Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, July 29

Above, a lovely flower from Dave in Oahu. Do you wish you were there?

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

By-Tor's results are in from the Orange County (CA) fair:

Results are in. Apple butter 2nd place, sauerkraut 3rd. Not as good as LA County but I'll take it.

Congratulations!

11 lbs of peaches is now peach jam. It's simple- peaches, sugar, citric acid and pectin, cooked to a rolling boil, then water bath canned. Although if you do a small batch of a few jars you can just refrigerate them.

Any more fairs coming up? Or are you just eating it ALL?

Does anybody in The Horde have a garden as wild and wonderful as Grimmy's?

We have a nice look at the two raised beds at the very beginning of the season, which are now completely overgrown with pumpkin and watermelon.
We had a few extra seedlings I just threw in...they spread rather aggressively! My wife doesn't want to cut them back or cull them, so we just redirect them from the pepper, potatoes, and raspberry bushes OUTSIDE the fence that they're encroaching on. Dozens of watermelons of various stages of development are scattered throughout.
My Aronia shrubs are coming along, with their dark, astringent berries.
Japanese beetles are a problem this year as always. I have lots of traps setup at the far edges of my little 3.5 acre lot, and they fill up quickly, but the little guys love my raspberry bushes, as well as my quince and medlar trees. The long fence with my neighbor is overgrown with wild grape, which they also swarm upon.
A few pictures of the aforementioned medlar. A funny little fruit. My quince trees had several flowers that seemed to be turning into fruit, but I haven't seen any yet, which is weird. As well, we have 3 pawpaw trees that looked like they had fertilized flowers, but they don't seem to have fruit. Watering all of this in the very hot and dry season we've had in central Iowa has been a delight, I assure you.

Wow. A lot of variety! And challenges! Those Japanese beetles are terrible!

See the beetle?

Medlar:

Ah, Nature

Ever wondered about those bees you see sleeping on flowers?

Mornin’ folks.

We’ve had a lot of people enquiring about and commenting on #bumblebees asleep on #flowers, especially at this time of year, so here’s a quick (long)🙄 thread explaining what’s going on.

Please retweet so more are more informed.
Thanks good people.#bees
1/16 pic.twitter.com/O1NCzphai4
— The Bee Guy (@the_beeguy) July 22, 2023

Gardens of The Horde

Crepe myrtles seem to not get much love, but I don't know why since I think they are marvelous. This is a pic of my favorite specimen, on a
property I own, and it will bloom like this through September.
My Brugmansia has been blooming earlier in the year than it usually does,
I can't decide which of these pictures I like more, the closeup or the standoff.
And thanks for all the work you do for us on weekends!

- Tom Servo

Spectacular flowers!

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? Gardening, Puttering and Adventure Thread, July 22

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 Yea Gardening Thread!
Thanks KT

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at July 29, 2023 01:31 PM (KuT0X)

2 Summoned the Barbie fanatics.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at July 29, 2023 01:32 PM (KuT0X)

3 Top pic looks like a man eater!
Beautiful too.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at July 29, 2023 01:32 PM (KuT0X)

4 hiya

Posted by: JT at July 29, 2023 01:34 PM (T4tVD)

5 I can't decide which of these pictures I like more, the closeup or the standoff.

- Tom Servo

That's easy, both!
A beauty Tom.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at July 29, 2023 01:34 PM (KuT0X)

6 Looks like my area is joining the high-temp, high-humidity group finally.
https://is.gd/7Pf0f8

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at July 29, 2023 01:37 PM (KuT0X)

7 Thank you for that sleeping bee info - we've found several here and wondered about that. Homeless bees. Sad!

Meanwhile I have a MOUNTAIN of cucumbers and another MOUNTAIN of squash. Lord help us, we can't keep up! Now it's pea season, and Publius is shucking inside where it's cool. He planted purple hull, zipper cream and pink-eyed cowpeas. Apparently the bees are cross-pollinating and you never know what you're going to get. He also planted lima beans (yuck) and I don't know if they're also in on the cross-pollination.

Did you know that freezing okra is tedious? It's very tedious. n I was up until 3 am placing rounds on baking sheets for freezing.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 01:42 PM (Mzdiz)

8 Tom, I love crepe myrtles. I have two that arrived as bare root sticks from the Arbor Society, along with a crabapple, a redbud and two hawthornes. They actually survived in pots over the winter. I admire that, so I'm giving them bigger pots until I can get my ass in gear to put them in the ground.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 01:45 PM (Mzdiz)

9 Well, back to the garden. They say that sweating is good for you, so I must go and get wicked healthy. It's overcast but muggy as hell.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 01:46 PM (Mzdiz)

10 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
My cucumbers are taking over my garden, coming out my ears and getting eaten by dear

Posted by: Skip at July 29, 2023 01:46 PM (dhN8M)

11 Dear deer?

We're making more dill pickles and bread and butter pickles.

Oh, and we have a bushel of peaches to can.

!!!!

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 01:48 PM (Mzdiz)

12 Just had a BLT with lettuce and tomatoes from my garden. Really good.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at July 29, 2023 01:48 PM (u73oe)

13 What happened?

Posted by: Duke Lowell at July 29, 2023 01:49 PM (u73oe)

14 Lamont has been a bad influence on KT.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at July 29, 2023 01:50 PM (u73oe)

15 I think I have finally found my rose. Planted Bolero a couple of weeks after I got it. Bloomed once, then did nothing for a few weeks. Have five blooms on it now and it seems to tolerate the heat. It's a white rose and fragrant.

And my lettuce in the hydroponic setup is growing well.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at July 29, 2023 01:51 PM (ouTlx)

16 Real estate agent neighbor gave away a little marketing packet a few months ago that included a pack of Morning Glory seeds. On a whim I planted them in the deck boxes beside the Sun Patiens.
Seven germinated and are in the midst of taking over. I've got pieces of twine strung all over and they're out of control. Been several weeks now and no blossoms yet. Have I been conned?

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 01:52 PM (NBVIP)

17 Spectacular plumage, Servo!

We've been getting bouts of heavy rain, so the tomatoes are pneumatic but the leaves are getting spotty.

First to ripen have been the Box Car Willies and Oxhearts.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at July 29, 2023 01:53 PM (Z/H3L)

18 13 What happened?
Posted by: Duke Lowell

KT posted more pictures!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at July 29, 2023 01:53 PM (KuT0X)

19 Lamont has been a bad influence on KT.
Posted by: Duke Lowell

Now that right there is funny!

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at July 29, 2023 01:54 PM (KuT0X)

20 (Once again a substitute report from the Boise, ID area. Pat* managed a walk to the garden with a cane once this week, so she may be back posting soon.)

Triple digits down to mid-90s this week, lows in the 60s. More high-90s in store ahead, but maybe we've seen the last of the 100s (phew!).

Cherry tomatoes coming in well. Also lifting onions whose tops have died already. Green beans struggling in the heat; getting the last few raspberries of the first crop (from old canes).

Sweet corn should be starting within a week!! Some of the potatoes are dying back - hopefully just from the heat - took the drippers off one pot for an early harvest. We're getting a few strawberries from the ever-bearers that we've started to replace the older plantings.

Squash is happy and running everywhere. Paste and slicer tomatoes setting lots of fruit. Melons have started to set fruit. OTOH, we lost two out of three cucumber vines to unknown causes, and the survivor is struggling. May not get any pickles this fall....

Posted by: Pat*'s Hubbie at July 29, 2023 01:54 PM (1Amu+)

21 Quarter Twenty, my morning glories typically don't blossom until September!! Kind of a gyp, but when they do, they do it to the hilt.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at July 29, 2023 01:55 PM (Z/H3L)

22 I had a little gardening disappointment this week. So far, only one watermelon has sized up on my vines. It picked itself on Thursday. I found out that underripe watermelon is safe to eat so I tried a bit. It tastes a bit like cucumber, so I scooped out the flesh and mixed it with peppermint leaves.

Posted by: Emmie -- Flash Cadillac at the Surf Ballroom Aug 4 at July 29, 2023 01:57 PM (Emce2)

23 Congrats to By-Tor! Canning is a handy and delicious skill to have.

Posted by: Emmie -- Flash Cadillac at the Surf Ballroom Aug 4 at July 29, 2023 01:59 PM (Emce2)

24 *don't blossom until September*

"I was misinformed." ~Bogart

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 01:59 PM (NBVIP)

25 I've got pieces of twine strung all over and they're out of control. Been several weeks now and no blossoms yet. Have I been conned?

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 01:52 PM (NBVIP)

Late start so you'll get the flowers in the fall. We're covered in morning glories here - my brother bought 5 different kinds and rigged trellises all across the front of the porch and garage. The birds love to hang out in them. It's something. COVERED in flowers (but he started them in a hoop house this spring).

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 01:59 PM (Mzdiz)

26 May not get any pickles this fall....

Posted by: Pat*'s Hubbie at July 29, 2023 01:54 PM (1Amu+)

Please come and take mine. I have 20 pounds in the kitchen at this minute.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 02:01 PM (Mzdiz)

27 I've got pieces of twine strung all over and they're out of control. Been several weeks now and no blossoms yet. Have I been conned?
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 01:52 PM (NBVIP)

——————

We’ve secretly replaced Quarter Twenty’s morning glories with poison ivy. Let’s see if he notices!

Posted by: Duke Lowell at July 29, 2023 02:01 PM (u73oe)

28 Question for our Master Gardeners - I have some holly 'bushes' that are more like trees. Some 30 feet high - they have never been trimmed in the 20 years they have been here and now are woefully out of scale in some of the locations where they were initially planted.

I'd like to trim some of them back (severely) so that they match the house and rest of the ornamentals. So, can it be done and secondly, when is the appropriate time to do so? Thanks!

Posted by: Tonypete at July 29, 2023 02:04 PM (L9/32)

29 I have an embarrassment of squash. I am a new Gardener so I planted six Vines but I can't possibly keep up with it all and I am blanching and freezing and I even in desperation set a couple of big ones that I found under the leaves out by the woods. So far no Critter has eaten them. What do you do with a great big squash when you find it hidden under all the big leaves? I know they're biodegradable so I think I'll just Chuck them into the woods. My eggplants have started to produce and I only have two of them but I have a lot of eggplants fruiting. So I made eggplant parmigiana with fresh mozzarella and Parmesan and I even did a scratch tomato sauce with sauteed onions and garlic and it is very yummy interlayered with fresh basil. I have brussel sprouts but where the Sprouts are coming out they are loose and not tight compact sprouts so I'm not sure what to do about them. I also have purple cauliflower but I haven't seen anything yet that looks like a cauliflower head and I'm actually kind of relieved because I am overloaded with vegetables at this point!

Posted by: Beverly at July 29, 2023 02:06 PM (Epeb0)

30 My cucumbers are taking over my garden, coming out my ears and getting eaten by dear
Posted by: Skip

Does she have big bewbs ?

Posted by: JT at July 29, 2023 02:06 PM (T4tVD)

31 I must be doing something wrong. I can't seem to access the bee information that the bee guy is promising.

Posted by: Emmie -- Flash Cadillac at the Surf Ballroom Aug 4 at July 29, 2023 02:07 PM (Emce2)

32 I got tired of doing things my wife's way and limiting pesticide use...a good dose of proper insecticide and the Japanese beetles are MUCH more under control.

Posted by: Grimmy at July 29, 2023 02:07 PM (NCgXW)

33 I also want to thank Miley for her suggestion about spraying down the squash leaves to kill the powdery mildew. It worked a treat, water plus baking soda and Dawn liquid detergent. And I also cut out some of the big leaves and put them on the burn pile.

I would also love to get a crepe myrtle but does anyone have any suggestions about where to get it and what type and what is the best season to plant them?

Posted by: Beverly at July 29, 2023 02:07 PM (Epeb0)

34 Hot out thar but not as humid as its been.

Posted by: JT at July 29, 2023 02:08 PM (T4tVD)

35 I know this isn’t the food thread, but naturally fermented sauerkraut, big YUM.

Posted by: Rufus T Firefly at July 29, 2023 02:08 PM (HcwhT)

36 I got tired of doing things my wife's way and limiting pesticide use...a good dose of proper insecticide and the Japanese beetles are MUCH more under control.
Posted by: Grimmy at July 29, 2023 02:07 PM (NCgXW)

The joke was, get several of those Japanese beetle traps…put them on your neighbors lawn (j/k)

Posted by: Rufus T Firefly at July 29, 2023 02:10 PM (HcwhT)

37 I think, at the end of garden season, we need a thread on why growing what you eat in a year is harder than you think.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at July 29, 2023 02:13 PM (ouTlx)

38 What do you do with a great big squash when you find it hidden under all the big leaves?
Posted by: Beverly

Mom used to scoop out the seeds, pack with hamburger-onion-spice mix and bake them.

A great way to take care of the monsters.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at July 29, 2023 02:14 PM (KuT0X)

39 "I got tired of doing things my wife's way and..."

Narrator: Often these stories don't end well.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 02:15 PM (NBVIP)

40 Oahu? No-ahu.

Posted by: Commissar of Plenty and Lysenko stuff at July 29, 2023 02:21 PM (RRfMk)

41 I'm also in central Iowa. Japanese beatles haven't been bad here so far this year. The last two years they were awful, couldn't empty the traps fast enough.

Posted by: a.moron at July 29, 2023 02:22 PM (F6Xpw)

42 Japanese beatles

Paur McCaltney
John Rennon
George Hallison
Lingo Stall

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Posted by: mindful webworker - She roves you rong time yeah yeah yeah at July 29, 2023 02:38 PM (C8+CO)

43 Morning Glory seeds are a natural source of LSD.

Posted by: Old Hippie at July 29, 2023 02:39 PM (SYTee)

44 "I think, at the end of garden season, we need a thread on why growing what you eat in a year is harder than you think."

Seconded.

Ground squirrels voles and deer have been menaces. Just when you think bumper crop! Wham.

Bad soil. Uneven watering. over fertilizing.

Physical limitations.

Then success seems to come all at once. Harvesting at the right time. Oops. How to preserve it? Freeze? Out of space. Can? Do I trust my skills. Store? Out of space.

Cows? Seasonal creek went dry. Neighbor bull got out and broke down the fence.

It's just a litany of problem/solutions that seems almost like war.

This topic is huge and if we ever have to fend for ourselves it's gonna be a huge problem for the experienced. Newbies don't stand a chance.

Posted by: Derak at July 29, 2023 02:41 PM (KOooo)

45 "Morning Glory seeds are a natural source of LSD.
Posted by: Old Hippie "

Far out!

Posted by: guy who has been smoking banana peels at July 29, 2023 02:45 PM (iayUP)

46 39 "I got tired of doing things my wife's way and..."

Narrator: Often these stories don't end well.
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 02:15 PM

I did get the stink eye.

Posted by: Grimmy at July 29, 2023 02:47 PM (FsUKA)

47 Beverly, I'm glad it helped! I found some powdery mildew on a few squash plants yesterday, so I cut them off but I need to spray them.

Publius planted 6 each of crookneck and straightneck squash. They've taken over the entire area, including the walkways. I don't think I've ever seen them this big and healthy.

I saw some of those squash fucking bugs, the ones who are attached to each other (gross) but they haven't done any damage yet.

Given the deluge of squash, it might be a relief to see them start to die.

Shhh!

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 02:48 PM (Mzdiz)

48

First zucchini is coming off the plant and onto the grill tonight. Along with chili cheese dogs, got to get the chili going sooner rather than later.

Y'all drop in but somebody bring some potato salad...

Posted by: My Pimp Shot My Dealer at July 29, 2023 02:48 PM (elogz)

49 *It's just a litany of problem/solutions that seems almost like war.*

"So God made a farmer."
~ Paul Harvey

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 02:50 PM (NBVIP)

50 Weather Report:

Insider Paper @TheInsiderPaper 6h
BREAKING 🚨 China issues red alert for torrential rain in Beijing, other areas: weather service
--------------
Of course it's a Red Alert! What else could it be in the PRC?!

Posted by: andycanuck (krqg6) at July 29, 2023 02:50 PM (krqg6)

51 This topic is huge and if we ever have to fend for ourselves it's gonna be a huge problem for the experienced. Newbies don't stand a chance.

Posted by: Derak at July 29, 2023 02:41 PM (KOooo)

So true. We aren't even slightly self-sustaining despite all of the work, preps, garden. No backup power source, so the well becomes useless if the power is out.

My brother made a brick fire pit and is working on finesses to give me the best possible situation should I be reduced to cooking over fire. Loads of wood all around, so that's good, but still!

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 02:51 PM (Mzdiz)

52 Lingo Stall, LOL!

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 02:53 PM (Mzdiz)

53 If moor peeple woods use the Brattleboro FART Tubes then we be could save theese flowors from Globill Warming!!!!!!!

Posted by: Mary Clogginstein from Brattleboro, VT at July 29, 2023 02:56 PM (y9QBQ)

54 Are those the squeakhole fart tubes?

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 03:02 PM (Mzdiz)

55 *It's just a litany of problem/solutions that seems almost like war.*

"So God made a farmer."
~ Paul Harvey

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 02:50 PM (NBVIP)

Yes - and survival IS like a war. Too many have gotten too soft. I include myself.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 03:03 PM (Mzdiz)

56 I guess I'm as dedicated a "no-chemicals" gardener as...well, most people you'd run into here, anyway. But I'm lucky, because we don't often get infestations and hordes -- maybe because all the other Ohio farmers use everything Fort Meade used to put out? We'll pick off this and dab at that, but when actually threatened, like if it looks like a bad year of Japanese Beatles or Rolling Stones, we recant almost at once and take to shakin' and sprayin'. I'm fine with flour dusting and hot sauce and vegetable oil, but we don't have the religious depth to starve at this.

Corn borers arrive on a schedule. Most years it's just as the silk browns, so when you see your first couple, you just harvest, watch for them as you shuck, and that's that. But leaf cutters can sneak in and kill all the zucchini in one night. Easier to take if you don't really like zucchini in the first place.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at July 29, 2023 03:05 PM (4PZHB)

57 Have I been conned?

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at July 29, 2023 01:52 PM

Time to familiarize yourself with the song "Return of the Giant Hogweed"

Posted by: Rusty Nail at July 29, 2023 03:05 PM (3AR13)

58 Ad came up this week on a wood stove for cooking, looked nice and I have unlimited wood to burn

Posted by: Skip at July 29, 2023 03:12 PM (xhxe8)

59 Dave in Ohau's yellow flower looks like it bites.

Posted by: Eromero at July 29, 2023 03:27 PM (z3WCn)

60

...aren't even slightly self-sustaining despite all of the work, preps, garden. No backup power source, so the well becomes useless if the power is out.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 02:51 PM

Some AoS person of niceness informed me on 'Prime Day' that a backup solar panel/battery system was on sale. It won't do everything, like heat or cool for any length of time. But it will kick my well pump on and pressurize the system. It will power my 110 volt in line water heater(s). So a hot shower with lights on is possible. Re-charging the myriad of device around here including leaf blowers, chain saw, cell phones, tablet, laptop, etc. is a given. It will power a toaster, a sous vide, hair dryer, curling iron, and most small users for a short period of time. Refrigerator? Working on in my mind, might have to put it on a six hour on/six hour off cycle. Should keep stuff slightly above freezing.

Bottom line for me? It cost $2,000 and has a life expectancy of 10 years. So $200.00 per year, or $17.00 a month, $.50 cents per day for some limited quality of life in outage(s). We had six outages last year. Longest three days. They're becoming more frequent.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at July 29, 2023 03:36 PM (enJYY)

61 56 Corn borers arrive on a schedule. Most years it's just as the silk browns, so when you see your first couple, you just harvest, watch for them as you shuck, and that's that. But leaf cutters can sneak in and kill all the zucchini in one night. Easier to take if you don't really like zucchini in the first place.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at July 29, 2023 03:05 PM (4PZHB)

Try BT for corn worms. Spray the silks, I think. My hubby did it so I'm not 100%.

My zucchini vexes me. Too many big leaves and the bastards hide. I missed FOUR on 2 plants, and we only have a few.

I'd feed them to the chickens if I had chickens.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 03:56 PM (Mzdiz)

62
On the gardening front; ten tomato plants producing nicely. Leaf lettuce did well, might wait to replant when temps lower. Spinach coming along. Zucchini, pumpkin, and cucumber getting huge - and deer approaching closer nightly. Hopefully, the scent of spent cigarette butts and human urine in the area might cause them to gimme a damn break. A bb in their backside is usually effective for a couple of days of protection. Not sure who shoots them, but it's appreciated.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at July 29, 2023 04:01 PM (enJYY)

63 I'd feed them to the chickens if I had chickens.

A good indication of what-all we're going to have to remaster if we go to actual subsistence gardening. Chickens roaming in most of your vegetables is fine. But you have to fence off the corn! Duh, chickens eat corn. They go right after it.

Decades back, under the influence of some natural gardening manual, I strung perch-lines above beans and tomatoes, because several kinds of birds will roost there and hunt bugs for you, free of charge. And it worked. I should have known: when birds roost, they 'drop,' and all the produce from that section had to washed pretty strenuously. Who knew? Well, I should have. It wasn't in the article...

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at July 29, 2023 04:23 PM (4PZHB)

64 My zucchini vexes me. Too many big leaves and the bastards hide. I missed FOUR on 2 plants, and we only have a few.
----

LOL, Miley. I had the same problem until I switched to a yellow zuke. Try "Gold Rush". Much easier to spot them before they get too large!

Posted by: JQ at July 29, 2023 05:11 PM (Gkog9)

65 I've raised golden zucchini - very attractive! But sometimes the squash escapes me as well, and I just need to look more carefully.

You should see our squash and zucchini patch - the plants are 3 feet high, I swear. I left 5 feet between the plants with 3 foot rows, planted diagonally, and they're still crowded.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at July 29, 2023 06:04 PM (Mzdiz)

66 Went to the store today and the lady working at the cash register told me that all of the rain last week had actually flattened her corn. The entire crop gone because the ground got so soggy. We had two and a half inches of rain in 3 days. And now we haven't had any rain for a week and a half and thunderheads went over a couple of hours ago but did not drop a single drop on this.

Posted by: Beverly at July 29, 2023 09:53 PM (Epeb0)

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