Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, August 27

All my wife's work
Chris 1051

Hi, everybody! Hot where you are? Muggy? Dry? Got fire? Rain?

Above, evidence of a lucky husband and lucky neighbors. What a beautiful garden!

* * * * *

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

Hey KT,
I am not sure if I shared that I was growing hosta chilis this year. I got seeds for hot green and hot red when I was a a specialty nursery. The greens have come in like gangbusters. Today's harvest was nine. The red plant is loaded but they are still green so I am waiting for those to ripen. Also in the picture, an Armenian cucumber. They are sneaky little devils, one day you say, "Eh, I will leave it another day" and the next day you come back to this monster. When they are this big I peel them and scoop out the seeds and just eat the flesh.
Happy puttering horde!
WeeKreekFarmGirl

The peppers look great! Armenian cucumbers, being melons, are better adapted to hot weather than actual cucumbers.

* * * * *

The Famous Pat* had three late entries in the comments last week. In the last one, we learn that she won some awards in the Western Idaho Fair!

Now: Western Idaho Fair!! Entry day was Tues. 16th. First I had to dig up my yellow carrots. This was a challenge - under tomato vines, in hard dirt. I had to dig to the very bottom of the bed (11 inches), and add water to make mud. Then I found out some had grown down right through the hardware cloth wires... so no Largest Carrot entry, since the tips broke off. (Next year - carrots in the top of the strawberry ziggurat, where they'll have almost 2 feet of dirt!)
Still, that digging effort was worth it - my first blue ribbon ever was for "Carrots, Any Other Color"!!
Also, 2nd for Largest Zucchini (9 pounds 2.7 oz.)
2nd for sage
3rd for yellow zucchini
4th for flatleaf parsley
4th for spearmint
4th for "5 herb collection"
(sweet basil got nuthin').
So it's still called my Second Place Herb Garden. Still, if I added correctly, I'll get $25 for my efforts - wow, I will sure pile up lots of retirement savings this way! . .

We can tell that you're in it for the money, Pat*

* * * * *

We've posted photos of some of By-Tor's entries and a recipe or two previously:

My actual ribbons for the LA County Fair came in today. Best of Class and Best of Division for my pork jerky, Best of Class for Bread and Butter pickles, and a 2nd place for dill pickles.
Not bad for a first timer.

He went on to submit some entries in the Orange County Fair, too! Inspiration for other members of The Horde. And their kids! Learn some gardening and preservation skillz!

Congratulations to Pat* and By-Tor!

Who else is harvesting crops or putting things by?

* * * * *

How are things going in the desert?

This year, maybe better than you would suspect. We've heard from WeeKreekFarmGirl above, but there's more:

From budmsn:

It's monsoon season here in So. Arizona. After weeks of rain, the desert and mountains spring forth with thick, green carpets of natural grasses, trees, and flowers. This is a photo of the Santa Rita mountains, south of Tucson. The peak in the center of the photo, Mt. Wrightson, is 9,456'. The observatory on Mt. Hopkins is 8,553'. It is a spectacular scene. If only my photography skills were sufficient to capture the vast, green beauty!

Gorgeous. And nice descriptions of the landscape, too. Thanks!

* * * * *

From MikeK:

Here in Tucson water is expensive. My wife still has a bit of a garden. Those are Mexican birds of paradise. A big ocotillo is behind them.

Dramatic!

* * * * *

Gardens of The Horde

I move from a big house to a little condo so had to miniaturize my ideas about house plants. I loved the beautiful arrangements at Anthropologies but they were very expensive so decided to do my own. I've been rewarded with some flowering cacti.
Sharon (Willow's Apprentice)

I love the look of those plant compositions!

* * * * *

We got some flower photos from Badgerwx, but today, I'm just posting the butterfly-related photos:

And a HT to KT for suggesting last year that I try
the 'real' milkweed instead of the orange butterfly weed to attract
monarch caterpillars. I started a patch of swamp milkweed near a
downspout this spring & yesterday found a caterpillar munching away.
The local nursery is having their end of summer sale & I got 2 more
milkweeds (75% off!) to add to my patch for next year. Maybe they'll
also seed themselves but I like the extra insurance.

Here is what I found this morning when I checked on the Monarch
caterpillar that I found on my milkweed last weekend. I don't know
exactly when it formed its chrysalis, so it could be 7-14 more days
before there's a butterfly. . .

Anybody else growing butterflies? Here's a piece on The magic of milkweed with some information on various species. Some are invasive. Some are quite lovely.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden at g mail dot com

Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.

Week in Review

What has changed since last week's thread? Saturday Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, August 20

Any thoughts or questions?

I closed the comments on this post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 01:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good afternoon Greenthumbs

Posted by: Skip at August 27, 2022 01:32 PM (k8B25)

2 Tomatoes are slow, barely 1 at a time, cucumbers are done and pulled out, yellow squash too seem wore out and plant collapses. But Anaheim peppers are just starting, had quite a few good ones already.

Posted by: Skip at August 27, 2022 01:35 PM (k8B25)

3 Out for a drive yesterday I saw my first orange leaves of the season.

Posted by: davidt at August 27, 2022 01:37 PM (oTZbj)

4 hiya

Posted by: JT at August 27, 2022 01:38 PM (T4tVD)

5 Hiya JT. Greetings to everybody!

Posted by: KT at August 27, 2022 01:41 PM (rrtZS)

6 Butterfly Weed (with flowers in orange to yellow to sometimes cream) attracts butterflies to its flowers, but not so much mama Monarchs to lay eggs.

Tropical Milkweed, also with warm-colored flowers, may be the ultimate Monarch Mama attracting species. Probably more poisonous than some of the others. Though I think the reed milkweed in Arizona kills cattle sometimes.

Posted by: KT at August 27, 2022 01:45 PM (rrtZS)

7 90s here all week, been filling bird bath for last few weeks and it's well used.

Posted by: Skip at August 27, 2022 01:45 PM (k8B25)

8 Well I arrived.

Posted by: Ciampino - very free dollars is the goodest of all at August 27, 2022 01:46 PM (qfLjt)

9 I loved living in Arizona. Our yard had gravel, cactus and mesquite - about as low maintenance as you could go.

Posted by: Paco at August 27, 2022 01:46 PM (njExo)

10 Last, much smaller load of garden tomatoes harvested today, so tomorrow I will can a couple smaller jars of marinara from them and call it a season. SoCal has been uncharacteristically hot and humid the past two months and it just continues. All but my hot peppers have given up.

Posted by: keena at August 27, 2022 01:46 PM (RiTnx)

11 Congratulations to the winners at the fairs. Cool.

Posted by: Mrs. JTB at August 27, 2022 01:47 PM (7EjX1)

12 Sharon, Nice job adapting your planting experience to condo gardens.

Posted by: Mrs. JTB at August 27, 2022 01:50 PM (7EjX1)

13 I have a metric crap ton of tomatoes and the onions we planted are ready.
We picked two bins of Chardonnay yesterday and they crushed it and it's in stainless steel. The pinot isn't quite ready yet, I don't know what the brix are or what they're supposed to be. The winemaker can't answer a simple question. His answer, it depends on the style of wine you are going to make. I didn't push him, he was all sweaty and tired from pressing and his winery is in full harvest now.

I am going to plant fall garlic next to the roses and see if helps with the gophers. I ordered it from burpee. With my luck the gophers will eat it.

The peppers we have are, jalepeno, pasilla, anaheim, red fresno, yellow wax and I think that's all.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 27, 2022 01:53 PM (0Cl6X)

14 What beautiful pictures! Just got done mowing, after our 5" rain past week. Grass so tall, I could probably bale it.

Posted by: Eromero at August 27, 2022 01:53 PM (0OP+5)

15 Sharon,

You are talented photographer. those are really pretty.

Congrats on all the fair wins! Pat is always number one here.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 27, 2022 01:54 PM (0Cl6X)

16 90 here in East Texas and humid as hell. Spent a few hours cutting up fallen limbs for winter firewood. Done with that for today.
Garden is toast except for struggling bell peppers. No rain for 3 months and then WHAM!!! 6 inches in one day.
Need a bigger chainsaw.

Posted by: 22LR at August 27, 2022 01:57 PM (H7b8K)

17 It's been dry up here in New Hampshire. So there is a delicate balance between keeping the tomatillos and tomatoes happy, and ensuring we can take quick shower etc. without stressing the well.

The wife does the gardening and purposely did not plant squash plants this year. The reason being that the squash bugs have gotten the upper hand. According to her research they will fly over a radius of 1.5 miles to find a squash plant, based on our location she figures we are the only game in town, so she's going to starve them out.

Posted by: Levin at August 27, 2022 01:57 PM (kk8TL)

18 22LR @ 16-
No chainsaw today. In fact the weedeater, which I really need to run, nope. I'm taking a shower and going out to eat.

Posted by: Eromero at August 27, 2022 02:00 PM (0OP+5)

19 Levin at August 27, 2022 01:57 PM

Sometimes skipping a year can do that.

Posted by: KT at August 27, 2022 02:02 PM (rrtZS)

20 the recent monsoons dumped plenty of rain all over Colorado.

Except here in FC. Not one direct hit. We haven't seen measurable rain in almost two months. The long's Peak Rain Shadow is a real thing.

Posted by: Pug Mahon,(x8Wzq) at August 27, 2022 02:03 PM (x8Wzq)

21 What beautiful photos up top!
Last year, we canned almost 40 quarts of tomatoes-this year? We'll be lucky to get enough for one jar.
Weather in the peoples republic of NY had been very hot and dry. The watermelons have taken over the garden, the cubanelle peppers are doing beautifully-more than any other year. Swiss chard is still going strong, and we're trying potatoes this year for the first time. The garlic we planted last fall was a bust, so I'll try again in the fall.

Posted by: Toni at August 27, 2022 02:04 PM (PgM6e)

22 Levin at August 27, 2022 01:57 PM

And when you start up again, you could maybe stick to early-season summer squash and thoroughly destroy the residue.

Posted by: KT at August 27, 2022 02:04 PM (rrtZS)

23 Here in the Bluegrass the summer and zucchini squash have given up the ghost. Tomatoes continue as do the green and jalapeno peppers and green beans.

My wife planted black beans this year too. Not a lot, but enough to potentially make a batch for some Mexican taco night thing. She's out in the garage with a big bowl picking them off the plants she pulled up. The pods need to dry until they're like tissue paper on the outside. Then you know the beans are dry.

Winter potatoes also went in the ground last week. Might try some broccoli and cauliflower as it will start to cool down in another month or so.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at August 27, 2022 02:06 PM (BFigT)

24 Except here in FC. Not one direct hit. We haven't seen measurable rain in almost two months. The long's Peak Rain Shadow is a real thing.
Posted by: Pug Mahon,

We got a light sprinkle for about 15 mins. last night. Otherwise nothing. GJ

Posted by: Infidel at August 27, 2022 02:06 PM (QgnTJ)

25 Chris,

Your wife has a green thumb, the flowers are beautiful.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 27, 2022 02:07 PM (0Cl6X)

26 My Mom called the Mexican Bird of Paradise a tabachin in Spanish.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:10 PM (ynpvh)

27 Congratulations, Pat*!

I envy you gardeners enjoying the fruits of your labor. The chipmunks have miniscule brains which cannot remember they don't like green tomatoes or green onions. Yesterday I found the next-to-last tomato on the walk, a bite taken and green seeds spilled out.

If they leave the last one long enough to turn yellow, I will have had ONE tomato.

At least the green onions bounce back when I put the bulbs back in the dirt.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 27, 2022 02:11 PM (/+bwe)

28 My Pitaya cactus is going crazy. Went out to the back yard today, almost 60 (!) flowers on it. Large, iridescent green beetles buzzing about, very interested in the flowers.

I thought it was going crazy last year when I saw 20 or 30 flowers, when previous years I was lucky to see 5 or 6.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:12 PM (ynpvh)

29 They say that milkweed is poisonous to those damn lantern flies. I probably should grow some.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at August 27, 2022 02:12 PM (VwHCD)

30 27 Congratulations, Pat*!

I envy you gardeners enjoying the fruits of your labor. The chipmunks have miniscule brains which cannot remember they don't like green tomatoes or green onions. Yesterday I found the next-to-last tomato on the walk, a bite taken and green seeds spilled out.

If they leave the last one long enough to turn yellow, I will have had ONE tomato.

At least the green onions bounce back when I put the bulbs back in the dirt.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 27, 2022 02:11 PM (/+bwe)

Does deer spray work on squirrels and chipmunks?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:13 PM (ynpvh)

31 Yes, Chris, your wife's flowers are breathtaking.

Like Pug, we were rainless for almost two months. Got a little over half an inch this week and may get more next week. Not enough to bring an end to the drought, but anything is appreciated.

More importantly, we have been out of the 100s for a couple of weeks now. Looks like June and August swapped roles this year--and for that I am grateful. Highs are in the low 90s now. We usually don't get weather like that until the end of September.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at August 27, 2022 02:13 PM (fTtFy)

32 budmsn, that is so beautiful! Photos never capture the feelings.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 27, 2022 02:13 PM (/+bwe)

33 105/80 Sunny

Posted by: High Desert David at August 27, 2022 02:14 PM (cqIXn)

34 10 Last, much smaller load of garden tomatoes harvested today, so tomorrow I will can a couple smaller jars of marinara from them and call it a season. SoCal has been uncharacteristically hot and humid the past two months and it just continues. All but my hot peppers have given up.
Posted by: keena at August 27, 2022 01:46 PM

I've felt like it's been humid here too this summer. I bet it was miserable KT's way. The news kept saying monsoon season. Something something.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 27, 2022 02:16 PM (0Cl6X)

35 Around here the Mexican Bird of Paradise plants are known as Pride of Barbados. We have two in our front flower beds but they've never been as beautiful as Mike K's.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at August 27, 2022 02:17 PM (fTtFy)

36 33 105/80 Sunny
Posted by: High Desert David at August 27, 2022 02:14 PM

That's really hot. 85/54 for me. I don't have A/C so I'm happy it gets cold at night here.

Posted by: CaliGirl at August 27, 2022 02:18 PM (0Cl6X)

37 Does deer spray work on squirrels and chipmunks?
Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:13 PM

It has not. The biggest chipmunk was out again this morning, running halfway up the maple to scare off the flicker and downy woodpeckers. The neighbor commented that one can believe the number of squirrels and chipmunks this year. The predators are barely making a dent.

Speaking of which, I took photos of bear markings on trees while on vacation. Came back to clawmarks on my deck where something tried to get to the chipmunks beneath. Not so cool close to home!

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 27, 2022 02:20 PM (/+bwe)

38 Haven't seen as many Lantern Flys as last year but kill them when I do see them

Posted by: Skip at August 27, 2022 02:21 PM (k8B25)

39 "No one can believe," rather.

Posted by: NaughtyPine at August 27, 2022 02:21 PM (/+bwe)

40 Just got in from the garden and harvested one nice size zucchini, 2 cantelope, and some i'toi onions. I will make zucchini noodles tomorrow and eat the cantelope today, nothing better than fresh cantelope.

Posted by: WeeKreekFarmGirl at August 27, 2022 02:23 PM (gd57B)

41 Our tomatoes are slow too, Skip. Steady harvest but no overabundance to freeze or make salsa.

Posted by: Mrs. Leggy at August 27, 2022 02:23 PM (Vf4Y7)

42 I am making $85 an hour working from home. i was greatly surprised at the same time as my neighbour advised me she changed into averaging $95 however I see the way it works now. I experience mass freedom now that I'm my non-public boss.
Copy and open this website for more detail... http://www.Profit97.com

Posted by: Sarah at August 27, 2022 02:28 PM (MWjMd)

43 86/61 Here today. Monsoon rains appear to be done for the season but we're not going to get really hot (100+) again. Maybe mid 90's next week and then 80's for most of September.

For gardening all I've got is weeds. Now that the rains are done it's time to break out the torch and bring forth the cleansing fire.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - moronhorde.com - Email for morons. at August 27, 2022 02:29 PM (Bd6X8)

44 35 Around here the Mexican Bird of Paradise plants are known as Pride of Barbados. We have two in our front flower beds but they've never been as beautiful as Mike K's.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at August 27, 2022 02:17 PM (fTtFy)
----
Naturally I fell for the trap and pictured Strelitzia, a beautiful native of Southern Africa.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia

Posted by: Ciampino - used to be the official flower of Uganda at August 27, 2022 02:31 PM (qfLjt)

45 WHAT is the REAL milkweed?

I would like to try it!

Posted by: CloseTheFed at August 27, 2022 02:35 PM (LeNk3)

46 No chainsaw today. In fact the weedeater, which I really need to run, nope. I'm taking a shower and going out to eat.
Posted by: Eromero

Are ya gonna put clothes on ?

Posted by: JT at August 27, 2022 02:41 PM (T4tVD)

47 Haven't seen as many Lantern Flys as last year but kill them when I do see them
Posted by: Skip

I've seen and killed a good many.

Posted by: JT at August 27, 2022 02:42 PM (T4tVD)

48 Hiya Mrs. Leggy !

Posted by: JT at August 27, 2022 02:42 PM (T4tVD)

49 42 Posted by: Sarah at August 27, 2022 02:28 PM (MWjMd)

Online search says it's a scam, Sarah. You'll end up earning it the hard way, a quarter at a time, like in that SNL skit...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:42 PM (ynpvh)

50 44 35 Around here the Mexican Bird of Paradise plants are known as Pride of Barbados. We have two in our front flower beds but they've never been as beautiful as Mike K's.

Posted by: Art Rondelet of Malmsey at August 27, 2022 02:17 PM (fTtFy)
----
Naturally I fell for the trap and pictured Strelitzia, a beautiful native of Southern Africa.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia

Posted by: Ciampino - used to be the official flower of Uganda at August 27, 2022 02:31 PM (qfLjt)

Strelitzia Reginae is what most folks think of (orange bird, stays relatively small). There's also Strelitzia Nicolai, (white flowers), that gets very, very tall. Neighbor has one, 20+ feet tall...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:44 PM (ynpvh)

51 45 WHAT is the REAL milkweed?

I would like to try it!

Posted by: CloseTheFed at August 27, 2022 02:35 PM (LeNk3)

That's what you bury interlopers under. Don't dig it up! It's for feeding the Monarchs!

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:46 PM (ynpvh)

52 But Sarah we want to know how does your garden grow?

Posted by: Skip at August 27, 2022 02:47 PM (k8B25)

53 52 But Sarah we want to know how does your garden grow?

Posted by: Skip at August 27, 2022 02:47 PM (k8B25)

Is the hedge trimmed?

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:47 PM (ynpvh)

54 According to her research they will fly over a radius of 1.5 miles to find a squash plant, based on our location she figures we are the only game in town, so she's going to starve them out.
Posted by: Levin

Interesting. Never heard that. But I know we're not the only game in town.
Because we have bees fairly close to the garden, we are now spraying only leaves and stems, but avoiding flowers.
We've done all right this year. Local weatherman says we're 4" below average for rain this August.
Tomatoes are just now coming on. Wife is making soup. We have a year's worth of crushed tomatoes, about a year of salsa. Still have sweet potatoes from last year (what a storer, eh?). We'll harvest more. We have one year's worth green beans, and are gonna plant more for fall, so may not need to grow them next year.
Folks who grow peppers, I encourage you to grow some paprika peppers. Fresh paprika is so much better. we grind about a pine at a time. We'll need to grow some more next year.

Posted by: MkY at August 27, 2022 02:52 PM (cPGH3)

55 51 45 WHAT is the REAL milkweed?
Posted by: CloseTheFed at August 27, 2022 02:35 PM (LeNk3)

That's what you bury interlopers under. Don't dig it up! It's for feeding the Monarchs!

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 02:46 PM (ynpvh)
----
Scene: (Jim's yard) "Look there goes a newly transmogrificated Monarch. I shall call it George.
Jim: Call it McComey, it came from the FEEBEE area.

Posted by: Ciampino - That's under what you bury interlopers at August 27, 2022 02:55 PM (qfLjt)

56 No chainsaw today. In fact the weedeater, which I really need to run, nope. I'm taking a shower and going out to eat.
Posted by: Eromero

I have tons of machines that used mixed gas, but only use my weedeater a few times a year. I give up. Put a new carb on last year, and couldn't start it last week!
Went to the darkside and bought a battery operated one.
Even using non-ethanol gas, mixed gas machines should be emptied if they're gonna set more than a few weeks.

Posted by: MkY at August 27, 2022 02:55 PM (cPGH3)

57 Dehydrating cherry tomatoes and red bell pepper strips, and vac sealing them into little space food packs. They don't look like much but add up. Most of the cherry tomatoes are about done producing. Also made banana chips this week.

Posted by: skywch at August 27, 2022 02:57 PM (uqhmb)

58 We really enjoy dried cherry tomatoes for salads in the winter/spring.

Posted by: MkY at August 27, 2022 02:59 PM (cPGH3)

59 Just got back from some errands and saw my photos. I love that even though I had to give up my large outdoor gardens, I still get to share in the beauty of all of your hard work without having to weed.
I did manage a couple of outdoor plants on my tiny terrace. Have loads of jalapeños and poblanos on the two plants I potted outside. Basil has been incredible continuing to yield beautiful looking leaves. Almost ready for a third batch of pesto to freeze. Next year will definitely do tomatoes.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:00 PM (Y+l9t)

60 Also, congrats to the folks who enter the contests! How great is that?

Posted by: MkY at August 27, 2022 03:03 PM (cPGH3)

61 Here in the San Antonio River Basin, we've been on a burn ban for pretty much the whole year up to now, with rainfall in the single digits and a hot, dry summer. Suddenly, in the last two weeks, we've gotten near 10" of rain! The weeds exploded and quickly took over. I don't think anything will clear my garden except perhaps a flamethrower...

Good thing that burn ban has expired!

Posted by: Brewingfrog at August 27, 2022 03:09 PM (TA4ej)

62 56
Went to the darkside and bought a battery operated one.
Even using non-ethanol gas, mixed gas machines should be emptied if they're gonna set more than a few weeks.

Posted by: MkY at August 27, 2022 02:55 PM (cPGH3)
----
So, is this like buying French postcards?

How do you know when you'll be using it again?

Posted by: Ciampino - That's easy, when you say "and that's it for this year!" at August 27, 2022 03:10 PM (qfLjt)

63 I can't believe that Sarah is real. I'm firmly convinced that if one is dumb enough to go to the site, you'd get RickRolled.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:12 PM (Y+l9t)

64 I don't think anything will clear my garden except perhaps a flamethrower...

I use something similar to this: https://bit.ly/3AQSb8l

The push button igniter is a nice feature.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - moronhorde.com - Email for morons. at August 27, 2022 03:13 PM (Bd6X8)

65 From Boise area: Highs have been about 90-100, though the 14-day forecast says we may see a few more hot days this week, then things will drop toward the low 90's, maybe even 80's. Lows 66-70 F.

Maybe the Horde will get a laugh out of this: we local 4-H leaders get a special wristband that lets us in free, for the first 5 days of the Western Idaho Fair. Catch is - you can't take it off for 5 days. So what did I do between the aft. of the 19th when I put it on, and the eve. of the 23rd when I cut it off? - went to the fair on the 19th, 20th, 22nd, and 23rd - helped fell a dead maple tree in the backyard, and haul all the debris to the spring burn pile (husband carried off the firewood) - brewed some "Moo Moo Chocolate Stout" - mixed some compost - harvested zucchini, lavender, oregano, basil, green beans, chokecherries, and a few paste tomatoes - and took a lot of showers. The wristband looked a bit crinkly by the end...

By-Tor's ribbons look much fancier than mine! I pick mine up on Mon. 29th. Yes, I'm totally in it for the money.

Next year - there's a section in the Flower division for ornamental herbs, so I can try for even mo' money with the same herbs!
(post 1)

Posted by: Pat* at August 27, 2022 03:16 PM (SD3mg)

66 As others have said, Chris' garden is gorgeous. Love the colors. Bet the bees and butterflies are happy too. Mrs. Chris did a beautiful job.

Posted by: AlmostYuman at August 27, 2022 03:16 PM (BfYWs)

67 I can't believe that Sarah is real. I'm firmly convinced that if one is dumb enough to go to the site, you'd get RickRolled.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice)

What is the origin of the term "rickrolled" ?

Posted by: JT at August 27, 2022 03:20 PM (T4tVD)

68 63 I can't believe that Sarah is real. I'm firmly convinced that if one is dumb enough to go to the site, you'd get RickRolled.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:12 PM (Y+l9t)

I don't think that's the scam they're running...

"Hello, my name is Sarah, and I work for Microsoft. Your Computer is having problems, and I need for you to allow me to take control of it to fix them..."

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 03:21 PM (ynpvh)

69 Intertubes: "The meme grew out of a similar bait-and-switch trick called "duck rolling" that was popular on the 4chan website in 2006. The video bait-and-switch trick grew popular on 4chan by 2007 April Fools' Day and spread to other Internet sites later that year. The meme gained mainstream attention in 2008 through several publicized events, particularly when YouTube used it on its 2008 April Fools' Day event."

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 03:22 PM (ynpvh)

70 Here's the link.
https://is.gd/6hlvqO

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 03:24 PM (ynpvh)

71 The rickrolled tune is so catchy, I would end up listening and watching the video so never minded. The link Jim sent is not the best as it cuts out of the rickroll.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:28 PM (Y+l9t)

72 No pets?

Posted by: Infidel at August 27, 2022 03:28 PM (QgnTJ)

73 Speaking of Sarah, Palin is trending on Twatter right now. Decided to see why and turns out she is losing some election in Alaska right now to some Democrat woman candidate. Had no idea Sarah Palin was still involved in politics and elections.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at August 27, 2022 03:29 PM (Do5/p)

74 71 The rickrolled tune is so catchy, I would end up listening and watching the video so never minded. The link Jim sent is not the best as it cuts out of the rickroll.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:28 PM (Y+l9t)

Yeah, sorry. And the song ain't bad.

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 03:29 PM (ynpvh)

75 Eromero

Were is it possible to find ethanol free gasoline in the Longview area?

Posted by: Reuben Hick at August 27, 2022 03:29 PM (3hSHB)

76 Here's the full one.
https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:30 PM (Y+l9t)

77 Edible? plants. I have been snipping some of the Kuru sp? and another weed the horse will eat for them. Sprayed goats head burrs today. I have them almost eradicated in some spots on our place but the paddocks are a challenge. Probably over a decade of the burrs just being tilled so storing of future seeds and large areas, easy to miss the burrs among the wildflowers I leave alone now that I get some of them and not just a solid mat of nasty burrs.

Posted by: PaleRider is simply irredeemable at August 27, 2022 03:31 PM (3cGpq)

78 72 No pets?

Posted by: Infidel at August 27, 2022 03:28 PM (QgnTJ)

They tend to dig up the gardening thread...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 03:31 PM (ynpvh)

79 Current crops - zucchini is producing, yellow better than green - the latter is still recovering from putting so much energy into the 9-pounder for Fair. Green beans are starting to come on strong. I'm accumulating chokecherries so we can steam-juice them and make jelly - it looks like a great year for those. I'm watching the tomatoes - we'll get a few San Marzanos soon - no idea if the eating tomatoes plan to do anything...

I pluck individual basil leaves, wash them, pat them dry, and put them in a 200 F oven for up to 30 min., then save them in a plastic bag to grind at the end of the season. For the oregano, I take a few stems, rinse them, shake them dry, then pull off individual good leaves with a tweezer. I let those leaves dry between paper towels, then store those in another plastic bag for later grinding.

A project we started 3 months ago is done - and delicious! - homemade framboise liqueur from last year's frozen red raspberries. I've begun wondering what other fruits we could turn into sweet liqueurs... mmm yum...
(post 2/end.)

Posted by: Pat* at August 27, 2022 03:31 PM (SD3mg)

80 79 A project we started 3 months ago is done - and delicious! - homemade framboise liqueur from last year's frozen red raspberries. I've begun wondering what other fruits we could turn into sweet liqueurs... mmm yum...
(post 2/end.)
Posted by: Pat* at August 27, 2022 03:31 PM (SD3mg)

I often have an overabundance of Blackberries. I'd send you some, but they get soggy and moldy pretty fast once they're off the plants...

Posted by: jim (in Kalifornia) at August 27, 2022 03:33 PM (ynpvh)

81 Clyde, she's not losing. They have this ridiculous ranked choice voting so no results for a couple of weeks yet. Basically they have to total people's second and third choices. The two Republican candidates have double the votes of the democrat who looks to be in the lead but once the ranked choices are counted, she should win.
This vote is only for the special election to fill the seat till the new Rep is elected.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:34 PM (Y+l9t)

82 Pat, thanks for the tip about basil. I had no idea you could do that.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:36 PM (Y+l9t)

83 My basil is barely sprouting new leaves, I get it always in produce section live herbs, supposed to be inside plants. But I put them outside, suspect it was hothouse grown in winter and already some months old. Was looking like October in beginning of July

Posted by: Skip at August 27, 2022 03:39 PM (k8B25)

84 Wa haz pet nood

Posted by: Skip at August 27, 2022 03:40 PM (k8B25)

85 It has been dry for a long time here, since before the 4th of July. Our tomatoes are very delayed, but with luck I should start having them ripe starting next week
The bed of potatoes I planted in March are ready to be dug, the others are starting to yellow and will be ready to dig at any time.

I have been pressing and canning apple juice, and I suspect I will have lots and lots of grape juice as well.
I have also been drying apples and zucchini for winter, and I decided to try to make apple cider vinegar as well.

I have one pickle jar with cut up apples , and two others with the pulp I pressed for juice. We will see which works better.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 27, 2022 03:41 PM (xhaym)

86 RE 'real milkweed' -

My local nursery had what they called 'swamp milkweed' (Asclepias incarnata) & that's what I bought to attract the monarch caterpillars. The flowers are either pink or white, and it likes moist clay soil. The tag said it's a native plant & likes to grow next to ponds or in a rain garden. It's a different type of milkweed than the orange butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) that the nursery also sold. It's growing well near my downspout but I've had to water it in Aug because I haven't been getting much rain.

Posted by: badgerwx at August 27, 2022 03:46 PM (cL7E+)

87 This vote is only for the special election to fill the seat till the new Rep is elected.

Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at August 27, 2022 03:34 PM

Okay, yeah, I had no idea how all that works. Thank you for puttin' me some knowledge on that. I just saw this as the top trending post on the Palin trend and thought she was losing and had a tough path to win. Some other post said something about this Peltola person having defeated Palin in some other race previously.

New Alaska count: Mary Peltola (D) expands lead over Sarah Palin (R) to 16,347 votes. Depending on how many ballots "exhaust," Palin probably needs 68-70% of Begich second place votes to prevail. It's going to be close. #AKAL

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at August 27, 2022 03:50 PM (Do5/p)

88 Geez, more from the thread. Alaska elections seem ridiculously complicated. By the time they finish counting the ballots, it will be time for the next election.

Alaska is a special state where they keep counting the ballots as they come in since the mail is difficult to travel across the state.
==========
When's the "exhaust" process start?
==========
When all the votes are in. Then they eliminate whoever's in 3rd place, and any ballots assigned to that candidate will be reassigned to those voters' second choices. An "exhausted" ballot is one where the voter didn't specify a second choice.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at August 27, 2022 03:55 PM (Do5/p)

89 Some places here in AZ have had a LOT of rain. Others more normal for the monsoon. Flagstaff and Tucson have seen a lot. But it can be so localized.

I'm in my booth at the Mesa Marketplace right now. I could hear rain on the tin roof a few minutes ago, but I never saw any shade pass over as one would with clouds. But two weeks ago it rained so hard the 1" conduit pipes that hold up the tarp were bent like pretzels.

When I was up in Show Low a month ago, I was struck by the smell of fresh, green grass.

I just got off the phone with my homeowner's insurance adjuster. He was finalizing my wind damage case. He said he is back in his hometown, Dallas, dealing with the floods there.

Posted by: Gordon Scott at August 27, 2022 04:11 PM (3y/Mo)

90 Having grown up in the Midwest, the idea of paying for milkweed is somewhat boggling. Isn't that a weed you'd pay to get rid of?

One thing to watch: A lot of milkweeds are colonial, as for the common milkweed (Asclepius syraica) of my youth. IOW, it's going to spread on you once established, which could be an issue if you've got a variety that's perennial in your location.

Posted by: Pat*''s Hubby at August 27, 2022 04:17 PM (SD3mg)

91 @90 Absolutely so. About ten years ago, a hip neighbor-lady started a batch "for the butterflies." Neighbor-lady is now long moved away, and I'm still hoeing the milkweed starts out of the field. They are fecund as all get-out.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at August 27, 2022 05:36 PM (x61Im)

92 86 RE 'real milkweed' -

My local nursery had what they called 'swamp milkweed' (Asclepias incarnata) & that's what I bought to attract the monarch caterpillars. The flowers are either pink or white, and it likes moist clay soil. The tag said it's a native plant & likes to grow next to ponds or in a rain garden. It's a different type of milkweed than the orange butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) that the nursery also sold. It's growing well near my downspout but I've had to water it in Aug because I haven't been getting much rain.

Thank you. I tried to grow some milkweed from seeds, but it didn't work. I didn't know you could get this from a nursery.

Posted by: CloseTheFed at August 27, 2022 06:14 PM (LeNk3)

93 Pat*''s Hubby at August 27, 2022 04:17 PM

Absolutely. Some species of milkweed are not appreciated by farmers. In cold-winter areas, tropical milkweed can be started indoors to attract butterflies and will not become a pest.

Posted by: KT at August 27, 2022 06:57 PM (rrtZS)

94 Thanks for the squash hints. Next trick is to convince the wife who for good reason is a skeptic of my ad hoc advice.

Posted by: Levin at August 28, 2022 05:17 PM (kk8TL)

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