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Saturday Gardening Thread: "Cold" August Ovens [Y-not and KT]

I apologize for the delay in posting the Saturday gardening thread.

Y-not: Good afternoon, gardening morons and moronettes!

KentuckyBarnSmall.JPG

A pretty barn in Kentucky.

Today's thread is brought to you by ragweed:

ragweed3.jpg

Ragweed pollen via the Eat The Weeds website (link above).

While I was on my trip to Kentucky a local told me that their state flower was ragweed! I'm not sure if that's true, but I'm going with it.

In any event, I am currently suffering pretty badly, not with allergies, but with a bad head cold. So we'll be relying very heavily on KT for content this week.

Perhaps I'll try some of these herbal remedies.

Speaking of ailments, we have a report back from CharlieBrown's Di concerning his sick roses:

I got a combination anti-fungal (as recommended) and fertilizer spray
and have used it a few times on the roses. All three are producing shoots
that look quite healthy. Coincidence? Probably, but the correlation is 1

Thanks to everyone who shared their expertise with CBD. Sounds like his roses are on the road to recovery!

Now, without further ado, take it away, KT!

Outdoor Ovens

There is not much activity in our garden right now. It is very hot. We can only water twice a week. Some of my tomato plants and flowers have died. But Y-not's archive reminded me that the Saturday Gardening Thread started out as the Yard and Garden Thread. (Don't comment on the archive or on old posts). Since the drought and heat are preventing us from growing many plants in the South Central San Joaquin Valley, maybe we could try building something in the yard.

Outdoor pizza ovens seem to be all the rage. There are many styles described on the intertubes, from do-it-yourself brick ovens to ready-made kits for a Weber grill. But a couple of weeks ago, I found an online version of a project that had piqued my interest years ago when I read about it in the Sunset Magazine. Anybody wanna build an outdoor adobe wood oven? It is more versatile than a pizza oven, even though you couldn't bake a big pizza in it.

adobe-oven-m.jpg

Sunset Adobe Oven

This oven allows you to bake individual pizzas, followed by roasted meat and vegetables, followed by bread. You could have a small lunch and dinner party.

If you build this oven, you will need heating and cooking directions. These directions are a reminder that in the past, baking often required some skills that we don't think about much today, along with a fair amount of extra work and attention. There are recipes for Flat Bread Salt Pizzas, Adobe Oven Bread, Ratatouille and Adobe Oven Roasted Salsa - "Flavors of the West."

If you don't like Sunset's design, here is a prepper's demonstration of how to build a beehive-style mud oven like the traditional ones in Arizona and New Mexico in places like Acoma, Taos and Pueblo. The post includes a book recommendation, additional links for bread recipes, etc.

I also found some impressive photos of outdoor ovens, small to large and plain to very fancy celebrity chef models. For you physics buffs, near the end of this post are diagrams explaining how this type of oven is heated, from the most frequently recommended author on the subject of earthen ovens. There are links to other resources. Try to ignore the "green" rhetoric. Wood-fired ovens do, in fact, produce carbon dioxide and even smoke.

cob-oven-boomfestival4.jpg

Cob oven, Boom Festival, Portugal

Mother Earth News has instructions for an outdoor stove, oven, grill and smoker. If you scroll down a little, you should see links to the left for a Tandoor Oven made from a (steel drum)* and flower pot, from Instructables.

*Use a non-galvanized steel drum instead of a garbage can. See Step 11.

ac901c794408cdaf70f47c9e3471a322.jpg

Stove, oven, grill and smoker

You could also check out The Stoven (an oven and rocket stove that burns corn cobs) or The Stoven 2 (an earthen oven for an outdoor kitchen.)

stoven jpg.jpg

The Stoven

Mother Earth News also has directions for a simple project, a clay pot smoker that uses an electric hot plate and wood chips. This project looks like one I could do. For the more ambitious, the "related content" includes links for information about building a real smokehouse, an inexpensive cold smoker and an outdoor canning cooker. The last two require welding skills.

smoker.jpg

Clay Pot Smoker, Alton Brown Style

Has anybody in The Horde ever built an outdoor oven, or something similar?

Insect of the Week: The Polyphemus Moth

Dang. I totally forgot about National Moth Week. Sounds like, in San Antonio anyway, it was a good excuse to drink beer outdoors in the dark. The event in San Antonio didn't attract a lot of moths this year, possibly due to heat, high winds and maybe urban light, or earlier wild weather in Texas. You might get some ideas for a backyard moth viewing event in your own yard at the link.

We have already featured two of "five Texas moths for enjoying year-round moth week", the celebrity Sphinx Moth and the Black Witch. The huge Black Witch Moth, the subject of conflicting folklore, is a tropical moth that is common in Southern Texas. Our featured insect today, the Polyphemus Moth, is a large silk moth that is found in most of the continental USA and into Canada, though populations tend to be localized. Because of its striking eyespots, it is named after Polyphemus, the giant cyclops from Greek mythology who had a single large, round, eye in the middle of his forehead. All parts of these moths are interesting up close.

01polyphemus.jpg

Polyphemus Moth

The female moths lay eggs on over 50 species of broad-leaved trees and shrubs, from citrus to elms. The caterpillars are seldom numerous enough to be pests, except occasionally in commercial plum orchards. If attacked, the caterpillar makes clicking noises with its mandibles. These noises seem to be caterpillar lingo for "I am going to regurgitate vile liquid upon you".

16polyphemus.jpg

"I am not a caterpillar" sphinx pose

At various stages of growth, the caterpillars are eaten by birds, rodents, reptiles, amphibians and the typical predatory and parasitic insects. The cocoons are sometimes pecked open by woodpeckers which eat the developing moths. "In the West, Native Americans sometimes fill the cocoons of Polyphemus and other silk moths with sand or pebbles to make rattles by tying them to sticks or to their ankles for use as musical instruments."

If it survives the perils of growing up, the emerging moth uses a liquid from its mouthparts to soften part of its cocoon so it can escape. The moth cannot eat as an adult, and only lives about a week.

The coloration of the moths can be variable, but "The pattern on the hind wings of the polyphemus moth resembles that on the head of the great horned owl." When threatened, the moth uses this pattern to startle predators. The striking coloration of the moth was probably the reason it was chosen as the messenger in Peter Jackson's film, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, as the messenger between Gandalf and Gwaihir.

fc7cefedbbe06726235350e3ce74236b.jpg

Gandalf and the Moth

Or, if it works, this might be interesting.

Warning about other moth caterpillars

The Swiss German word for caterpillar (teufelskatz) translates to "devil's cat." Sometimes cute creatures are not nice.

Caution children against picking up hairy caterpillars unless you know the species is harmless. The hairs can be irritating and some can sting. Even with the "harmless" species, hands should be washed after touching hairy caterpillars to avoid the possibility of getting one of the hairs in your eye. Hairy caterpillars generally turn into moths, but not all moth caterpillars are hairy.

If you are stung by a caterpillar, "Place Scotch tape over the affected area and strip off repeatedly to remove spines. Apply ice packs to reduce the stinging sensation, and follow with a paste of baking soda and water. If the victim has a history of hay fever, asthma or allergy, or if allergic reactions develop, contact a physician immediately."

Saddleback.jpg

The Saddleback Caterpillar Stings!

Hope your garden is in better shape than mine. Watch out for cute creatures that are not nice. Have a great week.


Y-not: Thanks, KT! To close things up, here's a song that seems very appropriate...


What's happening in YOUR gardens this week?


Posted by: Open Blogger at 06:43 PM




Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Killed it!

Posted by: Burnt Toast at August 01, 2015 06:52 PM (NaeCR)

2 Phew, we're back! Site acting flaky for me today.

Posted by: Y-not at August 01, 2015 06:55 PM (RWGcK)

3 Is there really any dish that can't be cooking in a 'pizza' oven? I mean, I don't see a reason not to build a full-size pizza oven and use it for whatever.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at August 01, 2015 06:55 PM (VY8H5)

4 Wife planted some Zinnias in the garden. They seem to be doing better than the veggies. I like Zinnias, my mother planted them when I was a child.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 06:57 PM (47wTX)

5 3 Is there really any dish that can't be cooking in a 'pizza' oven? I mean, I don't see a reason not to build a full-size pizza oven and use it for whatever.
---

I had the same reaction.

But I've been really happy with the pizzas I've been doing in my regular old gas grill -- on a pizza stone. I'm not sure I'd need a pizza oven.

Posted by: Y-not at August 01, 2015 06:57 PM (RWGcK)

6 Rabbits got my green beans and dill, peppers are not ripening, cucumbers are dieing but tomatoes are ok. Straight squash are coming in well and the spaghetti squash still own half the garden and have moved onto the yard.

Posted by: Skip at August 01, 2015 07:00 PM (e3Z5/)

7 Every time I see Gandalf smoking on that pipe in Frodo's Hobbit house, I mean he is really sucking on it good, I think it moves.



Posted by: George Costanza at August 01, 2015 07:00 PM (JG47A)

8 Ragweed, I love the scientific name: Ambrosia artemisiifolia. It has such a lovely sound.

Posted by: LochLomondFarms at August 01, 2015 07:00 PM (bcKXN)

9 So far this year the only harvest has been radishes, onions, leaf lettuce, turnips, cilantro and one cucumber. Maybe some tomatoes before frost. Crossing my fingers.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 07:01 PM (47wTX)

10 I think the Sunset oven has a small cooking surface for a lot of people. But the idea of cooking foods successively as the oven cools is interesting. The larger "beehive" ovens use the same principle.

I have read that pizzas were invented to take advantage of the high heat in wood-fired ovens before bread was baked in them.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 07:02 PM (qahv/)

11 Every time I see Gandalf smoking on that pipe in Frodo's Hobbit house, I mean he is really sucking on it good, I think it moves.

Posted by: George Costanza

I really like sucking on things.

Posted by: Sir Ian McKellen at August 01, 2015 07:06 PM (awspb)

12 That adobe oven is very pretty.

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at August 01, 2015 07:07 PM (RWGcK)

13 There's some caterpillar around here that is dark and fuzzy and cute, but it's a bitey little bastard and will leave track marks on your skin when it stings.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at August 01, 2015 07:12 PM (DI417)

14 Ragweed.
I lived outside of Richmond for a while, out in Powhatan County. Renting a mother-in-law suite in a really nice house on an awesome piece of propertybin horse country.
Think Patrick Sways In Roadhouse...

Anyway, one day the homeowner decided it would be funny to put a bouquet of blooming ragweed in the apt. I was appreciative, thanked her, and went to bed.

I ended up being sick for two weeks. She laughed for the same two weeks. Until i heard from her friend what the deal was.
I called the sheriff to alert him of her pot plants on the back porch. She stopped laughing.

Funny, huh, Pat?

Posted by: Chi at August 01, 2015 07:12 PM (Te2JU)

15 I hate you with a passion, autocucumber...

Posted by: Chi at August 01, 2015 07:13 PM (Te2JU)

16 After 8 years of having grasshoppers eating everything, I think this year they have finally moved out. We used to plant upwards of 1,000 bulbs around the farm and the explosion of color was fantastic. Haven't been able to plant anything in years. The only thing that would survive were the wildflowers and they kept some color around.

Posted by: Ben Had at August 01, 2015 07:14 PM (MBcHO)

17 People tend to confuse ragweed with goldenrod. I'm glad I don't have allergies, because we have plenty of ragweed here, too.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at August 01, 2015 07:15 PM (DI417)

18 LochLomondFarms@8:

Yes, Ambrosia really is an interesting name for ragweed. The Greek Gods can keep it, as far as I am concerned.

From the Wiki on the "food of the gods" ambrosia, " Polyphemus likens the wine given to him by Odysseus to ambrosia and nectar.

So, a weird connection to our moth of the week. Heh.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 07:16 PM (qahv/)

19 There was a gardening thread last year featuring one of these
http://www.gardentowerproject.com/
looked interesting so I bought one....great for small gardening. I put casters on ours to move it easily.

Posted by: BignJames at August 01, 2015 07:17 PM (j7iSn)

20 My friend Dan made a portable wood oven. It's a steel frame that fire bricks fit into. Yes, he has to put it together. He and his girlfriend made wood fired pizzas for our wedding. I think there were 10 pizzas all told. He set up a regular grill to heat up coals as needed.

When we finally get moved and settled in, I want a wood fired oven for bread and pizza. They really are wonderful.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 01, 2015 07:18 PM (Lqy/e)

21 Im in Central Texas and my gardens are :

Tomatoes--dead/ dying
Tomatillo's--slowing down
Chinese Long beans--still producing
basil & cilantro--gone to seed
spaghetti squash-- produced 2 then died
dill, fennel & arugula--bolted
okra--still going
bell & shishito peppers--doing ok
lima beans--everywhere and no one eats them
all the citrus trees-are doing ok
all of my different flowers are still blooming
avocado tree- concluded it won't grow here
grass- front yard is pretty good, back not so much

We're in the dog days of summer, about 97-100 everyday and no rain since early june.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair at August 01, 2015 07:20 PM (xVgrA)

22 Posted by: Ben Had at August 01, 2015 07:14 PM (MBcHO)

I believe they have all come to Arkansas. I have never seen the like of what we've had this year.

I am a huge bulb addict. There is nothing like it! What are your favorites?

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at August 01, 2015 07:20 PM (DI417)

23 I think old age and chemo will cause a person to have hay fever or one of its permutations. Whichever, it is conoderous, and I'm damn tired of it. A lady with Veterans Outreach in Jacksonville gave me some tobacco seed today. I don't plan to use any tobacco but it would make a hell of a barter item, wouldn't it? Won't grow here in ETEX tho.

Posted by: Eromero at August 01, 2015 07:21 PM (go5uR)

24 There was a gardening thread last year featuring one of these
http://www.gardentowerproject.com/
looked interesting so I bought one....great for small gardening. I put casters on ours to move it easily.
Posted by: BignJames at August 01, 2015 07:17 PM (j7iSn


I also bought one. Did not turn out as great as I expected. Could be the soil my wife put in it. I don't know. When things don't work out, always blame the wife.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 07:21 PM (47wTX)

25 Posted by: lindafell de Spair at August 01, 2015 07:20 PM (xVgrA)

Linda, do tell what flower are blooming! I have some cornflowers and phlox hanging on, and my asters and mums are trying to bloom, but that's about it. Other than the glorious crapemyrtles, I"m pretty starved for color now.

I know they say not to pinch mums after July 4th, but I wonder of we could get away with it further South? Most traditional gardening info came from England and then the northern states, so I wonder of I can push it a bit.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at August 01, 2015 07:24 PM (DI417)

26 Posted by: Eromero at August 01, 2015 07:21 PM (go5uR)

If it's really tobacco and not one of the flowering kind, they will lock your arse up if you grow too much. You're limited to some ridiculously small amount.

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at August 01, 2015 07:26 PM (DI417)

27 Posted by: Eromero at August 01, 2015 07:21 PM (go5uR)

Meant to add I hope you can avoid the allergies this year!

Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at August 01, 2015 07:27 PM (DI417)

28 The only thing working great in the Garden Tower is the composting center. Of course, the worms will all freeze to death this Winter.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 07:27 PM (47wTX)

29 We get the Orgyia leucostigma (white-marked tussock moth) around here.
Fuzzy, and I think they sting, or at least irritate.

Posted by: Dr. Varno at August 01, 2015 07:30 PM (TF10X)

30 That's funny about Kentucky and the ragweed (A number of us who suffer from pollen in other states might also claim it as the state flower too) but the state flower of KY is actually goldenrod.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 01, 2015 07:31 PM (OSs/l)

31 Tammy al-Thor- We planted 4 colors of regular Tulips, 600 parrot tulips of various colors and 300 glad bulbs of assorted colors. Many dutch Iris and a bed of Regular Iris that the blooms were the size of your hand. Some Crinum as well. All potted areas were Hibiscus and Mandevilla. The place has looked like a nuke site for years now, and I don't wish the grasshoppers on anyone, but I miss all the color. Heard a report that they had moved onto OK but not in you direction.

Posted by: Ben Had at August 01, 2015 07:33 PM (MBcHO)

32 I'm not much of a gardener but the masses of rudbekia outside my house look fine and always cheer me up when I see them.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at August 01, 2015 07:35 PM (OSs/l)

33 My Potatoes in the homemade potato tower are looking great. They have not bloomed yet. Don't all Potatoes bloom?

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 07:35 PM (47wTX)

34 Yes. The Saddleback Moth stings like fuck. I was climbing a tree when I suddenly felt an extremely sharp pain, almost like being stung by electricity.

It's been 40 years and I still remember being scared to move for fear of it happening again. I sat perfectly still in the branch until I spotted the culprit.

Not a pleasant experience.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at August 01, 2015 07:36 PM (PMlgt)

35 Mrs. JTB's ancestors operated an inn back in the 1850s on the Watertown Plank Road that ran between Milwaukee and Madison. In addition to lodgers, often teamsters hauling cargo, and hosting social doings for locals, they ran several outside ovens for baking bread, desserts and everything else for an oven. And they really did their job. Glad I didn't have to stoke the things during Wisconsin winters.

Keeping with the thread, the wives maintained an exceptional rose garden that was a trademark of the place. Alas, the building and gardens are gone. We investigated if any of her relatives still had any of the rose bushes but we were a generation too late.

Posted by: JTB at August 01, 2015 07:37 PM (FvdPb)

36 shit.. caterpillar

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at August 01, 2015 07:39 PM (PMlgt)

37 I think you should be OK pinching back mums now, Tammy. I have some that just finished blooming a couple of weeks ago.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 07:42 PM (qahv/)

38 What's happening in my garden...blossom drop, blossom drop and more blossom drop. Damn it's been hot out in SoCal.

Posted by: BuckIV at August 01, 2015 07:44 PM (CLfqv)

39 Notsothoreau @20: That portable oven sounds great. We know some folks with impressive portable grills, but a portable oven like that is new to me.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 07:46 PM (qahv/)

40 Watched the trailer to Vacation and most of the jokes were lame. Bad sign b/c they usually shoot their wad in trailers these days and if it is not funny or merely meh, movie will not earn much.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 01, 2015 07:46 PM (iQIUe)

41 Has anyone planted much stock? The odor is wonderful. In the spring with a little humidity, after sunset, you can still smell the flowers.

Posted by: Ben Had at August 01, 2015 07:46 PM (MBcHO)

42 As a one-time pipe smoker, you really do need to suck on that pipe at times to get it going. It is one of the satisfying parts about the art of pipe smoking.

A good smoke is a thing of beauty.. and it is why you see pipe smokers constantly fidgeting with a pipe.. it being too hard packed.. or too loose.. or it needs a hole punched in the middle of the ember with your tamper tool.. just so..

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at August 01, 2015 07:49 PM (UpGcq)

43 It makes sense that people could think the state flower was ragweed if it is really goldenrod. They bloom at the same time and people confuse them.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 07:49 PM (qahv/)

44 Wait, what's that mysterious symbol on the barn? A conspiracy no doubt.

Posted by: protocols of rightwingery at August 01, 2015 07:49 PM (vRHFY)

45 The 13 year old Whirlpool oven went on the fritz this week (went into self-cleaning mode by itself, then locked and then wouldn't heat at all!).

I haven't had time to trouble shoot yet, so...

I would like to thank Y-not for the Breville Convection Oven recommendation from a few months back.

It has performed admirably, baking a strawberry cheesecake and small rack of ribs today...

Posted by: Spun and Murky at August 01, 2015 07:49 PM (4DCSq)

46 My smokers always involved beer and fellow irresponsible young students.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at August 01, 2015 07:50 PM (9mTYi)

47 Wait, what's that mysterious symbol on the barn? A conspiracy no doubt.
Posted by: protocols
-----------------

Masons, count on it.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at August 01, 2015 07:51 PM (9mTYi)

48 Hey that is great about the Breville, spun. Sorry about your oven, tho.

Posted by: Y-not on the phone at August 01, 2015 07:51 PM (RWGcK)

49 it being too hard packed.. or too loose.. or it needs a hole punched in the middle of the ember with your tamper tool.. just so..
Posted by: Chi-Town
----------------

Constant re-lighting

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at August 01, 2015 07:52 PM (9mTYi)

50 I have tomatoes and herbs this year. That's it. Tomatoes are doing fine and some early varieties have produced well.. now waiting for the larger ones.

It hasn't rained here in a while and I gave them a good drenching today.

My biggest problem is chipmunks and birds. Chippies eat the damn things.. but bird simply peck on the tomato.. ruining it!

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at August 01, 2015 07:52 PM (UpGcq)

51 Ben Had,

Yes, stocks smell wonderful. The florist-type stocks do not last long in most climates. But there are some less showy ones that are more persistent. We put up some links in a past thread. http://ace.mu.nu/archives/356216.php

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 07:54 PM (qahv/)

52 Y-not, the barn is striking.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 07:55 PM (qahv/)

53 A-ha!

"Kentucky Masons vote against outlawing openly gay men
Gay lodge leader expects issue to persist"

Posted by: protocols of rightwingery at August 01, 2015 07:55 PM (vRHFY)

54 Thanks to Y-not and KT for the gardening thread. Late don't matter.

Our garden is weird this year. The herbs and salad greens did great. The lettuce and spinach are done until autumn. Finally getting some bell peppers but they are smallish. The squash, beets and cukes never really got going although we had success with them in the past. The tomatoes, all different types, are not as numerous as past seasons and the non cherry types aren't very big. But their taste is the best we've ever had from the garden. Guess that's why it is called gardening, not harvesting.

On the other hand, the damn weeds are thriving.

Posted by: JTB at August 01, 2015 07:55 PM (FvdPb)

55 Chi-Town Jerry- My Grandpa always smoked a pipe and I loved the smell but I was always too impatient so I went with cigarettes. My customers chide me about that being my timer so I make them slow down.

Posted by: Ben Had at August 01, 2015 07:55 PM (MBcHO)

56 Tammy-al-Thor-
Our farming in ETEX is on a small scale and all in raised beds. Mrs. E put up 5 cases of pints thus far and will do more later. Lot of tomatoes, okra, peppers, onions and mixes thereof. I never planted tobacco in Carolinas or Georgia.. Was more a cotton-soybeans-corn kinda farmer. Planted truck corps like tomatoes, cabbage, cukes, etc but not a whole lot (too much work). I liked stuff you could pick with a machine. I sprayed just abut everything grown in the South except tobacco. Must admit killing every critter in the world except lions named Cecil. Mrs. E got mad when I said that in front of the garden ladies today. Heh.

Posted by: Eromero at August 01, 2015 07:56 PM (go5uR)

57 A damned Squirrel showed up a couple weeks ago. Chewed up part of my bird feeder. I'm sure next will be something in the garden. We don't have Squirrels around here. Until now. It's always something.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 07:56 PM (47wTX)

58 Tomatoes might be good here if I can keep up the squirrel control. First year for garlic and have it drying on the porch. Made pesto with it and should have enough to last the winter. Dug taters yesterday. Pretty good year so far for me despite the damn rabbits.

Posted by: dartist at August 01, 2015 07:57 PM (ahBY0)

59 My Dad caught a male Polyphemus moth once in a college building. They have remarkable antennae and furry bodies.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 07:58 PM (qahv/)

60 I'm locked into a stupid mode of looking at the weather sites for CA in hopes of more of the monsoonal flow managing to make it to the state and unloading.

It's happened about 3 times this summer for my area.

I started tracking the flow on wunderground and noticed this one area in Mexico, a hilly desert area just north of the MX town of La Rumorosa. There has been a persistent rain shadow there almost every day for the past month and a half.

Understandably this is probably sensor error, but, damn, if that place is getting persistent rain for months at a time, someone needs to set up a tarp or something.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at August 01, 2015 08:00 PM (VY8H5)

61 Tammy,
I have Plumerias, Bougainville, Turks cap, Pride of Barbados, bat faced culphia(sp.?), Angel wing begonias, firecracker bush, coral honeysuckle, lavender, and Gerber Daisies blooming right now.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair at August 01, 2015 08:05 PM (xVgrA)

62 but bird simply peck on the tomato.. ruining it!

I have the same problem with packs of starlings that move through and squirrels. That one primo tomato that you let go one more day. It's not very popular in some circles but a pellet rifle is the only thing that I've found that works. Plink a couple and they seem to know to stay away.

Posted by: dartist at August 01, 2015 08:06 PM (ahBY0)

63 I'm going to build some raised beds out back of the house for the fall season.

That's on the West side of the house, with a peek of exposure to the North.

Beds will be made of old railroad ties, stacked two deep.

Given the Galveston climate, I'm wondering what kind of soil mix or other drainage prep to put in 'em.

I want to grow things like tomatoes, beans, blackeyed peas and maybe some squash.

No onions, and only a few peppers.....I'm a cayenne addict, but hate things like bell pepper.

I'll frame what might look like a greenhouse frame around the beds, but it'll be chickenwire, to keep the birds and squirrels at bay.

A couple of 6'x10' beds would be adequate, too little, or too much?

I'm a rookie at all this. I can usually kill a plant just by watering it, so........



Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX

Posted by: Jim at August 01, 2015 08:07 PM (RzZOc)

64 Am I the only person here who had not heard of the "Boom Festival"?

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:07 PM (qahv/)

65 64, KT, You are not alone.

Posted by: JTB at August 01, 2015 08:09 PM (FvdPb)

66 Figured it out after looking on goog earth;

Someone is setting up a windfarm there. It must be giving off a weird radar signal the satts are interpreting as rain.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at August 01, 2015 08:10 PM (VY8H5)

67 Allergies?

What are allergies? When I am in the Sierra or the Rockies, I get big boogers.

That is it.

Anyone with allergies should do the race a favor and not reproduce.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:11 PM (1ijHg)

68 Oh, I forgot the Knock-out roses(3 in different shades) and the Night Blooming Moonflower.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair at August 01, 2015 08:13 PM (xVgrA)

69 What is a boom festival?

Posted by: lindafell de Spair at August 01, 2015 08:14 PM (xVgrA)

70 Eromero,

Marijuana is a cash-crop.

Just kidding.

Well, somewhat anyway.



Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:14 PM (1ijHg)

71 Love Ya , Y-Not for all you do , but those are the most labor intensive, useless barns in existence.

Posted by: Ben Had at August 01, 2015 08:17 PM (MBcHO)

72 Posted by: Tammy al-Thor at August 01, 2015 07:24 PM (DI417)

I live in the northern Dallas suburbs and it's been a good year for flowers, though the heat of the last few weeks is starting to stress out the plants. Here's what's blooming for me now:

- Salvia 'Amistad' -- truly the best Salvia I've ever grown
- Lantana -- always reliable
- Tropical Hibiscus -- I planted some Cajun varieties thus year and they've turned out nice
- Salvia 'Hot Lips' -- we've had several that we planted 12 years ago and they keep coming back
- Coleus -- well, not exactly blooming, but very colorful in our shady and partly sunny areas

Posted by: Skankles at August 01, 2015 08:18 PM (dPpmC)

73 So, it turns out that is was Bolivia's President, Evo Morales that presented Pope Francis with the Hammer and Sickle Crucifix. Go over to firstthings.com for a good article about.

My personal theory of why Pope Francis was pissed. For a while he was seduced by that succubus.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:19 PM (1ijHg)

74 Jim, it would be better to make raised beds 4 feet wide or less, so people don't walk in them. The west side of the house will be hotter than the east, so consider whether you want some space between the house and the garden beds. Some plants like the reflected heat, but not most veggies.

Raised beds heat up faster than surrounding soil and need more water. I'm not sure of the details of your climate, but in general you would want a soil mix high in organic matter. If you have underground rodents, consider lining the bottoms with hardware cloth. The chickenwire idea sounds like a good one. You might be able to drape shadecloth over parts of it for some crops.

If you need to talk to somebody local, Gardenweb has a Texas forum.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/txgard


Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:20 PM (qahv/)

75 Has anybody in The Horde ever built an outdoor oven,

Does smoking Northern Pike with a lil-dino-mite aluminum box on the charcoal Weber count.

Posted by: DaveA at August 01, 2015 08:21 PM (DL2i+)

76 I like old barns. They have character, unlike the new metal buildings. I know the upkeep for the old barns is expensive.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 08:22 PM (47wTX)

77 You all are funny, but the barn symbol is something I know about. It is a quilt block - Ohio Star variation. Many states have Quilt Trails, a sequence of barns or other buildings that have quilt blocks painted onto wooden squares attached to the barn or on the barn itself. You can get brochures and/ or maps at the local chambers of commerce. Patterns have names like Snail's Trail, Attic Window, Bear Claws.

Posted by: Not your Grandma's Quilting Bee at August 01, 2015 08:24 PM (EZzxE)

78 Off, old Skankles sock!

Posted by: Michael the Hobbit at August 01, 2015 08:26 PM (dPpmC)

79 weft cut-loop,

I am glad you got some rain with the monsoons. The rain part has mostly missed us, thought Fresno had some rain a while back. Lots of lightning, too. Power company had 300 separate strikes to their equipment partway through the storm.

We have mostly gotten the monsoon humidity, along with high heat. I hate that it stays hot at night.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:27 PM (qahv/)

80 ot:HD can be wiped. SSDs can not.

All modern drives support secure_erase, you might have to boot into unix, fiddle plugs and use hdparm but you can get the firmware to put them back to factory. Unless they're bricked like 2 I've got parked now.

Posted by: DaveA at August 01, 2015 08:28 PM (DL2i+)

81 Not your Grandma's,

my sister in law is from Upper Sandusky. She is a great quilt afficianodo. I have seen that star many times.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:28 PM (1ijHg)

82 Why not, DaveA? Did it work?

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:29 PM (qahv/)

83 Tomato Hornworm.

Friend, or foe?

Posted by: Cicero Kaboom! Kid at August 01, 2015 08:29 PM (HZ31b)

84 Not your Grandma's Quilting Bee,

I had never heard of a quilt trail.. Fun.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:30 PM (qahv/)

85 btw, it's been awhile since I read it, (Uncle Tom's Cabin) but didn't the Underground Railroad use symbols, such as stars, to show the way?


Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:30 PM (1ijHg)

86 What's the best way to get rid of squirrels other than a shotgun? Asking for a friend.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 08:32 PM (47wTX)

87 ...our worst garden ever in 40 years of gardening nearly 20 inches of rain in 7 weeks.

Oh, well. Gonna plant beets and turnips tomorrow.

Posted by: Cicero Kaboom! Kid at August 01, 2015 08:34 PM (HZ31b)

88 83
Tomato Hornworm.



Friend, or foe?

Foe if it eats your tomato plants. Friend if you are growing tomato plants so you can have Sphinx Moths.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:35 PM (qahv/)

89 What's the best way to get rid of squirrels other than a shotgun? Asking for a friend.

Posted by: Ronster


Nutballs in traps, but check with local laws first.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at August 01, 2015 08:36 PM (VY8H5)

90 Grandpa Jimbo @ 70 just kidding? I wonder.
I never knew what it was until I went in the Navy in 68. Never much of a fan, but yeah, in the 'bad' times? Could be a big barter item.
'Give you a quarter ounce for the 30-30. Or, I could just shoot your ass and take it. What'll it be, pilgrim?'

Posted by: Eromero at August 01, 2015 08:36 PM (go5uR)

91 Ha ha ha. Even cats cannot run up a tree as fast as a squirrel.

Squirrels are like wild blackberry. They are primordial. They were here before we came. They will be here after we are gone.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:36 PM (1ijHg)

92 Anyone else have cicadas? They're just starting here in the Midwest and the sound they make on hot evenings is deafening. These are the every year type not the 17 year ones that bugger up the tree limbs laying eggs.

Posted by: dartist at August 01, 2015 08:37 PM (ahBY0)

93 **looks at Boom Festival cob oven**

A cob oven?

I mean... it looks like an Ewok might fight, but you could never cook a whole cob in that thing.

Posted by: Soylent Cobs are people at August 01, 2015 08:37 PM (d+1U8)

94 Cicero Kaboom! Kid

Beets and turnips. Good for you. Maybe I should think about planting some, too.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:38 PM (qahv/)

95 There is the 17 year cycle. But they are NOT in unison.


Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:39 PM (1ijHg)

96 As far as I can tell, the Boom Festival is one of those progressive back to nature gatherings. Probably an excuse to visit Portugal, in this case.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:39 PM (qahv/)

97 I love hearing about the flowers and veggies that are on now in different parts of the country.

We're mostly down to a few tomatoes and lantana.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:41 PM (qahv/)

98 What's the best way to get rid of squirrels other than a shotgun?

A nice quiet .177 Blackhawk pellet rifle from Ruger. $100 with a throw away scope. With a decent pellet rifle scope they will go down with one shot at 35 yards.

Posted by: dartist at August 01, 2015 08:42 PM (ahBY0)

99 Ragweed.

I've just been doing tons of research this week on ragweed. It is great animal food if you can get them to eat it. I've tasted it, tasted not so great but I'm training my pigs and chickens to eat it. The leaves and stem have a nutrition profile almost exactly like alfalfa in terms of digestiblity and protein content. And then the seeds are 40 percent protein and 50 percent fat that's great stuff. Apparently it is a quails favorite food (just went to a local pheasant and quail farm today with 40k birds) also is top notch deer forage.

It was a native American cultivated crop before maize came up from the south.

I've got like 5 plants on my land but my neighbor has five acres of almost nothing but that.

Posted by: traye at August 01, 2015 08:42 PM (fM8JG)

100 Did it work?

Yep, Dad even ate some despite the y-bones.

Posted by: DaveA at August 01, 2015 08:42 PM (DL2i+)

101 Squirrels eat Polyphemus moth caterpillars.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:43 PM (qahv/)

102 Man....WTF is up with this Francis? Jesus said to help the poor....He meant YOU help poor, not get a bunch of commies to do it for you, because they won't.
How about talking about family, faith, country and individuals working hard, taking care of their families, and stop looking for Commissar AntiChrist to solve all your problems.

Global Warming and Hammer and Sickle Crucifixes...Really?

Posted by: Peter at the Gates at August 01, 2015 08:44 PM (JG47A)

103 92 Anyone else have cicadas? They're just starting here in the Midwest and the sound they make on hot evenings is deafening.
---

Aww, man, I remember listening to those things when I was growing up in MD. We don't have them here in Utah, which is nice.

Posted by: Y-not at August 01, 2015 08:45 PM (RWGcK)

104 >>101 Squirrels eat Polyphemus moth caterpillars.

That's interesting. I would have thought that as rodents they wouldn't eat something like that. Learn something new everyday!

Posted by: Y-not at August 01, 2015 08:46 PM (RWGcK)

105 89 What's the best way to get rid of squirrels other than a shotgun? Asking for a friend.

Posted by: Ronster


There are capsaicin compounds that you can spray or slather on trees, eaves, and such. We have a huge problem with squirrels and it's helped us a lot this year.

A, um, friend told me that spraying them with wasp or hornet spray sends them scurrying. It doesn't kill them but they don't enjoy the experience.

Posted by: Michael the Hobbit at August 01, 2015 08:47 PM (dPpmC)

106 dartist at August 01, 2015 08:42 PM (ahBY0)

I have a Crossman .177. Will have to zero it in a little better as Squirrel is pretty small.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 08:47 PM (47wTX)

107 Wow, yeah, we are at peak yield right now & canning like crazy - frozen about 10 gallons of green beans, plus canning them with onions, peppers & okra in varying proportions in tomato puree - both dryers going full blast on tomatoes & sliced sweet peppers - parboiling & freezing collards and kale for winter soupmaking - pickling cukes & carrots in sweet vinegar pickle - we're going to start making next years cider vinegar in a week or so.
Going to do big batches of pickled Romanesco this year, (fractal cauliflower), should be ready in 3 - 4 weeks.

Woo - hoo !

The Cupidon green beans are a definire recommendation. 2nd really good year of tender, yummy beans with a really big yield over a long time.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at August 01, 2015 08:48 PM (go6ud)

108 Traye,

Interesting about ragweed as animal feed. Especially if they eat it before it blooms.

The Wiki on ragweed says that allergy to it may be connected to oral allergies to a variety of foods.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragweed

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:49 PM (qahv/)

109
Ever shoot a pickerel?

Posted by: Soothsayer II, twelve-time Top Commenter at August 01, 2015 08:50 PM (veb4i)

110 I wonder if the slowly-dropping temperature in some of these wood-fired ovens might produce an effect like deep-pitting food?

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:50 PM (qahv/)

111 i built and outdoor pizza oven (woodfire) with my dad a couple years back. Works pretty well.

Posted by: Garrett at August 01, 2015 08:51 PM (SNi8U)

112 111 i built and outdoor pizza oven (woodfire) with my dad a couple years back. Works pretty well.
--

Pix?

Posted by: Y-not at August 01, 2015 08:53 PM (RWGcK)

113 So does an elderly woman. such as Hillary Clinton, need some to help her with incontinence?

Depends.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:55 PM (1ijHg)

114 We have some cicada killer wasp in our yard. My husband was like, Hey do you know what this giant flying thing is? They are huge and dig small holes in your yard where they place an egg with a cicada for the larva to feed on when they hatch. They look scary because they are about an an inch and a half long with yellow and black markings. I leave them be since they don't pose any threat. They are benign and don't generally sting, you pretty much have to grab one or step on one to get stung and their stings don't hurt like other wasp. The males are more aggressive but don't have a stinger so it's all show with them.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair at August 01, 2015 08:55 PM (xVgrA)

115 Y-not's ragweed link is interesting, too.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 08:56 PM (qahv/)

116 98 What's the best way to get rid of squirrels other than a shotgun?


http://tinyurl.com/ppkpawo

Skwerl Launcher. Moron-worthy.

Posted by: Cicero Kaboom! Kid at August 01, 2015 08:58 PM (HZ31b)

117 I have ragweed all over the place. It doesn't bother me. I just keep it mowed down. No way I could eradicate it.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 08:58 PM (47wTX)

118 Has anybody tried the freeze dried method, instead of canning? I keep hearing about the 25 year shelf life.

Posted by: Ben Had at August 01, 2015 08:59 PM (MBcHO)

119 Compilation of launched-skwerls:


http://tinyurl.com/pknemew

Posted by: Cicero Kaboom! Kid at August 01, 2015 08:59 PM (HZ31b)

120 Ever shoot a pickerel?

Netted a sleepy 20+ lb.one once that swam by the boat in Mn. Took all my brother had to hold the thing down when it woke up. Shooting it then might have been a mistake.

Posted by: dartist at August 01, 2015 08:59 PM (ahBY0)

121 IMHO, Francis is a Commie and he HATED being called out as one.

Playing the game.

In other news, we (our little family) are going to meet our new priests tomorrow. It sound like they (there are two) are Filipinos. I pray it is not too hard to make out what they say.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 08:59 PM (1ijHg)

122 I've been making and canning batches of fire roasted salsa verde with the tomatillos, shoshito peppers, green onions, and cilantro. Stuff is pretty damn good. When you roast/char everything the tomatillos taste sweet.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair at August 01, 2015 09:00 PM (xVgrA)

123 98 What's the best way to get rid of squirrels other than a shotgun?


Impossible to off Moose or skwerl.

Posted by: Boris Badenoff at August 01, 2015 09:01 PM (HZ31b)

124 A little backstory: Our previous Pastor (very recently) was Irish out of Brooklyn. He came here (SC) as a Democrat. And he leaves a Conservative. If our new priests are commies, they are in for a rude awakening.


Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 09:02 PM (1ijHg)

125 Yeah, I don't have pics. It's a basic fire brick oven with a dome and steel doors. Nothing too fancy. Gets the job done.

Posted by: Garrett at August 01, 2015 09:02 PM (SNi8U)

126 98 What's the best way to get rid of squirrels other than a shotgun?
--------
Try growing a desert??? Heh.

Posted by: lindafell de Spair at August 01, 2015 09:03 PM (xVgrA)

127 I've been making and canning batches of fire roasted salsa verde squirrelswith
the tomatillos, shoshito peppers, green onions, and cilantro. Stuff is
pretty damn good. When you roast/char everything the tomatillos taste
sweet.

FIFY

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 09:04 PM (1ijHg)

128
http://goo.gl/hR5m5o

This is ridiculous. Photos of muslims trying to break down barricades set up to keep them from crossing channel to the UK.

Posted by: Bruce With a Wang! at August 01, 2015 09:05 PM (iQIUe)

129 Here's my wisdom regarding gardens:

All bugs eat tomatoes. Kill all the bugs.

Birds eat tomatoes as soon as they start to turn red. Pick the tomatoes and let them ripen in a window sill before the birds and bugs eat them.

Posted by: Fr ankly at August 01, 2015 09:07 PM (4t0mV)

130 What's the difference between a socialist and the Pope?

Posted by: Tingles Matthews at August 01, 2015 09:08 PM (d+1U8)

131 The Pope, presumably believes in God. Socialist, commies and Democrats, generally, don't.

Posted by: Grampa Jimbo at August 01, 2015 09:09 PM (1ijHg)

132 Nood open thread.

Posted by: Y-not at August 01, 2015 09:10 PM (RWGcK)

133 I don't mind the Squirrel if it stays away from the garden and bird feeder. Fat chance I'm thinking.

Posted by: Ronster at August 01, 2015 09:11 PM (47wTX)

134 The popularity of pizza ovens means refractory bricks & heat resistant mortar available at low prices for building an electric kiln for glass fusing ...

Posted by: Adriane the Technology Critic ... at August 01, 2015 09:13 PM (qOsoH)

135 sock_rat_eez @107

Tell us how all that canning and freezing turns out. Sounds great.
The Romanesco broccoli/cauliflower pickles sound great. I love that stuff fresh-cooked.

Thanks for the recommendation on the Cupidon haricot verts. Did you have a warm or cool summer? Maxibel has been my best performer in our hot summers. But there are some American-style green beans that are more heat-tolerant.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 09:15 PM (qahv/)

136 The family history about the inn and outdoor ovens is great, JTB. Makes you appreciate some of the conveniences we have today. Outdoor ovens could get to be a lot of work if you had to keep them going every day.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 09:20 PM (qahv/)

137 Blooming now at my house are esperanza, turks cap, desert willow, acanthus and Mexican honeysuckle.

We're having the wittle pool on Hell Patio redone, and there was a good little crew here today cutting and mortaring tiles and stone--now I kind of wish I could get them to make an oven for me too. someday.

I cooked fajitas for dinner tonight on a little Weber portable grill because my new thing is putting meat right in the coals, for cuts that need to be cooked fast. It worked great but took longer than I'd planned because I didn't set fire to enough charcoal. Duhhh. I'm still on the learning curve for this and need to not be stingy with the fire.

Posted by: stace: SMOD/Cascadia Subduction Zone 2016 at August 01, 2015 09:22 PM (CoX6k)

138 Adriane the Technology Critic

A glass-fusing kiln might be attractive for the back yard.

Interesting information.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 09:23 PM (qahv/)

139 Crappy gardening here for me this summer. The purple beans did very little, not even enough to bother canning. The only 'maters I planted this year were Romas, because I was planning on making a shit ton of sauce and canning, but that's not happening, either. My hot peppers are doing pretty well, though.

Posted by: Country Singer at August 01, 2015 09:25 PM (nL0sw)

140 About this time of year I start to think that a way to can outdoors would be a good thing. Too hot for indoors. I can't can much on our glass-top range, either.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 09:26 PM (qahv/)

141 KT, a I know a lot of people that use propane fish fryers for outdoor canning. Ideal size and easy to control the temperature:


http://tinyurl.com/nq6xhts

Posted by: Country Singer at August 01, 2015 09:30 PM (nL0sw)

142 About this time of year I start to think that a way to can outdoors would be a good thing. Too hot for indoors. I can't can much on our glass-top range, either.

Posted by: KT


Hmm, good challenge. Might be able to do it on a gas grill if the grill has enough play in the temperature.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at August 01, 2015 09:32 PM (VY8H5)

143 Not a great picture but the pizza oven is here:

http://bit.ly/1SuegPi

Dans taken it to a couple of get togethers. He has an idea for a new improved version.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 01, 2015 09:39 PM (Lqy/e)

144 Stace, is that the Mexican Honeysuckle that is also know as "firecracker plant"? Does it attract hummingbirds?

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 09:40 PM (qahv/)

145 Oh and tobacco. There was an old guy that used to come here from AZ and spend the summer. He would always grow tobacco for his own use. This is SW WA state so you wouldn't think it would do well. I've always wanted to try growing the stuff. They used to use tobacco juice for insecticide.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 01, 2015 09:42 PM (Lqy/e)

146 Thanks for the link on the fish fryer, Country Singer. I never would have connected something like that with canning veggies.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 09:45 PM (qahv/)

147 We used to have a cabin with a functioning old-fashioned woodstove-- cooktop, oven, warming bins-- and a huuuge woodpile.

The "good old days" looked to be filled with hard work.

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at August 01, 2015 09:46 PM (rhjQp)

148 Cicadas started up 3 days ago. Always loved them.

I like 22 shorts from the old single shot bolt action for most garden pests. But we do not have close neighbors.

Re Cupidon: coolish & wet up until about 2 weeks ago, and yes, output did start dropping off then. We prefer the french beans for tenderness; American green beans can get tough when they get big. Mrs Eez is harsher on this than I am.

We have done pickled Romanesco before on a smaller scale & loved it, so we are going big on it this year. I will update on this (and everything) as it progresses.

All best to everyone, early start tomorrow so it is already after bedtime for me ! G'night !

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at August 01, 2015 09:50 PM (go6ud)

149 Squirrels. I got a 9 month old springer a few weeks ago. His owner was in a bad motorcycle accident and they had to find a new home for the dog. He is on squirrel patrol right now AND I have seen him jump up in the big maple out front.

I have a few things in pots but I can't garden here. There's no place to get decent sun. I have been thinking about moving them to our other place but we keep having 90+ degree days. Was 100+ two days this week. If it cools down a little this week, I'll move the places to a small raised bed. I want a fall garden.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 01, 2015 09:51 PM (Lqy/e)

150 You can say that again, JeanQ.

My grandparents kept a woodstove in their kitchen even after getting an electric stove, so Grandpa could lean against it for his arthritis. But they cooked with it, too. Always seemed sort of mysterious to me as a child.

Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 09:52 PM (qahv/)

151 I love wood cook stoves. I've had two. One was a small cabin type. The other was a four lid enameled job. Keep an eye out for holly. It's the best thing to bake with. It makes long lasting hot coals.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 01, 2015 09:54 PM (Lqy/e)

152 KT, the woodstove made the household go 'round back in the day... grandma would keep it stoked and a big pot of water going all.the.time. for laundry or whatever.

That gigantic cooktop could hold the huge kettle *plus* a canner, percolator, griddle and sad iron (assuming one needed all that at once, and sometimes one actually did!)

I remember the wringer washer, too. (Electric! From the 40s, I'd guess.)

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at August 01, 2015 10:04 PM (rhjQp)

153 They should make wringers again. You can reuse the water for another load. I haven't had one since the 70s but they did a good job. I had a mangle back then too.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 01, 2015 10:14 PM (Lqy/e)

154 About this time of year I start to think that a way to can outdoors
would be a good thing. Too hot for indoors. I can't can much on our
glass-top range, either.


Former MIL had an outlet wired for an extra range on her covered patio. She'd hang mosquito nets, then did her summer canning out there. Bonus, extra workspace/jar cooling on her picnic table.

I have a glasstop, too. Takes longer to get a canner boiling, imo.

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at August 01, 2015 10:17 PM (rhjQp)

155 Mangle. Never had the, er.., *pleasure* of dealing with one, but it would've been faster than regular ironing, I'm sure.

Posted by: JeanQ Flyover at August 01, 2015 10:22 PM (rhjQp)

156 For the record, Goldenrod is Kentucky's state flower and Goldenrod is nearly as bad an allegenic as ragweed.

Pizza ovens sound awesome but I bought an electric smoker last winter so no more food related outdoor projects for a while. Love my outdoor smoker, which my wife calls an outdoor crockpot.

Posted by: Rory at August 01, 2015 10:40 PM (fsN5v)

157 I ended up being sick for two weeks. She laughed for the same two weeks. Until i heard from her friend what the deal was.
I called the sheriff to alert him of her pot plants on the back porch. She stopped laughing.
Funny, huh, Pat?
Posted by: Chi at August 01, 2015 07:12 PM

LMAO, that's hysterical Chi. Other than you being sick for 2 weeks. She got her just desserts.

Posted by: Farmer at August 01, 2015 10:43 PM (o/90i)

158 Our garden...
we picked our first Roma tomatoes in N IL this week.

Cukes are doing great, have to give away to the neighbors.

Yukon Gold taters are dying off, starting to harvest them.

I hate it I have to work an Sat. and csn't converse here till everyone is gone. Oh well, first world problems.

Posted by: Farmer at August 01, 2015 10:59 PM (o/90i)

159 144 Stace, is that the Mexican Honeysuckle that is also know as "firecracker plant"? Does it attract hummingbirds?
Posted by: KT at August 01, 2015 09:40 PM (qahv/)

Yes, KT, if you're still around.

Also, I spelled the other plant I mentioned wrong--it's anisacanthus, and googling it just now, it's also called firecracker. Hummingbirds like it too.

Posted by: stace: SMOD/Cascadia Subduction Zone 2016 at August 01, 2015 11:27 PM (CoX6k)

160 Squirrels I hate. We have tons of them. They eat our blueberries. We have been trapping them in small wire cages. Baited with blueberries. These are ground squirrels.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 01, 2015 11:58 PM (BHl9S)

161 Notsothoreau, You had a mangle for pressing? In the 70s?

My mom had a roller-type pressing machine for tablecloths, etc. at one time. I have a vague memory of wringer washers, but I don't remember from where.

Posted by: KT at August 02, 2015 12:00 AM (qahv/)

162 We have baby chicks. One of our hens went broody. We were unable to break her, so we put fertilized eggs and they hatched. My husband got confused and brought in the fertilized eggs and I boiled them 3 days ago. I about had a heart attack.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 02, 2015 12:01 AM (BHl9S)

163 JeanQFlyover,

Canning can damage glasstop ranges under some conditions. Be careful.

Posted by: KT at August 02, 2015 12:03 AM (qahv/)

164 KT
Any suggestions for stopping gophers from eating the bark off the trunk of my fig tree? We put the wound tar where they ate, but they ate next to it. If I put metal wire around the trunk, how far up? They peeled the bark off 6 inches high.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 02, 2015 12:06 AM (BHl9S)

165 Farmer,
Glad you're getting some produce from your garden. Wish we had cucumbers here.

The Yukon Gold potatoes sound great.

Posted by: KT at August 02, 2015 12:08 AM (qahv/)

166 CaliGirl,

Are you sure it's gophers and not ground squirrels or rabbits eating the bark?

Gophers love fig roots, so I would try to kill the gophers if you can.

If you have rabbits, you might need to go up a ways on the trunk with mesh. If it is gophers, the mesh need to go higher than 6 inches, I guess.

I wonder if Tanglefoot (for ants) might deter them? You could put it on a cardboard "collar" around the trunk.

Posted by: KT at August 02, 2015 12:15 AM (qahv/)

167 We have squirrels, rabbits and gophers. We have gassed, trapped, baited the gophers. Hit them with shovels. I haven't seen what is doing it, I have just seen the damage. I will try tanglefoot. I put the black tree wound stuff and they went to a new spot. We planted new trees in huge wire mesh. I have some left over, I will try all of the above approach.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 02, 2015 12:29 AM (BHl9S)

168 The figs also get ants, so I know there are aphid. Maybe the tanglefoot will keep the ants away. If the fruit splits there are ants in the figs. How do I control aphid on fig trees? I have 8 fig trees.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 02, 2015 12:38 AM (BHl9S)

169 KT, where do you live in the valley? My husband grew up in Lemoore. Navy brat.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 02, 2015 12:40 AM (BHl9S)

170 If you keep the trees from touching each other or the ground, the Tanglefoot should help with ants. You can use insecticidal soap to help control aphids, if the eyes on the figs aren't open.

I'm not far from Lemoore. I have been going to downtown Lemoore at least once a year. We have friends who live there. One couple has a salty streak in the soil in their back yard.

Posted by: KT at August 02, 2015 02:00 AM (qahv/)

171 Also, CaliGirl, keeping ants out of the trees may allow aphid predators to keep the aphids under control. Sometimes ants "herd" aphids to get honeydew. They kill or drive off aphid predators.

Posted by: KT at August 02, 2015 10:03 AM (qahv/)

172 I have driven by this exact same barn on I-65 in Kentucky these last 3 weeks on the way between Nashville and Bowling Green.

Posted by: Astyrix at August 02, 2015 05:54 PM (uax4i)

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