(It's not me, but it could be!)
Posted on 10/01/2026 6:56:54 AM PDT by 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.
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Still have a few hummies here. “Harmony” just stopped by for a drink and then wanted to make sure I saw her, so she came up to the window nearest me, and waved hi to me. Yesterday I saw one hanging around the waterfall fountain in the meditation garden. Hopefully we will have a few more days together.
Well, I don’t have a raised bed, but I do have a lot of medium and large pots, now.
I wonder if soybeans would work? From what gets spilled @ those elevators across the road, I could probably get a bucket of soybeans with a little gravel mixed in, for free. They are not a cool weather crop, though...
Hello October, and we are supposed to hit 92 deg. F today. Heat index only 94 tho’, and breezy, so, not awful, unless the elevators give us another heavy dusting of chaff. The wind will be from their direction. :-(
NWS says we’ll get maybe 3/4” rain after midnight, hopefully, but I have to get a couple projects finished up, the tools “in”, etc.!! After this weekend, we should have about average temperatures but go back to being drier than average - which is pretty dry...
The deer eat our hostas almost to the dirt - it’s their ‘gourmet salad bar’. They seem to prefer the solid green ones over the white/green variegated ones, but they do eat them all. We have the hostas in big pots just off the edge of the front porch & cover them with row cover every night to keep the deer off. Looks like I will be making covers for the lantanas this evening, too.
I figured the nor’easter last weekend would send the hummers south, but a few are still around. Another front coming through this weekend, then cooler weather & potential for frost so that might be the final weather change to send them off.
My goodness, where do you live??
I had occasion to go to the Dollar Store earlier today & was dismayed to see Christmas wrapping paper on display & a few other Christmas items .... right in the middle of all the Halloween stuff. :-(
That being said, I do give my great-nieces and great-nephews Christmas presents. For their birthdays, they get a card with a number of dollar bills corresponding to their age ... they love getting a little cash. As for presents, I have one rule: NO Junk. No cheap toys, the latest trendy items, etc. I have done puzzles, books, flash cards (for fish - the older boys love to fish), etc.
So today, I ordered a 9-book set of Little House on the Prairie for my two great-nieces (8 & 10). One in particular loves to read big time & the other will get interested & read as well. They are living on a small homestead so the pioneer/living off the land themes should resonate. Ma & Pa are good role models, too.
As for the great-nephews, who are dinosaur cRaZy, I ordered them a 10 book set of Dinosaur Club books where 2 kids have adventures with various dinosaurs. It’s a bit ‘old’ for the youngest, but it should help the older boy (kindergarten) with his reading - he’ll be highly motivated. Their mom can read them the books, too.
Still noodling over the two youngest boys ... one will be 2 in February & the other just turned 4. They are more ‘city’ (subdivision) boys than outdoor ‘country’ boys. Both are very smart, so I’ll come up with something that meets my ‘no junk’ criteria. If you have suggestions, I’m all ears!
Hummingbirds arrived this week on the north Gulf of America coast. They are really hitting my feeder. Beautiful!
I gave the neighbors boys (4) a set of the Hardy Boys adventures. They loved them. Don’t know if you could still find them.
Nice I bet you get more than one species there too.
(It's not me, but it could be!)
Wow, another stunner array! The corpse flowers look like living starfish!
LOL! I can definitely relate.
The ones in our forest just walked around to the front sidewalk and devoured all the chrysanthemum buds that were just about to bloom. Picky, picky white tails. Can't eat the invasive weeds, oh noooooooe.
Thanks Diana for the nice new warm October thread!
I’ll add the Hardy Boys books to my list of potential presents for future gifts - thanks!
In return for your garden scraps I hope the Moose left you a deposit for your compost heap!
Hey! Where's my side of Milk Bones for dipping? :)
Mustard Seeds? Do you make your own Mustard, or were you referring to a Cover Crop?
It really IS good. Not as traditional as a Basil Pesto, but a good way to use Kale - and so far no one has figured me out, LOL!
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