Nostr notes by Michael / Chgowiz 🎲🎲

Reminds me of the rose/dandelion meme. The rose says "The ph ...

2026-10-19T20:11:24Z

In reply to nevent1q…4gul
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Reminds me of the rose/dandelion meme. The rose says "The ph of this dirt is .001% too high. I must now die." The dandelion says "F*** YEA! CONCRETE!"

Yesterday's harvest of my sweet potato experiment. I'm ...

2026-09-13T15:16:20Z

Yesterday's harvest of my sweet potato experiment. I'm happy with the results! These will be put to good use over the next few months.

And, of course, tomatoes.

The next big harvest will be my black beans as they dry on the vines. Mid-late Sept by the looks of it.

The garden is starting to look tired and ready for a rest. I'm moving into fall cover crop planting of oats and austrian peas.

#Gardening #Harvest

What started as an experiment was a huge success. I probably got ...

2026-08-31T23:42:06Z

What started as an experiment was a huge success. I probably got 12 or more jars of refrigerator pickles out of this single pickle plant for the past ten weeks.

But... this is the last jar of pickles that I'll get from this tired, done-with-it plant. It just has one last duty to perform - to add to my compost pile.

#Gardening #Harvest

Has anyone had any luck saving seeds from Burpee brand herbs for ...

2026-08-26T12:54:12Z

Has anyone had any luck saving seeds from Burpee brand herbs for planting next year?

I'd like to save the dill and cilantro/coriander seeds for both spice use and for replanting next year.

I just wasn't sure if these were hybrids or not - I'm under the impression that seeds from hybrid plants don't often work well for planting.

#Gardening #AskFedi

Keeping up with the ripening tomatoes and other veggies. From the ...

2026-08-26T12:50:05Z

Keeping up with the ripening tomatoes and other veggies. From the community garden (allotment) plots.

I let the Roma tomatoes fully ripen on the kitchen counter and then move them to 2.5gal zip locs. If it's not yet full, into the fridge. If full, into the freezer for canning purposes later.

The slicers become lots of sandwiches/snacks or roasted tomatoes for later use.

#Gardening #Harvest #Preserving

This morning's harvest. Tomato-palooza continues. #Gardening ...

2026-08-22T15:22:05Z

This morning's harvest. Tomato-palooza continues.

#Gardening #Harvest

The green beans are just about done, but the tomato-palooza is ...

2026-08-20T12:37:46Z

The green beans are just about done, but the tomato-palooza is just getting started. 14 Roma plants are going to give me a LOT of sauce and salsa for the coming 12 months.

#Gardening #Harvest

Onions were done! This was my first time growing onions. Did them ...

2026-08-15T18:43:27Z

Onions were done!

This was my first time growing onions. Did them from seeds planted in April. I think they came out great!

Now for the drying on top of newspaper in the basement. *crossed fingers*

#Gardening #Harvest

The morning harvest. I'm going to have to go back and harvest ...

2026-08-15T17:49:38Z

The morning harvest. I'm going to have to go back and harvest the rest of the onions, with all the rain, I don't want them to rot in the ground. I'll let them dry in the basement on newspaper.

#Gardening #Harvest

This morning's harvest: About 2 gal of beans at the bottom, ...

2026-08-12T22:05:13Z

This morning's harvest: About 2 gal of beans at the bottom, then more tomatoes and green bell peppers.

#Gardening #Harvest #NorthernIllinois #Zone5a

Harvest is already upon me. This morning was a few tomatoes and ...

2026-08-07T12:54:03Z

Harvest is already upon me. This morning was a few tomatoes and the leading edge of the snap bean hurricane.

I finally grew a slicer tomato! Last year, I messed up and lost track of which plants were which, so I had a cherry-sunami. Finally, sliced tomatoes and fried green tomatoes!

#Gardening #Harvest #NorthernIllinois #NorthernMidwestUS #Zone5a

Today's harvest - the carrot crop! And this was my view of ...

2026-08-03T12:36:27Z

Today's harvest - the carrot crop!

And this was my view of the "Misty Hills of the Driftless" this morning.

(What is that cloud ring that looks like the arc of a rainbow?)

#gardening #harvest #Driftless #NorthernIllinois

Pictures of my plots at the community garden (allotment) at ...

2026-07-26T14:30:11Z

Pictures of my plots at the community garden (allotment) at mid-summer. Lots of things growing!

Details of each plot are in the alt-text.

#gardening #NorthernIllinois #NorthernMidwestUS #Zone5a

After all that fishing, it was time to harvest the Yukon ...

2026-07-26T00:47:21Z

After all that fishing, it was time to harvest the Yukon potatoes, which were all dead on top, but lots of goodness in the ground!

That's 32 pounds (14.5 kg) of yummy taters!

I did catch a bit of heat exhaustion though, it snuck up on me! Be careful out there.

#Gardening #NorthernIllinois #Zone5a

I've turned into a cynical MidwesternUS gardener... Weather ...

2026-07-20T12:42:21Z

I've turned into a cynical MidwesternUS gardener...

Weather Forecast: 95% chance of rain!

Weather Radar: - shows big blob of weather heading my way -

Me: Yea... I'm just gonna water my containers and sprouts. Maybe it'll rain. Maybe it won't.

#Gardening #MidwestUS #NorthernIllinois #Zone5a

I am with you on that worry! It's either the enclosure or get ...

2026-07-14T18:57:19Z

In reply to nevent1q…53ua
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I am with you on that worry! It's either the enclosure or get enough acreage that the hit I take on foraging critters is only a percentage of my overall harvest.

Far easier to just go to a local farmer who has fresh sweet corn for sale and buy some bushels to can and save.

I think if I were to try to grow corn, I'd do it in some sort ...

2026-07-14T18:51:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…77aa
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I think if I were to try to grow corn, I'd do it in some sort of enclosure/fence that was secure at the top, sides and fencing dug at least 6" into the ground. With a good secure gate.

So far, it's not been worth the effort to do that :P

Dang masked bandits. I'm still salty from losing my entire ...

2026-07-14T15:35:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…6kea
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Dang masked bandits. I'm still salty from losing my entire sweet corn crop to them back in 2024...

A view of my backyard gardens - the containers are doing well ...

2026-07-14T14:52:02Z

A view of my backyard gardens - the containers are doing well with herbs, a cherry tomato and my cucumbers.

The in-ground fenced green bed has a cover crop of buckwheat, while I've got pumpkins growing nearby.

I have two tomato plants that I put in the ground rather than composting. The Egyptian walking onions have been great! The dwarf blackberry has really taken off this year and lots of flowers, so I'm hoping for fruit.

And my rhubarb seems to have taken, so that's good.

#Gardening

My new plot is all about the squash, but for some reason, my ...

2026-07-10T12:18:11Z

My new plot is all about the squash, but for some reason, my winter squash seeds didn't germinate! I'm trying again, but I'm concerned now. I may have to transplant next year.

My tomatoes are growing gangbusters. I'm taking a mostly hands off approach, aside from trying to keep the vines growing up instead of out. We'll see if that helps.

#Gardening #NorthernIllinois #NorthernMidwestUS #Zone5a

I've used Johnny's Seeds field peas/oats combo in early ...

2026-06-04T21:50:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…qvk9
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I've used Johnny's Seeds field peas/oats combo in early September for a late autumn till in my community garden plots - but only on my plots. I think it's helped a lot, I can tell the difference between my soil and the soil of the new plot I just took over this year.

I'm going to experiment this year with some summer cover crops (buckwheat or rye) in my spring greens/fall greens plots, and I'm going to try early spring cover crops to be green manure.

Anyone live in the Zone5 area (northern-central Midwest US) and ...

2026-05-20T13:03:56Z

Anyone live in the Zone5 area (northern-central Midwest US) and grown sweet potatoes using the "black plastic method"? (create a ridge, cover it w/blk plastic, cut holes in top and plant slips through holes)

I ask because the seed company (Harris Seeds) says I should leave plastic in place till harvest.

Instructions say "central/southern locations should remove after a month"

W/Climate change, its getting warmer in Zone5! What do you think?

#gardening #zone5b #NorthernIllinois

Despite the lateness in getting started, the crazy cold, wet ...

2026-05-12T13:54:15Z

Despite the lateness in getting started, the crazy cold, wet weather and my getting another 200 sq ft (~18 sq m) of space, things are sprouting and/or in progress!

Rows of carrots, parsnips, onions, potatoes and amaranth have been planted.

This coming weekend/next week, the tomatoes and herb/flower seedlings will go in, assuming the weather outlook is < 50 F/10 C.

#gardening #NorthernIllinois #Zone5b #NorthernMidwestUS

The irony of tinyview requiring me to sign in to see the ...

2026-05-08T15:26:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…edgc
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The irony of tinyview requiring me to sign in to see the "secret panel", and offering me an app, is not lost on me.

The first sprouts of the season in my community garden ...

2026-05-08T13:03:03Z

The first sprouts of the season in my community garden (allotment) plot!

White and yellow onions from seed. A first attempt. They're poking their little sprouts up and out.

Next week, I'll be planting a row of parsnips between them. I'm experimenting with companion planting this year.

#gardening #Zone5b #NorthernIllinois #NorthernMidwestUS

I have a list of those needing assignment and immediate laser ...

2026-05-01T16:37:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…2ndn
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I have a list of those needing assignment and immediate laser fire cancellation...

Running almost two weeks behind, thanks to the mini-monsoon ...

2026-04-23T12:16:58Z

Running almost two weeks behind, thanks to the mini-monsoon season we had in the North Midwest US, but potatoes are in. The hill in the middle is just reserved dirt for when I hill the individual plants as they develop. 15 total plants in this row.

Next couple of days, I'll get my onion seeds and carrots in.

#Gardening #VegetableGarden #NorthernIllinois #NorthernMidwestUS #Zone5a

#FalseSpring

2026-02-16T12:49:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…88d4
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#FalseSpring

Just like the recipe said, I ended up with 9 pint jars of ...

2026-02-07T13:14:13Z

Just like the recipe said, I ended up with 9 pint jars of spaghetti sauce. And soon I'll be starting seeds for the 2026 garden! Wonder what I'll get to preserve next autumn/winter?

Here's the recipe I used - USDA (pre 2025) approved.

https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/how-do-i-can-tomatoes/spaghetti-sauce-without-meat/

#Gardening #Preserving #Cooking

The planning and seed buying has begun! This year, I'm trying ...

2026-01-12T22:03:57Z

The planning and seed buying has begun!

This year, I'm trying companion planting for the first time. And I'm converting my container garden into a (mostly) herb garden, plus a couple of cherry tomato plants.

Community garden plot: beans+carrots (2 beds), potatoes, onions+parsnips, sweet potatoes, roma tomatoes+basil+marigolds, slicer tomatoes+parsley+marigolds, bell peppers+oregano and 3 Sisters (amaranth, black beans, winter squash/pumpkins)

1/🧵

#Gardening

A small bit of happiness for my house: I'm brining wild ...

2026-01-08T17:27:45Z

A small bit of happiness for my house: I'm brining wild turkey breast for an overnight crockpot cook on slow - while dried black beans from my garden soak - all to go into a southwestern turkey/bean soup tomorrow.

I can't solve the world's problems, but I'm going to hold onto happiness when and where I can.

Cooking, gardening, hunting to make food for the family seems to be it.

#Gardening #Hunting #Cooking

Question for the gardeners, especially those who might be ...

2026-01-07T16:57:37Z

Question for the gardeners, especially those who might be familiar with Steve Solomon's books and his approach to plant spacing.

I'm really interested in companion planting/intercropping. Like carrots/w tomatoes.

BUT --

Looking at how I usually space my plants (ala Steve's "column 3" from spacing chart in _Gardening When It Counts_) it's hard to adapt that to what I view as companion planting.

Anyone combined the two approaches?

#Gardening #CompanionCrops

Good article by local extension on difference between F1 Hybrid ...

2026-01-07T13:47:18Z

Good article by local extension on difference between F1 Hybrid and Heirloom. I learned something new today.

#Gardening

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/flowers-fruits-and-frass/2026-01-06-f1-hybrid-vs-heirloom-vegetable-seed-what-choice-means

I have 2 simple goals as a gardener this year. 1. Do some ...

2026-01-03T15:17:31Z

I have 2 simple goals as a gardener this year.

1. Do some intercropping/beneficial side by side planting this year. Carrots with tomatoes, like that.

2. Try new things like onions and sweet potatoes.

What are your goals/aspirations for this new year as a gardener?

#Gardening

I share what I want, to everyone on a specific platform that is ...

2025-12-09T19:20:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…j0ep
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I share what I want, to everyone on a specific platform that is not the standard corporate social media. So kinda option 1/option 2 both.

Almost all over. Tilled the cover crop at the community garden ...

2025-10-31T18:24:31Z

Almost all over. Tilled the cover crop at the community garden plot. Only thing left is to harvest the parsnips. The plan is to do that after a good long frost night, so probably mid/late November? Maybe have parsnips for Thanksgiving dinner!

#Gardening #Harvest

End of growing season cleanup at the community garden plot. My ...

2025-10-22T22:37:09Z

End of growing season cleanup at the community garden plot. My cover crop is doing well. The alyssum is hanging on but the marigolds are about spent.

If freezing nights don't kill the cover crop in a couple of weeks, I'll take the weed whacker to it.

#Gardening

According to COCORAHS, there was a narrow band of rain that ...

2025-10-13T15:09:17Z

According to COCORAHS, there was a narrow band of rain that passed through my area.

Can confirm, because the front half of my house and rain barrel is now full again, but the back half of my house was only a bit damp and not much water in the barrel.

Story of my late summer/autumn so far... 🤨

COCORAHS is a great tool if you don't have a rain gauge or your garden isn't near your home/rain gauge.

https://www.cocorahs.org/Maps/ViewMap.aspx?type=precip&state=IL

#Gardening

Me, back on July 14th: "I sifted maybe about 5 cubic feet (of ...

2025-10-05T18:40:16Z

Me, back on July 14th: "I sifted maybe about 5 cubic feet (of compost)"

Narrator voice: He, in fact, did not. It was, at most, 1 cubic foot.

https://dice.camp/@chgowiz/114854290277769986

That was my first go around, when I had about 3 months of getting started. I apparently couldn't measure or math very well.

Today though... that was much different...

1/🧵

#Gardening #Compost #Composting #NoRules

Autumn garden clean-up continues. All but two of my bell pepper ...

2025-10-03T13:07:44Z

Autumn garden clean-up continues. All but two of my bell pepper plants are finished - final peppers collected and the plants chopped up for the compost pile.

The lessons I learned from my struggles with tomato seedlings helped me to have better experiences with the pepper seedlings. They produced!

Between summer/autumn meals and 10 packs of frozen slices (~ 3 peppers each) and the 20 or so in the fridge, I am grateful for the bountiful harvest.

#Gardening #Harvest

Bittersweet as I removed most of the tomato plants from the plot. ...

2025-10-02T14:13:46Z

Bittersweet as I removed most of the tomato plants from the plot. From seedlings that I made mistakes with, to wondering if they'd survive transplant, they produced far more tomatoes than I expected. Grateful! Now they're compost.

The cover crop is doing well. What I planted in late August is coming along nicely and my late cover crop has sprouted.

And I harvested the last of my pumpkins. So tiny and cute! LOOK AT THE CUTE! 🤭🤩😍

#Gardening #Harvest

More bean pods dried or drying, and the pepper plants aren't ...

2025-09-30T13:11:42Z

More bean pods dried or drying, and the pepper plants aren't giving up yet!

The 90F days and 55F nights are crazy!

#Gardening #Harvest

I didn't know what to expect from growing/harvesting ...

2025-09-29T21:29:50Z

I didn't know what to expect from growing/harvesting amaranth, so this whole process has been a learning experience. I guess my method of getting the seed off the heads produces quite a bit of chaff because maybe 25% of what's the bowl actually was seed.

Not pictured is how I separated chaff from seed: a hair dryer and two cookie trays, and a slow pour out of the bowl. It worked. Mostly. Wow I have seed for both consuming and for planting next year!

#Gardening #Harvest #Preserving #Seeds

This morning's harvest - a lot of black beans and an amaranth ...

2025-09-17T13:05:00Z

This morning's harvest - a lot of black beans and an amaranth seed head that I somehow missed?!

The aphids, daddy-long-legs, squash bugs and spiders that came along for the ride in the beans and seed head were not impressed by how I treated them after we got home! 🤣🤣 (I took the basket out to the driveway and knocked them out of it. Tough day for those critters!)

#Gardening #Harvest

The amaranth finally started shedding seeds when I rub the seed ...

2025-09-16T14:16:11Z

The amaranth finally started shedding seeds when I rub the seed heads, so they were ready to harvest!

First time doing this and I don't have the bandwidth to go daily to rub seed heads, so I did the next best thing. I cut them off and brought them home. I can take little breaks during the day and rub them into a big bowl.

I have the harvested seeds/chaff drying on a plastic tray, and I have the remaining heads out on trays on the porch in the sun.

Moar peppers too!

#Gardening #Harvest

The chaos of the rest of my garden. The previous post showed the ...

2025-09-12T13:40:07Z

The chaos of the rest of my garden. The previous post showed the craziness of my amaranth and my black bean vines.

I have a lot of Roma tomatoes ripening, but this will be the last for my tired looking tomato plants. The alyssum between the tomatoes went crazy.

My green bell pepper plants are machines! They keep producing and I keep harvesting. I have a lot of green bell peppers cut up in the freezer and I've handed out a bunch to neighbors.

#Gardening

Thank you for sharing my dried bean question yesterday. I got ...

2025-09-12T13:33:36Z

Thank you for sharing my dried bean question yesterday. I got great advice and today, a small harvest.

These are "Trail of Tears" black beans from Victory Seeds. They're part of my Three Sisters row, and... I may have overplanted.

This represents a very tiny fraction of the many green and just-now-coloring bean pods on the vines.

My amaranth, the natural trellis, surrendered back in July to these bean vines.

I'm going to have a LOT of black beans!

#Gardening #Harvest

QUESTION to bean growers who dry them on the vine I'm a first ...

2025-09-11T14:36:04Z

QUESTION to bean growers who dry them on the vine

I'm a first time bean dryer, growing black beans. Goal is to have dry beans for use later.

A few of the pods are feeling "dry" but I'm not sure.

? What do you look for when dried beans are ready to harvest

? Is there any special way to open the pods - my first 3 were leathery dry and it took effort to get them open. Do they need to dry more?

Any other tips/advice?

#Gardening #Harvest

Approx 15 lbs (6.8 kg) of tomatoes processed down to 8 pints of ...

2025-09-10T19:46:47Z

Approx 15 lbs (6.8 kg) of tomatoes processed down to 8 pints of "crushed tomatoes" and juice. This went more quickly now that I've gotten experience at how this all works. Coring tomatoes is not fun!

Next up is probably some "taco salsa" using my many.many.many green bell peppers.

And there are a lot more Romas on the vines that made it through our little cold spell - with temps going back up the 80s for a bit, I think I'm going to have yet more to do!

#Gardening #Harvest #Preserving #Canning

Backyard garden update - my greens plot now has fall sprouts! I ...

2025-09-09T13:19:51Z

Backyard garden update - my greens plot now has fall sprouts! I sowed lettuce and spinach about 6 days ago and in the cool weather we've had, the sprouts came up like gangbusters.

Naturally, we're headed towards near 90F this coming weekend.

So lots of water and maybe row cover to help keep them happy.

Weird to have spring-sprout-feelings in September, but here we are!

#Gardening

A harvest morning at the garden plot. The bell peppers keep on ...

2025-09-07T13:53:03Z

A harvest morning at the garden plot. The bell peppers keep on producing! I've way exceeded my expectations and am hitting that "Maybe I planted too many" point.

The black bean pods are getting close to where I think they'll start drying. I've never done beans like this before, so this is a learning experience!

And still, so many tomatoes!

The garden is in that crazy late summer state - weeds run amuck, tomato vines all askew, squash vines everywhere.

#Gardening #Harvest

Started at 0930 (9:30am) my time with 30 pounds of tomatoes. At ...

2025-09-05T01:36:44Z

Started at 0930 (9:30am) my time with 30 pounds of tomatoes.

At 1830 (6:30pm), I had ten pint jars of tomato sauce all processed and cooling off.

That's a lot more work than I realized it would be, but I'm sure the results are worth it and I know more for the next time!

#Gardening #Harvest #Preserving #Canning

Processing 30 pounds of tomatoes into tomato sauce is some work! ...

2025-09-04T19:51:19Z

Processing 30 pounds of tomatoes into tomato sauce is some work! So far, these have been cleaned, deskinned, cooked down some, ran through a food mill and now the sauce is cooking to thicken before I can it.

Tomatoes, green peppers, parsley all came from the garden.

#Gardening #Harvest #Preserving #Canning

Here's my problem... it's a good problem to have. ...

2025-09-02T14:29:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…e2sy
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Here's my problem... it's a good problem to have.

I know this pain!

2025-09-02T13:11:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…v3gy
_________________________

I know this pain!

A view of the community garden where I spend a good deal of time ...

2025-09-02T12:29:19Z

A view of the community garden where I spend a good deal of time and energy in gardening.

And another bountiful harvest! I'm pretty sure this full tub is over 20 lbs of Roma tomatoes. Wow!

#Gardening #Harvest

The gardens are looking... Riotous. Tired. I can see the end ...

2025-08-27T11:56:38Z

The gardens are looking... Riotous. Tired. I can see the end coming pretty fast now.

How about you all in the Northern Hemisphere?

#Gardening

Today was a new experience in preserving tomatoes - using Roma ...

2025-08-26T22:45:19Z

Today was a new experience in preserving tomatoes - using Roma tomatoes and basil from my garden, I did a hot water bath of jars packed with the tomatoes. That was new, as I'd previously only pressure canned.

I have a similar amount of tomatoes on the other counter ripening, so probably next week I'll be doing this all over again, and hopefully for a third time as well! I might make sauce for the second go around.

#Gardening #Harvest #Preserving #Canning

OK, makes sense! And perhaps easier to hide? My only association ...

2024-06-01T18:59:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…m6ss
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OK, makes sense! And perhaps easier to hide?

My only association w/grave robbing is Dungeons & Dragons -- and that usually is centered around 10' wide corridors! LOL

(and maybe I'm incorrectly thinking the pit is next to the ...

2024-06-01T18:51:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…4nl9
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(and maybe I'm incorrectly thinking the pit is next to the mound, instead of being in the mound itself?)

As opposed to digging straight into the grave mound? (sorry if ...

2024-06-01T18:50:55Z

In reply to nevent1q…4nl9
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As opposed to digging straight into the grave mound? (sorry if that's a dumb question, grave robbing is not my thing LOL!)

What is a robber pit? The name has obvious clues, but why would ...

2024-06-01T18:47:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…2t0z
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What is a robber pit? The name has obvious clues, but why would robbers make a pit?