Lisa, I knew you'd use your fabulous cornbread salad to lure everyone in. Thank you for that! It is a part of our tradition now and we must never be without it.

Bruce, There was one year, and I think it might have been the second year that Paula and Ken hosted, that TIm and I left just as really foul weather was moving in. As we drove down the Interstate we looked back at the skies behind us and wondered where the tornado was. It seems like somewhere in central OK there were tornado warnings that afternoon, but not specifically at Paula's and Ken's. Still, there's been some interesting years when we started out in sunshine and finished up in rapidly increasing clouds and wind. That's the thing about April in Central OK---anything can happen. We just hope that tornadoes, hail, lightning and microbursts/downbursts don't happen on the one day of the year that we all try to get together for a few hours.

Nancy, The cool thing about the Spring Fling is that you can participate very actively if you choose, or you can come, sit quietly in a lawn chair, pick up some plants, and leave quietly. We try not to push folks who are more introverted out of their comfort zones. You can be quiet. You can be rowdy. You can be more aggressive. You can be more passive. It matters not. There is a place for everyone. This is a very gentle, mellow event. Sometimes folks who are attending their first Spring Fling do sit back and watch a lot, and maybe not talk so much.....and that's fine. I bet by the second year, they're eagerly greeting others with big hugs upon their arrival and scouring the plants to see what they can find before the more rare things disappear. The difference? I guess just feeling new and unsure of things the first year and feeling more at home and eager to reunite with their far-flung 'new' family members that second year. Even non-gardening spouses, friends and family members have a good time. The non-gardening spouses find other things to talk about while we gardening maniacs run around and try to force all of our favorite plants on everyone else by insisting "Take one, you need this You'll love it."

The lunch part reminds me of every single church picnic I ever attended, and of some family reunions too. After a few years, we've settled into a fairly predictable pattern as far as who brings certain dishes, and I look foward to those special dishes every year. That doesn't mean new foods aren't welcome, but just that always having certain foods becomes a part of the tradition as well. It is like when you go to a family reunion and know you'll get to eat your grandmother's fried chicken and your Aunt Mary's potato salad and Aunt Judy's fabulous blueberry cobbler. You know that Uncle Bruce is likely to bring some meat that he cured himself and that Aunt Paula and Uncle Ken's pork is to die for! The Spring Fling isn't just about the plants and the people, but also the foods.....and the door prizes! And the laughter. And the hugs and the smiles, and getting to put faces with GW names and such. It is watching the kids and grandkids grow up, and meeting the occasional pet who accompanies their owners. (Last year we had an adorable pig in attendance!)

The sad thing is that the Spring Fling comes but once a year. However, considering how addicted we are to gardening, it is sort of amazing we can get this many people to leave their gardens for even one day....so I'm not sure we could pull it off a second time in the same year.

Over the years, you remember the people from each Spring Fling as your garden comes to life in Spring. You see the irises unfolding and the daylilies blooming, the lilacs in bloom and leafing out, the purple coneflowers and autumn sage attracting the butterflies to your garden...and you think fondly of the folks who brought and shared those plants with you, and so many more. Even when I'm alone in the garden all day, I'm not alone.....I have Lynn's Mexican feather grass from one of my very first Spring Flings, several flowers from Lisa over the years, and other flowers from other folks from many years' time. The memories of those smiling faces who took the time to bring plants and share them....that's special! It is the same with door prizes. I think of the folks who brought them whenever I see them in my garden or use them, and that makes them so special. It isn't about the things at all, though we all bring a lot of things and take home a lot of other things. It really is all about the people, and that's why we love it so much--because every year we make such wonderful memories with one another, and it truly is the memories that mean the most.

Dawn

This might seem like a strange response to the above posts, but was reading them earlier today, and actually got a little teary-eyed. It's just such a blessing when one encounters crowds of camaraderie and good will, isn't it?!!

I seem to recall Bruce being a little shy. I know no one would believe it now, but I remember!! In fact, did we have to talk him into coming? I can't say anything, I certainly was among the shyest, and I still have to force myself to be social, although I look forward to the Fling every year! It's easier now that we all know each other pretty well.

I made fresh mango salsa one year, and I am sure broccoli salad at some point, but the cornbread salad has been a requested fave for several years now. Someone brought babba gnoush one year (Mia, maybe?) SOOO good.

I need to put on my thinking cap for a door prize. Last year I already had it picked out by now!

I am a flower gardener versus a veggie gardener. I usually dig up some self seeded plants that need a new home. Probably every forum member has an echinacea in their garden from me by now :) and a few probably discovered I told them the truth about the thuggish properties of lemon balm :) I have more thuggish plants I haven't shared yet...if anyone has need of plants to take over the world...BWAHAHAHHAHA.

Lisa, just the idea of getting an echinacea is about enough to get me there! And milkweed! (I already have a thug lemon balm.) Baba gnoush--inspired! Broccoli salad was the first thing that popped into my mind, but will have to up the great idea game, I'm seeing. I'm not really terribly shy. . . just am sensitive to feeling my way and knowing my place, I'd like to think; but then could be totally clueless, too. LOL

Lisa, I believe that the way Bruce tells the story is that y'all "made" him join the Forum and come to his first Spring Fling, and I'm so glad you did! I'm very shy too and have to force myself to mingle. Really, once you know people, it isn't that hard, but the first one a person attends can be quite intimidating. In fact, it is really easy to get bogged down in a conversation with several people and the time flies by and then you have to rush around trying to find and talk with everyone else before people start leaving. It always seems like time flies by in the blink of an eye when we're all together and then I'm looking at folks getting in cars leaving and thinking "Nooooo! It's too soon. I don't want for it to end." Of course, that's how a great event always should end---with everyone wishing it didn't have to end.

Bring on the thuggish plants!! They are the ones that laugh at summers with 90 straight days over 100 degrees and no rain to speak of. I love them for that reason. One person's Garden Thug is another person's good, old reliable plant that can survive anything! I am grateful for every thug in my garden because those are the plants that never say die.

Dawn

I wished it wasn't so far up there. With all the trips I've made to the city( it's all city to me up there) with my elbows and hands surgeries, I don't think wild horses could drag me up there. It's a 380 mile round trip and just wears me out to think about it.

I actually have my DW drive me up there for the dr appt. Holding anything for an extended time is just too uncomfortable, steering wheels included.

Lisa, I might have trouble getting Al there if it weren't for Ken, Tim and cornbread salad. I am in for the potty fund, door prize, and pot luck, but I don't have one seed planted. Going back to school after 200 years is a little hard, so I have been busy. I'll be through with math by then, and next semester shouldn't be so hard. I guess I'll be there begging for tomato plants and peppers. Paula, thanks for doing this again.

Rumors of my shyness, may or may not have been greatly exaggerated!

The story of Paula and Lisa ganging up on me when I joined the OGN Facebook group is true, but may have been embellished a little! Looking back, I think they figured I needed all the help I can get, maybe? They definitely made the right call if that's the case. The friendships, camaraderie and growth as a gardener has made it worthwhile!

The wife is looking forward to SF as much as I am, but I can't decide if it's the food, the friends or the fact she wants me to be on my best behavior?

I'm currently researching and trying to develop an enabler resistant compound. Can't decide on whether to go with a topical or spray, although a pill or inoculation might not be out of the question? It's very likely I'm completely wasting my time, since the best/worst enablers will likely become resistant and adapt, much like all of the plants that have become resistant to glyphosate over the last few decades. I the meantime I've learned to recognize that verbal enticement is just the start, I've identified a few other sneaky methods that will be divulged at a later time.

Until I can develop the compound, I'll suggest usage of phrases like 'Thanks, but No Thanks', 'I really don't know where I'd put it', 'I already have all the varieties I want to try this year', 'I really don't know anything about growing those', and my personal favorite, 'My spouse will kill me if I bring anymore plants home'! Be prepared, because this group has some enablers with highly specialized skills that are so fine-tuned the average unsuspecting gardener never knew hit them. For each of the phrases, I could offer some insight as to what to expect, but since I plan on profiting from this effort, I don't want to give away what may turn out to be trade secrets I can use in advertising once I get this thing going.

Robert, Oh wow, that would be a really long trip for you. It is a lot less for us---straight up the interstate so it is pretty quick too.

So you're not yet healed from all the surgeries and still are having to go to doctor's appointments? I bet this really has been cramping your style.

Carol, Don't worry about plants. The rest of us will bring plants! We just want to see you and Al! I am sure there will be plenty of tomato and pepper plants for you to haul home. We always have far too many. And I don't believe it has been 200 years since you last were in school prior to this new go-round. I think maybe it just feels like it has been 200 years.

Can I brag about Austin? Hey y'all, Carol and Al's grandson, Austin, was just awarded a 4-year college scholarship. I'll leave the details for Carol to share if she chooses, but I know his grandparents and parents must be incredibly proud! Congrats, Austin!

Bruce, I think Paula and Lisa figured we all needed your help, not the other way around.

I'm glad that Janet is looking forward to the SF too. Maybe her reasons are a combination of all three?

Just give up on developing an Enabler Resistant Compound. There is no such thing, and no need for such a thing. Remember, Jay always says it is a problem only if you think it is a problem....and I doubt there is a single one of us who views acquiring more plants or seeds as any sort of problem. Jay's famous last words for years now still crack me up: "I can quit any time I want to." I believe the implication is that he doesn't want to. I feel the same way. In my garden, the more the merrier, and if it gets too crowded, then a person always can enlarge the garden or just plant more in containers. Lots more containers.

A person can avoid taking home too many plants. It is easy. Just spend all your time talking to folks and avoid even LOOKING at the plants. Because, you know, if you so much as glance at the plants, you'll see they are like new puppies, begging to go home with you. It is the looking that gets us in trouble because we cannot ignore precious little puppies, uh plants, wagging their tails and begging for a new home. If you don't look at the plants, you won't take home approximately 78 new plants that need to be planted the next day. Well, unless someone sneaks some into your car for you. Friends are the best enablers, even when you do not wish to be enabled.

Dawn

Well, so much for that idea! ERC went over about as well as trying to form the Onions Anonymous group, last year. I finally gave up on that one, after not one single member of this forum wanted to support the effort!

Dawn, the scenario you describe is accurate in every detail except for the 'easy' part. In fact, I'd say it's virtually impossible! I could walk in blindfolded and all it takes is to overhear 'Oh look, there's 'such and such' variety of 'whatever' and I'm going to look! Either it's a variety I've thought about trying, or I've never heard of it and I want to know more about it! For any newcomers, you'll find this to be true and will in fact be subjected to many, many other tactics!

All joking aside, I almost always have more fun growing gifted plants than the ones I carefully pick out each year! My goal has always been to trial or experiment until I find a decent sized list of good reliable varieties and then just set back and go with those every year. As I'm typing this, I realize that sounds like it would be the most boring way anyone could possibly garden! So, all you enablers, bring it!

I certainly wouldn't wish it on anybody (not having the time or a place to start their own), but the more that show up the easier it is too resist and leave all those poor little orphan plants on the table for someone that will give them a home!

Bruce, See, the Onions Anonymous group didn't work because of what Jay said--it is only a problem if we think it is a problem, and clearly all of us think it is perfectly normal to grow 4 to 5 (or more) times as many onions as we need. And also tomatoes, peppers, etc. There is no cure for this grow-it-all-in-excess disease that we have.

Okay, to keep you from acquiring too many plants, we need to tie a blindfold over your eyes, put ear plugs in your ears, tie your hands behind your back, and then Janet can lead you around on a leash and you can smile and nod and pretend you know what is going on, but you won't be able to acquire any plants because you won't be able to see them, hear us talking about them, or pick them up. This is the perfect solution!

Let's face it because some people (I'm not naming names or pointing fingers at anyone) start too many plants from seed, we'll always have tons of orphan plants seeking homes. There's years this really has paid off---like when an April disaster, usually weather-related,but sometimes maybe a problem caused by a spouse or a neighbor using herbicides, wipes out someone's garden and they need more plants. I just think of all those plant orphans at the SF as being all of us doing our part to make the gardening world a better place---whether we're bring plants to the SF, taking home plants from the SF, or doing both. If it helps someone whose garden has experienced a disaster, then so much the better. If it helps someone who has space for 3 more plants and takes home 9 more, well then.....we're just doing what enablers do.

Dawn

Dawn, thanks for the nice words but this time it isn't a grandson, but you will recognize who it is. My name is Carol and I do have a grandson named Austin, but he is older than this one. The post you saw was not my Austin, but I would gladly claim this one. Austin's mothers name is Carol and his father is Johnny, the brother of Gary, our special son-in-law that died. When he died our granddaughter was 16, and our grandson was turning 13 the following day. Aspen is a junior in college, and Gage is still in highschool, but they get a call from Uncle Johnny every night. He has been a fantastic Uncle to my grandchildren. This Austin is the oldest son of Johnny and Carol, and I am proud of any success this family might have. Next year Aspen and her cousin Austin will be in the same college.

Nancy, you may not get an answer to your question because we don't post exact locations on the web. A personal email will be sent out a couple of weeks before the Spring Fling, but it is close to Norman if that helps.

That's perfect--I just wondered about the general location. :)

Oh, Carol, I remember Gary and Johnny too. I was confusing Austin with Gage, and I was trying to figure out how Gage grew up so fast....but then, Aspen's in college, so I just thought more years had flown by than I thought. Well, I'm proud of Austin too and he is practically your family too since he is related to Gar.! That's an awesome scholarship, and it is great to see success coming for any/all members of the family after what you all went through when Gary was so ill. Aspen is doing awfully well herself. I follow her progress in college via things you post or comment about on FB. She is so beautiful and so smart and accomplished, and shows a lot of great leadership qualities as well. I wish Gary was here to see how well all the kids are doing....but I am sure he knows anyway. It is terrific that Uncle Johnny has maintained such close contact with Aspen and Gage, and it is even more cool that Aspen and Austin will be at college together next year. I think that is pretty special. Of course, she's an upperclassman and he'll be a freshman so she might have to torture him a little bit now and then, but only in fun.

After all the pain and suffering, losing Gary and all the grieving that comes along with that, it is so great to see all the "children" growing up to be such fine young adults. They certainly aren't kids any more. Sometimes a painful loss like that sends people down the wrong path in trying to deal with their grief, but that hasn't happened with your family and Gary's family. You must be so very proud.

Nancy, They're in a great location that is centrally located in the state. More will be revealed, as Carol mentioned, privately later on in emails to protect our host and hostess's privacy.

Beautifully said, Dawn. Carol, we have that in common. Blessings to you.

I am thrilled and excited about coming to the SF. . . and today thought of two great door prizes. Isn't it fun, thinking of a fun door prize? Here's the thing. With the particular passionate interests in my life, I've had so very few friends with similar interests. I have great friends, many of whom go back 50 or even 60 years, but very few who care about gardening; or art; or quilting; or. . . LOL, classical music (now THAT one IS a stretch!). It is SUCH a gift to find people--good and kind people--who DO share at least one of those. I told GDW today that I put it on the calendar and I had to do it (I googled the general directions and it's about 160 miles--I can do that, but not once a week. :) ME the person who never wants to leave my house even to go get groceries). He just laughed. Then when I told him my brilliant idea for one of the door prizes, he laughed even harder. He's such a good guy.

And tomorrow, dinner is meatloaf and cornbread salad. Never heard of it, never wanted to hear of it. . . but as soon as you all brought it up, had to google it. Sounds yummy and it's what's for dinner tomorrow!

Nancy I can't wait to meet to you and your GDW. It is an easy straight shot for me too. And wouldn't miss it for anything.

Likewise, Kim! In fact, I had to laugh--I thought of you when I was looking a mileage--noted that it looked like it's about the same distance for you. And an easy shot for Dawn--then thought of the folks by Tahlequah. I am so amazed I'm beginning to know a few towns in the state! Fun. And Amy. . . one of my new daughters lives in Owasso; and our doctor was in Owasso. (He just retired last year.) Owasso's a bustling and busy place, huh.

Nancy it's really about 270 for me: 0

But I drive to Denton all the time so it's easy for me. When I lived in the city I thought going 10 miles out of the way was terribly inconvenient. Ha. Now I drive 100 miles without blinking just to get organic produce. My family in Denton still make silly comments like " why are you going this way it's 2 miles longer?" I just laugh or growl depending on how many times I have heard it that particular visit. Last year I drove to and from same day with my little man. He had the best time at the garden pahty

Oh! I wasn't too far off--just 100 miles. LOL I can identify with the city living mindset v country. My Wyoming roots meant having the driving attitude you have now. When I lived in Mpls, I felt abused if I had to drive 15 miles to get somewhere.

The difference is 15 miles in traffic or 100 miles of interstate. I would rather drive 50 miles to Bartlesville than 20 miles to south Tulsa. I hate south Tulsa. OKC terrifies me. I figured out in my 40s that traffic gave me anxiety and decided to avoid it unless absolutely necessary. I would drive 5 minutes longer taking the back roads to work rather than mess with crazy expressways.

This time I will make DH drive to the Spring Fling and save my sanity.

I love Owasso. When we first moved here the grocery store, Walmart, the doctor and the dentist were within half a mile of the house. The town has grown a lot. Walmart became Super Walmart and may be what I avoid most in town now.

Exactly. I would much rather drive the 100 miles to Lubbock than 5 miles in Denton.

Yes. . . I lived in smack dab in Mpls for 30 years and had no trouble driving in the city, but never enjoyed the freeways. I avoid Tulsa just because I don't like to leave home. Muskogee's only 25 miles, and it's easy to get to Lowe's, so we generally go there instead of north. However, also have a daughter in Pryor. That's an easy drive. . . and granddaughter in Bixby--again, easy drive.

Good grief I got behind on this one! Don't you people work or garden or something?

I'll be fine at SF without handcuffs, blindfolds or whatever evil scheme Dawn came up with! My vehicle will be locked, so that should make it tougher for one of our most devious enablers to pry their trade. And if I feel like things will get too out of hand, I may get really creative when it comes to a covered dish!

I really think all of this discussion just proves how excited and impatient some of us are and can't wait to get together again!

And to think, next to soil management patience is the one thing I stress in the FB groups!

Bruce, Oh buddy, watch out. You haven't seen evil scheming yet. I am rolling on the floor laughing......

And, pray tell, in the FB groups, who among us is practicing good soil management? It seems like everyone pretty much just goes out and buys soil or compost, which isn't what I think of when I think of soil management. Where are the people who break their health trying to amend crappy soil like most of us here do????? Where's the pain, the suffering, the blisters, the achy, breaky backs and shoulders and hands? And, patience? We ain't got time for no stinkin' patience.

Now, just because I didn't want to start a thread and make it all about me and my tomatoes, I'll throw this out there as special, rambling content that really does not relate to the Spring Fling at all: the pitiful, sad, certainly diseased Better Boy plant I bought in the big black pot with the trellis thing at Wal-Mart about 2 months ago produced its first three tomatoes today. We ate two of them for dinner. We had BLTs. The tomatoes were pretty small, probably because the plant is so sickly and also because I grew them indoors in a south-facing window instead of carrying them outside and in again on warm days for two months. Still, we got three BLTs out of them---2 for Tim and 1 for me. March 14th beats our earliest BLT date from last year by 3 or 4 weeks. The tomatoes were yummy, but not as yummy as tomatoes that come from a summer garden. Still, they were better than grocery store tomatoes, which we don't buy and don't eat. Now, Bruce, if the thought of Tim and I eating our first fresh tomatoes isn't torturing you, I don't know any other way to torture you long-distance.

Dawn

I tend to measure distances in time rather than mileage. Time is more valuable to me. I've planted plenty of thyme this year though ;)

It's only about a forty five minute drive for me.

LOL! That's how I can get more time!! Need more time.

We'll, darn. I probably won't get to come again this year. My grandson's birthday party is scheduled for that day. What time do we usually have this? I've only been able to come once and can't remember the time. Maybe it'll work out somehow that I can do both. I had such fun at my first one! I got some lemon balm (yep, it's a thug, but I just divide and gift it), mucho nachos and quite a few other plants. I loved putting faces to names. The people on this forum are wonderful!

I don't remember the time either. Last year I left home at 3 and got home well very late. I also had my little man so we stopped regularly

Several of us have a distance to travel. I am in Grove, so at least 3 hours for me. Since we once lived a few miles from there, we know the way and kind of take some shortcuts.

Dawn, it's all good. Gage has one more year of high school and he is a 'brain' as well. I didn't buy plants as early or as large as you did, but since I haven't planted anything, I thought I would buy a few at Atwoods and have a little head start. It was warm last week and I was able to put them outside during the day. On Thursday afternoon when I left for Tulsa, I didn't even need a jacket so I didn't remember to bring them inside before I left for school. We had a big hail storm while I was gone and 2 of the 3 got beat up pretty badly. How many times have I talked about covering things because of a hail threat and then it didn't happen.....well this time it was the reverse. We are having a cold week so my poor little plants are having to stay inside anyway.

You guys are early planners. I have no idea what food to bring to the Fling.

Don't we usually start around 11 am? Though some folks arrive a little earlier and help Ken and Paula set up any last-minute details? That sounds about right. Then we eat around noon, I am guessing? Then plant gathering, talking, plant gathering, door prizes, plant gathering, admiring Paula's garden and more plant gathering. Then comes the frantic last session of everyone trying to foist off leftover plants on everyone else so Ken and Paula won't get stuck with too, too many leftovers.

Carol, Wow, so Gage is about to finish school too. How the years do fly by!

I didn't know y'all had hail. It sure is early for that. I agree that we all have covered plants for hail many times only to have the hail miss us. I cannot believe it got your plants. I hope they bounce back quickly.

The nights have been cold lately so I have carried everything in at night. Today begins a nice warming trend though, so I think now I can just carry everyhing into the greenhouse and leave it there at night. I'm still having trouble with the chickens thinking the greenhouse is there for them to explore, so I guess I'll hang bird netting across the doors to keep them out while the doors are open. Otherwise, it will be the Greenhouse Cafe' and my plants will be devoured. This is the worst, most unruly flock of chickens we've ever had. They thing every green plant we have is meant to be devoured, and I keep telling them that the kale in the garden is not for them. I have to be really careful going in and out of the garden gate because they try to slip in right behind me and hide in the honeysuckle until I walk far enough away from the gate that I won't notice them working their way down a garden path. If I forget to close the gate, then I spend the next ten minutes chasing chickens out of the garden.

I don't know how I'm going to keep the leftover tomato plants safe from the chickens until it is time to take the plants to the Spring Fling. These chickens are just so bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.

Dawn

If Dawn brings a dish with chicken we'll know what happened.

Still laughing about the bad, bad chickens! I'm still battling the other half on having my own small flock. I'll win, it may just take a while!

A few years ago, a friend of mine wanted to put in a tomato garden in order to donate tomatoes to the local food bank. I gave him a little over 50 big healthy plants to help out. All the plants were in the ground and growing like crazy when his chickens found a way to breach his fenced garden. Bare nubs and a few signs of green were all that remained after the invasion.

He scrambled and found more plants, but I think his heart was no longer in it and the effort never went forward.

Dawn, my statement about stressing soil management was in fact ill worded! I do try to push soil management in the FB groups, but all too often it's like tossing water balloons at one of the recent wildfires!

I hereby formally give in on the evil scheming thing. While I can hold my own, it requires a lot of energy that may be needed for gardening! And said energy seems to becoming more difficult to find, lately!

Occasionally the question will come up in the FB groups asking what is the single most important thing a new gardener needs to know? The importance of learning about soil is and always will be my answer! Shortly after that the train runs off the tracks with all the important but still secondary aspects of gardening that come flooding in...

When questions come up about buying so called garden mix, I cringe. If or when I engage, I always ask a few questions in a effort to see what their resources are, to see if they have access to what we know are better options.

On the rare occasion I find a receptive gardener that will listen, they often are amazed at what they can do, simply by applying a little elbow grease and gathering up leaves, pine straw, rotted wood, wood chips, old rotted hay or manure (cautions always provided on the last two).

I made a comment on there about how much work it was to get soil to an ideal level and someone replied that I must not be a very good gardener. He just started last year and didn't have any issues, so adding amendments can't be very important.

And my personal favorite: I don't have time to weed, so what's the best way to get rid of bermuda?

lol lol lol

We don't kill bad chickens, we just yell at them. They are just like dogs and cats---when you yell at them, they do known that they are being yelled at because they are being bad and so they run off and pretend to be interested in something else so that they're not caught red-handed in the garden eating plants. They won't even make eye contact because they know you're on to them.

I agree that stressing soil mgmt is often ignored----people want easy answers, quick fixes....not something that requires blood, sweat and tears. You can scream and jump up and down and holler about it, but it goes in one ear and out the other. Some gardeners never ever seem to learn that it all starts with the soil.

Give that person time. He'll learn. Cocky first-year gardeners can be very annoying because they're still in the stage where they think they know everything. It takes them a few years to learn how little they know!

Backing up a few posts...

I thought the so called plant gathering was called plant pushing. Cause when I am at the tables admiring all the love and hard work and comment these are beautiful I never heard of such and such someone always says here take one and one of these etc and next thing you know I walk away with eyes glazed like a donut and looking for a box or 2

Paula, we will miss it this year, but I wanted to drop by the thread and say hello and thank you all again for always being such great hosts! Krista and Chad

Krista - (and Chad) we (I) will miss you too!!! Seriously - the last month I've been telling Ken "I'm so proud!!! LOOK! The Kalanchoe is still alive!!! I've got to show Krista how it's thrived!!!!" and then - in response to his puzzled gaze I say your screen name and he knows. Your gift from last year is truly a personal accomplishment. You'll be missed this year but please, stay close..."remember your roots"! LOL!!!!

And Carol (soonergrandmom) - I just so happen to have several extra tomatoes and peppers starts (CP toms, Big Jims, Marconi's....what else?) that are among your faves so I'll pitch in to fill your garden too. This group always comes thru with plants when life takes them away so no fears there!

Yep, we seriously are going to need to have a separate thread for all the wishes and arranged trades......now is this a GREAT place to be or what?!?!

This is a great place for sure.

Well, it's official. I can't come this year. The birthday party is at 1:00. Smack dab in the middle of the Fling. I had an awesome door prize to bring, too! Maybe someone has already brought it, but if not, I bought myself a garden kneeler. I know some of you have them. I've only used it once (first time was yesterday), but I got a lot of cleanup done and am not needing my chiropractor, lol! Fairly inexpensive at $20. I got it at Lowe's. I thought it would make a great prize. If you have back problems like I do, you might consider getting one...or someone else could bring it as a prize! Y'all have fun! I'll live vicariously, lol!

Paula, I am so excited the plant is still alive! I fly in from Chicago the day of the fling and we are supposed to land in OKC around 2...if everything runs on time I may drive by on my way home and say hello.

Was there supposed to be a couple of other chats created for wants and wishes, and who all was going?

I'm sure when the time comes, our gracious host will start the traditional topics.

Yes, it seems too early now. If she starts that thread too early, it gets to where it is 150 or 200 or more entries and it just goes on and on and on forever.

I understand. Some of the regular posts on this forum can get pretty lengthy too.

I'm pretty excited about the spring fling. I'm just getting started on my flower garden, but my plan is to fill my front yard. My super hot peppers are very tiny and I'm afraid I may not get much out of them this year. I don't have an appropriate place to over winter them if I wanted to try that.

So I'm hoping to find some nice perennial flowers and maybe some larger hot peppers plants. Can't wait to pick some more experienced brains as well.

Our monthly planting/harvest thread does get really lengthy, especially at this time of the year. I think maybe it was last year that the Spring Fling thread about who's bringing what got so long that eventually someone started another one, so we had two---the older one and the younger one. Right now, the end of April seems to far away, but with everyone getting busy with their gardens, I bet the time will fly right by. I'm getting worried about how I'll be able to hold pepper and tomato plants until the end of April in their cups and keep them happy for that long---this heat is making everything grow like crazy.

Yay, Spring! I just popped on to post a question and saw this thread - so exciting! I've marked it on the calendar and will make a note that baba ganoush was well-received before. Look forward to seeing all the gardening folks!

The spring fling date this year is GREAT. No interference with a
fun cycling option. Paula, thanks for coordinating this with Bill. :)

Kim, holler if you need a place to stay, but I am a bit further north now. I do have beds (two twins) in my guest room. :)

No plants to share... since they are still at the house I sold... but I will figure something out for sure.

Comfrey, Dawn, would you share some with me again?

Moni

Yay Moni is here !♡♡♡

I was about to put out apb for you. I have been checking all corners of gw.

I am not sure when and how I am coming but Thank you for the offer. You may need some irises too;) So excited to see you.