What did you do in the garden today?

[Smokerbill]

I wonder how that might work on wisteria, poison ivy?
View attachment 3836108
I weeded this a couple weeks ago, see all the wisteria popping up?

There's a strong warning in the torch instructions saying to never use the torch on poison ivy or oak. The irritating chemicals will be in the smoke, and inhaling it could be problematic.

I'm sure it's fine for wisteria. With lots of plants the torch kills only the above ground part, and they'll regrow from the roots. I guess if the plants are torched often enough the roots will die too.

 

[fuzzi]

I'm sad to read that people are having trouble with Baker Creek seeds. I've recommended them for several years.

I haven't been paying attention to which company/germination rates on my seeds, but I will now.

A lot of the seed I've planted so far is saved seed.

I've had germination issues with Burpee, other name brands bought locally, so I tried Baker Creek last year, was happy with them.

Some of the seeds I purchased in October germinates fine, like the melons, squash (5 varieties) and one lettuce. But the borage and the other lettuce never sprouted, planted them twice.

 

[WthrLady]

I wonder how that might work on wisteria, poison ivy?
View attachment 3836108
I weeded this a couple weeks ago, see all the wisteria popping up?

It does not work on poison ivy, ragweed, alfalfa, curly dock, wild asters, yellow nut sedge, or the morning glory family/bindweed. It might melt it, but it comes back with a vengance- think the terror in Indiana Jones and the melty face scenes with the Lost Arc at the end.

But I agree, walking around with the dragon torch is great fun.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Guess we get to see what will blossom starting spinach inside.

 

[WthrLady]

JUST realized the corn I planted is from Baker Creek. I have a whole package planted and only TWO have germinated. Now come on, we all can't be having the same problem, different states, different zones, different weather and planting times. That's it. I'm done with Baker Creek.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

It rained, 2 drops, it hasn’t rained for the last 4 weeks tomorrow, we are supposed to get more rain just came in, I was on the menu, for I think at least 200 hungry mosquitoes my legs are covered with red bites, I react badly to them, and they “love” me

 

[Molpet]

I used to make bread by hand when I was in high school. Then I inherited a bread machine in the 90s. Worked great

 

[Molpet]

I wonder how that might work on wisteria, poison ivy?
View attachment 3836108
I weeded this a couple weeks ago, see all the wisteria popping up?

They say don't even burn 20 years dead poison ivy. People have ended up in the hospital with it in their lungs.

 

[CatInTheHenHouse]

Over the next 10 days overnight temperatures will drop to between 40 and 46 degrees, daytime highs will range between 55 and 65 degrees. My pepper plants will be pretty much dormant during all that time. Next year I think I wait until June before I put pepper plants in the ground.

Thank you for posting this; I’ve been hesitating over putting my hot pepper seedlings into the ground this weekend, but it’s going to be cool and I have plenty of other stuff on my plate. Sounds like I’ll be putting that off and now I don’t feel bad about it!

 

[cj2024]

My favorite way to make sourdough, use a ceramic coated cast iron dutch oven that I preheat to 400, then I crank up the heat to 450 with it sealed up for 25m, then take off the lid for another 25m. Using parchment paper to move my dough from the bowl to the dutch oven keeps it from deflating; and from sticking during baking. I always score an "X" on the top of my dough with a serrated blade that's wet before I move it into the dutch oven.

My third attempt at making sour dough bread with my new silicone dough basket made me realize that its worthless. I cooked the bread in the silicone basket as advertised, but the top of the bread had some burnt spots and the bread itself was not something I could give away, it was ugly looking, but my chickens loved it. The color and shape of the sour dough that I made previously in a bowl with cover looked more professional. However, I did learn something from this experience. First, I found that crumpling my parchment paper into a ball before lining the bowl made it easier to form. Second, to get the ear, I need to cut deeper. Third, lightly oiling the sides of my folding bowl made it easier to work with.

In conclusion, I cannot recommend buying silicone bread baskets, it would be better to get a round domed Dutch oven and buy the razer holder, plastic and metal scraper separately.

This bowl picture is what works with my Breville Smart Oven. I take the steamed sour dough out of the bowl after 20 minutes and finish cooking it to a golden color.