A spring surprise for me! I bought 3 Lenten Roses at the Joplin Lowe's last fall and plunked them in the ground at the back of the lot. I forgot about them til yesterday and guess what? They are in bloom! Pretty dark rose and white. I do have some other shrubs that didn't make it thru but spring is on the way!!

Yesterday was so nice. I was outside a little but didn't think to check my Lenten Rose. You reminded me Mary so I will look today.

I didn't have good luck when I planted Candy onions and need to try again. Mine were really small but I'm sure I put them out too late.
I bought "Mayan Sweet" onions at Price Cutter recently and they are (I think) the sweetest onions I've ever had, better than Vidalias. I don't know if it's a cultivar name but would love to know. There's a little pinkish cast to the skins and sort of dome shaped on the root end. I was making sautéed onions and portabella mushrooms with a little soy sauce and butter. It tasted like I had put sugar in there.

I was not at all disappointed when I looked outside this morning and there was no snow.

Well nevermind, I looked up Mayan Sweet onions and it appears that both those and Vidalias are 'Yellow Granex' onions. The ones I bought must've had ideal growing conditions, very large and sweet.

The weatherman kept saying the cold was coming and there would be a big drop in temperature. I let Beau stay in because the wind was kind of scary last night, but today looks beautiful to me. Now the weatherman says 50 today. I can do 50 with sun. The forecast looks great.

I am glad the hellebores are working out for everyone. I think I bought some from Lowes last year and I forget where I put them. I know one is in a pot. My garden needs to be cleaned up. Nothing looks good now.

Christy before Glenda told me about Candy onions, I couldn't grow big onions. They don't last for me but I get lots of them eaten before they rot. My friend even commented they are as mild as an apple. I think I need to study how to dry them properly.

I am coming your house for dinner.

Christie, don't give up on the Candy onions. Mine get big as softballs and you can eat them like apples.

I have my plants but won't plant them for a couple of weeks.

Helen, I just tossed the rest of mine. They lasted a good 5-6 months for me. My Sis tells me to store them after drying them off and letting them cure in a warm place (outside shed for me)in a paper grocery bag. I am going to do that next year for sure.

When I see some beginning to sprout,I dice or slice and freeze them on cookie sheets and then peel them off into a gallon freezer bag. They are still great for sauteing, or soups or stews, just not on burgers as fresh onions.

Check Dixondale's website for tips on growing and storing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Onions

Glenda how do you hold your onions plants for two weeks. Mine are in bundles and I am afraid if I don't plant them, they will decline. I have potting mix I could plant them in little cups but there are lots of them.

Helen, I just open up the box, leave them in a very cool place (my milk barn ) where it doesn't freeze. I don't water or anything. They get pretty sorry looking sometimes but they come out of it. That is Dixondale's advice...I think they say take them out of the box but I don't....just leave the flaps open.

My basement is coolish but nothing outside stays above freezing. Do you fertilize like Dixondale says - something with a high middle number. Where do you get that? I have some timed release fertilizer but it is more balanced. I think the middle number is phosphorus.