Ducks ALIVE in 2025!

[ducks4you]

No, ground cherries are Not the same as tomatillos. The crew at Mid American Gardener recommend growing ground cherries bc they are easy to grow and taste very sweet. You grab and eat as you work in the garden.
I grew tomatillos once and they are more bitter and better for Mexican dishes.

 

[ducks4you]

Here are the tulips I mentioned. See, they are still alive. We will see what happens, but this settles my argument (w/myself)--see one of my favorite t shirts below)--about what to do with my whiskey barrel planter. I Was going to move it to DD's house this summer as an herb planter, but that depends on whether they want to move it and will keep up with watering. I am thinking that would be a "No." Maybe celery?!? I have 2 sample packs and I have read up on growing them. Even though the insert now has a drainage hole, this pot will still keep everything pretty well watered, and I understand celery needs to be hydrated.
When these tulips die back DD and I will move them to her yard. I took a piece of wood to separate them by colors. To the left, towards the house, are the purple tulips. To the right of the wood are either red or yellow with orange streaks. I should add that the other tulips are growing 5 ft east of this pot.

 

[digitS']

Curious about salsify. It's grown in the UK, although, I don't think that it is common there. Maybe somewhere else in the world. It's a weed around here but if it grows and is fully mature — the root is as skinny as my little finger. Personally, I don't like rutabagas and don't care for the roots of turnips.

Green beans? Sure, we grew Kentucky Wonder on the farm. I continued to grow them in my garden. DW was not impressed. But anyway, a green bean is a green bean. I doubt if there is a great deal of nutritional difference. There may not have been many variety choices during the 1930's.

Dad's parents had "biscuits in the morning, cornbread at night." He talked about some meals of only potatoes and gravy but it still suggested a farm growing crops of alfalfa and peppers — that he talked about. Tough times, they and their horses had to work for the county to pay property tax.

Mom's family, the father was a police officer who became an employee of a furniture store. The mother and kids went off to a farm during the Depression; the father stayed in town. Big garden – Big family, but they grew a lot of their food. They moved back to town later and Grandma went to work as a cook in restaurants. She was well prepared for both roles, gardener and cooking.

 

[ducks4you]

Paternal GF moved from Arkansas when he was 16yo and became a police officer in Philly. I inherited his service revolver and gave it to DH. He says it's a well built firearm.
He was born in 1909 and became an adult in the heart of the Depression.
Toxic family issues, but my mother (who had a favorite, and it wasn't Me), maintained their Her father was the real gardener, but Paternal grandparents lived in a rowhouse and owned 1/3 of an acre--most of the back yard was a garden that butted up against the back the rowhouses or a factory--don't remember which now, and they were avid gardeners, too.
I am happy to report that my 3 DD's are all great friends, go to conventions together and middle DD and I talk/pray most M-F's. When you communicate you cement bonds.
They have no cousins.

 

[digitS']

I have been curious about salsify.

I think I may make a list of these vegatables from the video, post it here and do some research on them, when I get a chance

That would be wonderful! It would also be good for someone to take it over to sufficient self forum.

 

[heirloomgal]

I scrolled through that video in a rush, but it looks like there are some interesting veg in there. I didn't see sunchokes/Jerusalem Artichokes though, were they in there and I missed them? Apparently that is a crop that kept people alive in hard times throughout history all over the world. I'm presently building up a supply of 2 varieties, maybe even 3 if I get around to ordering another pink one soom. It takes a bit to multiply them, but once they go look out. From a bean sized tuber you can get pounds of food in a single year. I haven't eaten mine yet, but I can't imagine I won't like them. I don't think I've met a vegetable yet I didn't like. Although the colloquial term for them, 'fartichoke', is a little concerning...

 

[heirloomgal]

But anyway, a green bean is a green bean.

 

[ducks4you]

Winter Sowing is "an experience." I have been watering Most of the jugs this whole week.
BAH!!! I should have left the lids on....
Next jugs will Have their lids. I have one spinach up, a couple of Onions (Grano), both lettuces, NO shallots,
NO leeks, NO cabbage, NO cauliflower, NO bunching onions. They just keep drying out. Stupid instructions!!!
It has been springlike warmish, but windy and dry. I watered--I KNOW!! Watering in March!
I watered my garlic bed and 1/2 (porcelain and German Red garlics) and the 3 rows of Alaska Peas, Sugar Snap Peas, and their companions. Supposed to get rain tomorrow, but our rains haven't been consistent.
THIS IS WHY it is irritating growing cold weather vegetables in the Spring!!
I moved the ponies 110 gallon summertime water tank from storage (upside down) to it's spot over the fence. I had to open up the gate that is right next to it's spot, and just banging the steel around made them dash, so no escapes.
The grass really IS greener in the Inner Sanctum this time of year, and I still have burdock to clean up, so NOT.YET.

 

[digitS']

sunchokes/Jerusalem Artichokes

3:20 in the video.

Sunchokes are really tasty to me. My neighbor had them growing completely out-of-hand, even several years after they stopped tending a garden nearby. Completely surrounded by tall, unmowed grass and spreading further each year. So nut-like in flavor, I had to seriously restrict myself.

 

[ducks4you]

I have two tiny parsley sprouts growing above the fridge!!!