted to replace another rescued cat that was “hers”. Meeko was with us for 15 years, too, and she couldn’t see our living without more cats. So we took those two babies in. Fell in love right away. Sammie looked at us as though we were totally insane, yet she acquiesced to being their “foster mom”.

Unfortunately, we lost Crick to cancer a year ago. One of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through. It was fast and unexpected. You might say we were blind-sided. Watson and I took months to even remotely get back on track after losing Crick. (Honestly, I always thought that Watson would go before Crick. I have no idea why I thought that.)

We named them after my favorite duo of scientists, Watson and Crick of DNA fame. I studied genetics when I got to college. (Didn’t keep up with it, but I do have degree in Biology).

When we lost Crick a year ago, we decided that was enough pets to bury. When Watson crosses over the Rainbow Bridge, that’s the last one either of us want. Ok, we say that now, but you never know. Watson is still holding his own nicely. I think we still have at least another year with him.

[FamiliarFace]

“I understood exactly what he meant.”

Penny- Black Lab
Heidi - White German Shepherd
Sam - son of Heidi and “King” (of RinTinTin line)
Cheche - Sam’s full blooded sister (I didn’t have to bury her, but did have to say goodbye, as she was purchased from the blood line of RTT)
Toby- Sam’s son, mixed with Rhodesian Ridgeback
Tasha -another German Shepherd, not related to any of the other dogs.
Sissy - a mutt, who found our family much like Howard found Augie
Sammie- black lab, beagle mix, the sweetest, most loyal dog ever

[Liz]

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
Sweet, chewy, chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons.

Ingredients Cookies ⅔ c sweetened condensed milk 1 egg white 1½ teaspoons vanilla ⅛ teaspoon salt 3½ c sweetened flaked coconut Chocolate 10 oa semisweet chocolate, fine-chopped, divided

Instructions Line two cookie sheets w/ parchment or silicone mat. Stir sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla, salt. Stir in coconut well. Drop tablespoonfuls 2" apart on cookie sheets. Form loose haystacks w/ fingertips, moistening hands to prevent sticking. Bake one sheet at a time light golden brown, 325 deg 15-20 min. Cool on b/sheets to slightly set 2 min, then remove to wire rack.

Cool completely before dipping. Dip: Melt 8 oz chocolate over almost-simmering water, stir smooth once or twice. Offheat stir in remaining 2 oz chocolate smooth. Holding by pointed top, dip bottoms/½ inch up sides in chocolate; scrape off the excess; place the macaroon on a prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate the macaroons to set 15 minutes. Store airtight at cool room temp or in refrigerator a week.

[Liz]

Suggested Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich
As high as possible, grilled-----w/ bacon, of course.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

As high as possible, LOL! I like the sliced apples in there, too!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[left that other site]

Good Morning!

[Sacajaweau]

I love macroons...sooooo high cal...but I occasionally treat myself. Not now though....It's Pumpkin Pie season...and I occasionally treat myself.

The best part is my kids all live out of state.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

LOL! Perfect! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Opening day of Deer Gun Season here in 'Sconny. Blaze up!