Gardening, Home and Nature Thread, Aug. 29

From the famous Pat*:

From a commercial Roma plant, the biggest Roma I’ve ever seen.

Impressive! Lotsa sauce possible from tomatoes like that.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

My crazy 6 ft tall tomato plant is overloaded with tomatoes. The picture below is two days haul and there are many more to come.
The jalapeños at the top are the two different varieties I mentioned last week. The small one is a normal jalapeño and the big one is called Giant Jalapeño. Three jars of pickled japaenos so far and maybe one or two more.There are half dozen poblanos almost ready.
Going to roast the tomatoes because there is no way I can eat all of them.

Sharon(willow's apprentice)

The cherry tomatoes look great. What do you do with them after roasting?

The peppers also sound good.

Tomatoes and peppers seem to be the favorite veggies for members of The Horde to grow. And they make nice photos for social media, too! Enjoy life!

Fabulous few days looking after grandson, almost 2, whilst his mum & dad went to a wedding. An absolute joy, but boy are we exhausted! My birthday yesterday passed in a blur of playing in the park, baking biscuits, reading & picking tomatoes. Quiet at home now. Have a good day. pic.twitter.com/eEE7rGTHXJ

— Ella Beard (@EllaBeard11) August 24, 2026

Maybe this will remind CBD to plan for a garden next year:

A confusing vegetable name. Have you ever grown these? I have eaten them. They remind me of a sort of sweet Jicama when raw.

Travel and Adventure

Located in County Meath, Ireland, this stunning 300-year-old Yew Tree Tunnel at Gormanston Castle is a living architectural marvel.

Planted in the late 17th century by the Preston family, generations of meticulous training have caused the branches of these ancient trees to… pic.twitter.com/sKVYEIQnqA

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 23, 2026

Bern has a quirky summer tradition: instead of driving home, some locals jump into the Aare River after work, pack their clothes in waterproof bags, and float with the current all the way home pic.twitter.com/Iu9gXeidBz

— Science girl (@sciencegirl) August 25, 2026

Puttering

Have you ever seen a display of radioactivity in a cloud chamber? My Dad used to set them up with radioactive needles at my elementary school. You could always see some stray trails coming from space though.

This is a reminder that the first "GMO Plants" were created by blasting seeds with X-rays and other forms of radioactivity to randomly induce mutations. When you wonder if some of our grains are not as healthy as grains of old, random procedures like this could have possibly been one reason.

This is a radioactive mineral inside a cloud chamber which allows you to see condensation trails cause by radioactive decay particles shooting through a supersaturated alcohol vapor cloud, mainly alpha particles. pic.twitter.com/M9n2DsWZYO

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 28, 2026

Gardens of The Horde

Great photo of bottle brush from Neal in Israel.

What's happening in your yard or neighborhood?

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening 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, Home and Nature Thread, Aug. 22

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

Comments

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1 For those of you already planning next year, Southern Exposure has a great garden planning tool.

https://tinyurl.com/ycjmy5ud

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 29, 2026 01:43 PM (bkuEU)

2 Pat* is currently slicing tomatoes for a salad, so I'll jump in.

Posted by: Pat*'s Hubbie at August 29, 2026 01:44 PM (x0vey)

3 Otters called.

Posted by: SciVo at August 29, 2026 01:45 PM (ke3zm)

4 Hooray! There is rain predicted for next week, so the first batch of tomatoes will be ripe enough to split, just like every other year.

I made apple crisp and pear crisp last week, and they were both absolutely wonderful. No spices, just butter, brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, and dead-ripe fruit.

The sort of desert that makes me want to dance in the middle of the kitchen stuffing it in my face while making happy noises.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 29, 2026 01:51 PM (rbvCR)

5 Good afternoon Greenthumbs
Does driving the tractor around count?

Posted by: Skip at August 29, 2026 02:01 PM (Ia/+0)

6 It's been over 100F almost every day since mid-June, so much too hot for my garden. Everything is pitiful and sparse. I have few tomatoes, cucumbers are shriveling on the vines no matter how much I water them, and the trellis is too hot for the beans to climb. The cayennes are making a few peppers on twice a day watering.

Maybe next year I'll do this again.

Posted by: huerfano at August 29, 2026 02:01 PM (2Xqig)

7 From a commercial Roma plant, the biggest Roma I’ve ever seen.

Well, musta' been a big boy in the garden.

Posted by: Eromero at August 29, 2026 02:02 PM (LHPAg)

8 Did get a gas valve for the grill and repair parts. Have it back together, tried starting it, gas, spark but it didn't start

Posted by: Skip at August 29, 2026 02:04 PM (Ia/+0)

9 All in all I doubt in eastern Pa anyone can say drought. I think it rains every night

Posted by: Skip at August 29, 2026 02:05 PM (Ia/+0)

10 Kindltot at August 29, 2026 01:51 PM

Pure flavors, great desserts!

Posted by: KT at August 29, 2026 02:16 PM (1RGZ5)

11 I live in South Carolina and the HOA insists that we have a tree in our front yard. Our house faces north, so it’ll never be for shade. We the property is on clay so the root structure will necessarily need to be shallow. Does anyone have any suggestions? Crepe Myrtle is a no go.
Why we can’t just have a lawn right up to the house is beyond me?

Posted by: Unkaren at August 29, 2026 02:24 PM (bwExE)

12 I remember Mom buying Jerusalem artichokes at the grocery store when we were kids. We all liked them. I've heard they can make you gassy but I don't recall having a problem.

Posted by: Emmie at August 29, 2026 02:28 PM (OlzlW)

13 >> a supersaturated alcohol vapor cloud
I had never seen that. Alcohol, is there anything it can't do?

Posted by: 40 Miles North at August 29, 2026 02:30 PM (96qvc)

14 Good morning, glories!

At the water taxi dock to sail over to downtown and then catch a big boat over to Bainbridge Island to meet Some Rat and go to the Kitsap County Fair.

Should be a hoot. I’ve not been to this particular fair, but I do so love the smaller, rural fairs. The big ones here are way too crowded and expensive.

Hope to see all the silly chickens with feathers on their feet and the fancy bunnies.

Posted by: nurse ratched at August 29, 2026 02:32 PM (OxX9V)

15 Tomato plants are winding down. It's still hot during the day but nights are getting cooler. Only my Green Giant and Alice's Dream are still producing with some vigor. I'm sick of cherry toms. I do have a lot bagged in the freezer and will make cherry tomato sauce this fall and winter.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at August 29, 2026 02:33 PM (kpS4V)

16 I live in South Carolina and the HOA insists that we have a tree in our front yard. Our house faces north, so it’ll never be for shade. We the property is on clay so the root structure will necessarily need to be shallow. Does anyone have any suggestions? Crepe Myrtle is a no go.
Why we can’t just have a lawn right up to the house is beyond me?
Posted by: Unkaren at August 29, 2026 02:24 PM (bwExE)

For rugged survival try Bodark, or Osage orange. Just don't let it hang over your house if only because the fruits are the size of King apples and will bonk on your roof at night. They grow in OK and Oregon so they are within the weather you get there in SC
Very pretty leaves that look like citrus leaves, and spines like a lemon. Very hardy

Hard yellow wood, and they don't really shed branches. They don't sucker, and don't spread well by seed.

Or a nice apple, you could get an indeterminate apple that will grow big and give you fruit.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 29, 2026 02:33 PM (rbvCR)

17 My Suyo Long cucumbers have produced enthusiastically all through the past weeks of heat wave temps around 100 degrees. They are just now looking rough so I suspect my cukes are numbered at this point.

They were nice and sweet with tender skins. I'm glad I tried them.

Posted by: Emmie at August 29, 2026 02:33 PM (OlzlW)

18 I'd call that tomato Rufus Maximus.

Bow down before mighty Roma!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at August 29, 2026 02:35 PM (kpS4V)

19 Why we can’t just have a lawn right up to the house is beyond me?
Posted by: Unkaren at August 29, 2026 02:24 PM (bwExE)

"Unkaren" sounds like a person who is somewhat ill-suited to live in an HOA neighborhood.

Posted by: Emmie at August 29, 2026 02:36 PM (OlzlW)

20 in all I doubt in eastern Pa anyone can say drought. I think it rains every night
Posted by: Skip at August

And then it goes upthe Delaware, Hudson or Ct. river valleys. Pretty dry in eastern new england.

Posted by: From about That Time at August 29, 2026 02:38 PM (RE0lB)

21 Did get a gas valve for the grill and repair parts. Have it back together, tried starting it, gas, spark but it didn't start
Posted by: Skip at August 29, 2026 02:04 PM (Ia/+0)

Get a spray bottle and mix dish soap with water, and spray every connection down with a good saturating spritz and look for bubbles to indicate leaks.
Then turn everything off, including the tank. Disconnect the tank nozzle and check for foreign objects blocking the tank and the screw on fitting. Then starting with the tank, turn everything on again, and look for bubbles.
Then you gotta look for blockages, maybe you got some carbon or crusted grease that ran into the grill fittings or nozzle.

Posted by: Kindltot at August 29, 2026 02:38 PM (rbvCR)

22 11 I live in South Carolina and the HOA insists that we have a tree in our front yard. Our house faces north, so it’ll never be for shade. We the property is on clay so the root structure will necessarily need to be shallow. Does anyone have any suggestions? Crepe Myrtle is a no go.
Why we can’t just have a lawn right up to the house is beyond me?
Posted by: Unkaren


Get an inflatable palm tree off Amazon.

Posted by: nurse ratched at August 29, 2026 02:42 PM (6MCJI)

23 This is sort of gardening related:

In the Northeast of the US, there has been a real issue with the Spotted Lantern Fly. Vineyards, especially, had an issue. It was another gift from China that started up in the US around 2014. No one had been able to make a dent in them as they increased in number and covered trees (mostly scrub trees) and plants (grape vines especially).

BUT, in Pennsylvania, they are decreasing significantly. "Mother Nature" decided to step in and kick their fast growing a**. It turns out there is a fungus (actually two) that exist in PA. Batkoa major and Beauveria bassiana, almost work at a team. The Batkoa infects the bug because it's found in tree bark and causes it to seek the highest point of the tree. They die and fall to the ground where Beauveria is found as a soil fungus. It contributes by killing the eggs attached to the now dead Lantern fly.

Don't mess with Mother Nature. She has minions.

Posted by: Orson at August 29, 2026 02:44 PM (dIske)

24 Only seen 1 Lantern Fly this year

Posted by: Skip at August 29, 2026 02:46 PM (Ia/+0)

25 Some pines do very well in clay soil - I cite my parent's yard in NE Oklahoma.

Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at August 29, 2026 02:48 PM (aJQbY)

26 25 Some pines do very well in clay soil - I cite my parent's yard in NE Oklahoma.
Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at August 29, 2026 02:48 PM (aJQbY)
________________________________

I can attest to this. I had a relative that gave me a bunch of evergreen saplings from a fundraiser she ran and had left over. I planted them along the driveway and what I thought was a significant distance from the house. They are now about 30 feet high (all of them)...and clog up my rain spouts, spray acidic sap on my house and host whole families of owls who never shut up. And, yup, clay based soil.

Posted by: Orson at August 29, 2026 02:51 PM (dIske)

27 The bradford has fallen from favor due to excessive splitting around here. People are having good results with the Chinese Pistache for a not too large specimen tree.

Posted by: Gummie at August 29, 2026 02:51 PM (aA6YN)

28 22 11 I live in South Carolina and the HOA insists that we have a tree in our front yard. Our house faces north, so it’ll never be for shade. We the property is on clay so the root structure will necessarily need to be shallow. Does anyone have any suggestions? Crepe Myrtle is a no go.
Why we can’t just have a lawn right up to the house is beyond me?
Posted by: Unkaren
_______________________________

If you're looking for a low maintenance, very little clean up tree in South Carolina, I recommend a Japanese Maple. They don't get too big. Not a lot of attention required, and not much clean up when the HOA whines about leaves on the ground.

Posted by: Orson at August 29, 2026 02:57 PM (dIske)

29 That Yew Tree Tunnel - I've got an X account, I'm logged in, the tweet loads.. but the video does the 'spinny circle' thing rather than playing. That's the kind of situation I'd use xcancel for, whatever thing x was failing to do, it wasn't bothering me with.

Any thoughts? I don't want to log into X on my 'less protected' browser if I can help it.

Posted by: RandomDave (if you can spare a bit, please click) at August 29, 2026 02:57 PM (aJQbY)

30 I got Bartlett pears at the fruit stand last week. They were ripe and I ate four that day. So good! I was hoping for more this week but they had apples instead. I will probably put inpears next year, since the Asian pears are failing.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at August 29, 2026 02:58 PM (bkuEU)

31 From Boise area: lows 61-72 F, highs 83-97. The summer heat is finally breaking!

Western Idaho Fair ribbon pickup is on Monday, so I can photo them then.

Green bean plants dying - pulled out 2/3 already. Now at 7 cantaloupes harvested. Looks like we can actually freeze some of the sweet corn. Bell peppers have some with scald marks, which I am leaving on the plants in hopes they protect the peppers behind them. Still picking 3 tomato varieties.

I started some garden cleanup - pruned the sage - lavender needs shearing next.

Despite deep watering, large areas of the lawn have turned brown and look awful - including the entire front lawn...

Kitchen corner project: Trench from digging hyacinth bulbs is filled with drain rock. We are still in the "lots of blue slate rocks needs washing" stage. I can fill buckets with them faster than we can wash them. Husband got the walls power-washed today, so he can caulk and paint. Then we can build the raised dry-stone bed for the future bulbs.

Posted by: Pat* at August 29, 2026 03:03 PM (x0vey)

32 Romas were a hard start this spring, so wife went with all Mortgage Lifters, of which she usually grows only one or two.
Best ever. Solid meat clear through, and a couple of them SOB's went a good two pounds. As night temps got the the low 60's I thought they were done ripening, but she read up and trimmed back all around the plants, removing the smallest fruits and extraneous growth -- it livened them right up. Epic yield.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at August 29, 2026 03:14 PM (zdLoL)

33 Just watching preggers Weather Nation gal. My, that girl has her own front coming any day now!

Posted by: Martin Tell at August 29, 2026 03:15 PM (sFNX2)

34 Dolly Parton, Tim Curry... who's number three?
.

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at August 29, 2026 03:19 PM (hCjtc)

35 Spiders mess around gas equipment, inside and out. You can get unions, valves and orifices clogged with spider silk and never see it happening. Sometimes it requires disassembly and pipe cleaning, but I'd try washing, brushing and rinsing first.

They're also hell on solar-cell outdoor light switches.
I try not to get upset with them. They see me as mosquito bait.

Posted by: Way, Way Downriver at August 29, 2026 03:22 PM (zdLoL)

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