The Victory Garden Thread - June, 2026

June 1, 2026 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The MONTHLY Victory Garden 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 Victory Garden 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]

Look up from your Gardens! Astronomical Event tomorrow, June 17! (Visible IF you have good weather!)

Slide.... Occulation of Venus by the Moon tomorrow June 17, 2026.

U.S. Viewing time at bottom link.

From Spaceweather.com 6/16/2026

For the first time in 11 years, the crescent Moon will pass in front of Venus in broad daylight over the USA. The bright planet will disappear behind the Moon's dark edge and reappear about an hour later.

Can you really see this during the day? You can! Scan the blue sky with binoculars until you find the Moon's pale crescent. Once located, you'll discover both the Moon and Venus are surprisingly easy to see with the naked eye. A smartphone camera zoomed and pointed in the right direction will have no trouble recording the scene.

Warning: DO NOT point your optics at the sun. Standing in the shadows is a good way to avoid this blinding mistake.

https://spaceweather.com/images2026/15jun26/timetable_big.jpg

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thanks, Pete! Rain all day here tomorrow. :(

Why do I feel like the kid on Venus where it rains ALL THE TIME and they only get to see the Sun ONCE a year...and the mean kids lock her in the closet so she misses it!

Ray Bradbury. ‘The Illustrated Man.’ (Short stories. A CLASSIC!)

[Liz]

Glazed Chocolate Raspberry Pound Cake

Ing---15.25 oz Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix 4 1/2 c size Jell-O Chocolate Fudge Instant Pudding 3/4 c plain Greek yogurt 3/4 c canola oil 4 lge eggs 1/2 c strong brewed coffee, room temp 2 tsp Chambord Raspberry Liqueur 1 can Raspberry Pie Filling fresh raspberries garnish. Glaze: 1 c semi-sweet choc/chips 4 tbl ea butter/light corn syrup 2 tsp Chambord

Method---combine cake/pudding mixes, yogurt, oil, eggs, coffee, Chambord. Beat on low speed a min. Beat on med-high a min. Pour 1/2 batter into greased/floured 10 or 12 cup bundt pan. Spoon 3/4 can pie filling in center (away from edges). Spoon rest cake batter over; bake 350 deg 45-50 min--pick near center comes clean. Cool cake in pan 10 min; invert on rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Raspberry Glaze---micro melt butter and corn syrup on high 45 sec. Add chocolate chips;stir completely melted--micro 15 sec if needed. Stir in Chambord til fully incorporated. Pour warm ganache over completely cooled cake, drizzling down sides. Garnish w/ raspberries. Keep cake cool. Serve w/ spoonful of pie filling, a few raspberries.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Oh, that’s pretty! I could also use the wild Black Cap Raspberries we have in abundance around here. We also have wild Blackberries which are a real treat if you can get to them before the birds and the smaller wildlife.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

[Diana in Wisconsin]

My plan for this rainy day. Perfect timing; company coming on Friday.:)

[Qiviut]

When we visited my grandparents in the summer, sometimes we got lucky & the blackberries were ripe. It was a pretty good walk across the pasture to a fenceline where the blackberries grew. Once back at the house, with several quarts of blackberries, it was time for a treat. Granny served us blackberries in a bowl, sprinkled with a little sugar & swimming in some cream (they had a dairy). Oh my, were those blackberries good!

[MomwithHope]

Have not had heavy natural cream with blackberries but I have had it with sliced strawberries. So delicious.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Our friend Kathy came over for lunch and to help plant tomatoes and she brought peaches, a pound cake, nutmeg and some heavy cream. I had never had a ‘shortcake’ like that...and I ain’t going back! :)

Get lost, Cool Whip, LOL!

[Liz]

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie
The perfect dessert; gingersnap crust, cheesecake, pumpkin pie, whipt cream, caramel drizzle.

Ing 9" gingersnap pie crust 16 oz soft cream cheese 1/3-1/2 c sugar 2 lge eggs room temp, 1/4 c halfnhalf 3/4 c pure pumpkin puree 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice. Topping: 1-2 c h/cream 2-4 tbl conf caramel sauce

Method Elec/mixer smooth cr/cheese, sugar. Add eggs; beat/combine. Blend in halfnhalf. Spread 1/2 of cream cheese mixture (about 1 1/3 cups) evenly into pie crust. To remaining cream cheese mixture add pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice. Mix/combine on med. Carefully pour over cheesecake layer, spreading evenly. Bake 350 deg 35-40 min (done when edges brown, surface is firm, center jiggles a bit when gently shaken). Cool on rack. Cover/fridge/set 3 hours. When ready to serve prepared whipped cream, pipe cream rosettes at edges. Serve wedges w/ caramel drizzle.

[MomwithHope]

.

[Liz]

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BREAD PUDDING / serves 8
Turns day-old bread into something spectacular.

Ing: 21 oz can cherry pie filling 3 c day-old bread cubes 1/4 c butter 1 tbl l/juice
3/4 c semisweet mini choc/chips 1/2 c sugar 1 c milk 3 eggs 1/2 tsp rum extract

Method: Layer in 1 1/2 qt micro-tube pan: pie filling, bread cubes over evenly, melted butter drizzle, l/juice, choc/chips. Pour Custard over pressing cubes in gently. Cover w/ waxed paper. Micro on medium (50%) 17-19 min (almost set); rotate 1/4 turn every 5 min, or use turntable. Set covered w/ waxed paper 30 min. Serve warm w/ cherries on top.

Custard: Combine sugar, milk, eggs, rum extract; beat well.

[Augie]

We got another 3/10” rain yesterday along with some high winds, and it’s raining again now. One of my peach trees is busted bad enough I’ll have to take it down to a stump. Also lost the top 30’ of a very nice female mulberry tree. The broken part isn’t fully detached so I’ll have to call my tree service guy to deal with that one.

Yesterday started off at the spine pain clinic with epidural cortisone injection in my L4/L5 space. It feels pretty good this morning so I should be able to get a few light chores done after I get back from geezer breakfast with my buddy Steve.

I’ve got basils that are ready to set out and pots ready for a 2nd planting of lettuces. I’m thinking I might sow carrot seed in the raised bed where I had the beets. It’s maybe a little early for that, but it’s always so stinking hot here in late August/early September that seeds don’t want to germinate so I’m going to try it now. If the seeds make it out of the ground I can protect the young plants from the mid-summer sun with shade cloth. Might work, might not. Only one way to find out.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

I do not remember that story! (Bradbury was from Waukegan, my county seat growing up!)

Everyone should be glad not to live on Venus! Better to be here and look at it at sunset or sunrise!

The upside is that you are blessed with Snow....Winter comes and you stand looking at the grey sky with flakes gently falling down leaving you with a feeling of peace because you do not need to pull weeds or worry about fleas and ticks because the cold has killed them all!

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Augie; Glad your back is feeling better! I am sorry to hear about your trees, especially the peach!

I mowed yesterday expecting a lot of showers, which did not happen last night. I had watered in the garden, so at least that worked out.

Today I went to "The Berry Patch" a blueberry U-Pick place in Cleveland MO by myself. It was raining as I drove down and cloudy when I got there. Pretty much all the other pickers were mothers or grandmothers with children and I watched them having a good time. (I had a good time too.)

I picked for a while and It started to rain. You could hear the rain sound half way across the patch and could watch as it moved closer. I picked in the rain for a while after getting some thunder, I paid for the picked berries (@$6.50 Lb) and bought 2 bags of previously frozen (@$7.75 Lb) and headed home. (I was going to freeze them anyway so it saved me a step.) Altogether not much rain; Perhaps more tonight and tomorrow!

Lettuce is done. I have been removing flowers on the potatoe plants. I pulled up some beets (They are good!). I have celery ready. Determinate tomatoes have been setting fruit. Time to harvest the garlic, time to start stringing up the indeterminate tomatoes. Waiting for the Sweet potatoes, squash, and melon plants to really start to take off. I did an experiment with carrots....filled some 2 gallon pots with raised bed mix and started carrots in them. Sadly, almost all the carrots died when I moved them out. Worth a try! (They are cheap at the store!)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Sorry about your tree-friend losses! Glad to hear some shots are working for you. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Winter in Wisconsin: Snow shovel in one hand, Hot Toddy in the other, LOL!

[Qiviut]

Got blueberries & lavender? This is going on my recipe app.

Blueberry Lavender Preserves
https://simplebites.net/blueberry-lavender-preserves/

[Liz]

RED WHITE AND BLUE MUFFINS
Mix in ing slowly, one at a time. Makes any recipe work great.

Ing 1/2 c butter 1 c sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp b/powder 2 c fresh blueberries 1/2 c ea
dried cranberries, chp Macadamias 2 c flour, 1/2 c milk 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla

Method Elec/mixer/cream fluffy on low butter/sugar. Add eggs singly, beating each well. Gradually add sifted dry ing alternately w/ milk, vanilla. Stir in berries. Add nuts. Add batter to 12 buttered muffin cups; pile batter high. Sprinkle w/ sugar. Bake 375 deg 30 min. Cool in pan 30 min. Serve.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I’ve saved that one, too!