The high winds last week took down my overwintering hoop tunnel for me. I need to take it down anyway. Underneath it was henbit ,of course , but some nice overwintered spinach and lettuce which I harvested before it bolts. Overwintered onions planted from sets last fall looking good, beets that got froze from the polar plunge but are making a comeback, mustard greens got totally fried , Parnips are about a foot tall and making roots. Trying to clean out some space for the spring planting of green peas , spring greens , more spinach , lettuce, Etc . The cole crops , .brocolli , califlower , cabbage. All things cool season needs to go in as soon as possible. Potatoes and onions are already in.

This is at the O garden ,over east.

HU ( Rick)

\

Did everyone except HU and Moni sleep in? And me. I didn't. I hope you all are okay. Do any of you work cryptograms? I never have, but took a look at one today. Might be something fun to get into.

How much rain have you all gotten? Us, just enough to keep us from working outside. Rains lightly every couple hours. I will say that it's perfect for the greens I transplanted into my deck containers. But I see 80-100% chance of rain this afternoon. And it's hovering near 55 degrees. Yes, a good day to tend to indoor plants, and sow some more seeds in here--the ones I got from Pinetree, finally.

Garry successfully built two new seat cushions for the back of the boat after someone stole the originals. Weird. . . so weird. I thought it would be a disaster, but helped him order the foam and vinyl, and he got plywood from town. I was totally wrong--the cushions look like a million $$! So just now when I was checking the upcoming weather forecast, Tuesday looks perfect for getting out on the lake--77, partly cloudy, winds 12 mph.

Have a good time in New Mexico, Moni! Meantime, like HU, I have to get cool season stuff in--priority time.

YAY! I was so disappointed; I think I mentioned I was having trouble with tomatoes not germinating. The only two I REALLY wanted--Egg Yolk and Jersey Giant Paste--finally germinated yesterday! I am so excited! I was nervous after you said you'd had problems with Egg Yolk, Megan. So now all's right with the world.

I was saying on FB that our Great Horned owls are back. We had one show up a few years ago. It sat atop the fence overlooking our raised beds. They do look so big! I had the back yard floodlight turned off by the power company last fall because of light pollution concerns (insects and birds) and because I resented not being able to see the stars. So hearing the owls last night--distinctly two of them and they were very near. I was very happy about that.

Nancy, I slept in. I have an achy back after my first COVID vaccine yesterday, so I didn’t want to get up. I eventually forced myself out of bed and onto the treadmill. That combined with some ibuprofen and I’m feeling about 90%. I’m still a little sore but nothing that will keep me down, just slowed down.

Yesterday was a slow day for me. There was a chance of rain and it looked like it could start any minute so i didn’t want to get too deep into any projects or outdoor work. Of course, it didn’t ever rain. I did get a few odds and ends done though, including moving some wire shelves to the patio so I have a place to move my seedlings outdoors on nice days. We finally got some rain, 1/2”, overnight. We’ve been having drizzle and sprinkles for a couple days but last nights rain was the first we’ve had that’s measurable.

Until it’s time to transplant warm season, I’ll be working more like a landscaper than gardener. To help facilitat, we’re off to Harbor Freight to pick up a garden cart followed by a trip into midtown OKC (north of downtown) for a stop at Pie Junkie to celebrate Pi Day.

For those folks in the Tulsa area, the Tulsa Master Gardeners plant sale is an order online and drive-thru pickup event this year. I’m trying to talk myself out of it - that’s quite a drive - but I’m concerned about getting some of the annuals I want because my favorite garden shop was forced to move and they don’t expect to be open until mid-April. And that’s best case. Anyhow. If you want to go buy out the master gardeners so there’s nothing left for me, that would make the decision easier. Here’s a link. https://www.tulsamastergardeners.org/classes-and-events-2/master-gardener-plant-sale-1.html

Something got me riffling thru picks on my phone and here are a couple before/after picks of my yard. Unfortunately, the afters are the bad ones. WIPs and all. Oh, and a couple pics of my g’g’grandmothers dafs in full bloom.

I didn't even go to bed last night, but you can bet that I will tonight. I stayed up after Madge went to bed and played with seeds and potting soil, and catnapped in the recliner. I still have a few seeds to start, but don't want to run out of room on the light shelf.

I checked the onion sets that I planted last fall, they are coming up, but I doubt that I will get a good stand because I had forgotten planting them till I tilled the area and saw the bulbs.

We are getting heavy rain now, even sounds like it may have a little hail in it. It is so wet here it may never dry out.

I have playing in potting soil today and yesterday. Took my little grand daughter to a shop my daughter works at once a week. Sweet people. They sent me home with a flat of lettuce sown by my Lillie, 3 pots of thyme, 1 pot of spearmint, 1 pot of purple Sage, 1 nasturtium and 12 strawberries.
It was quite an event everyone wore a mask even though we technically don’t have to. Spider man even showed up.
Today I am potting up and planting my stackable planters. So much fun in the sun.

Moni I bet that was a chore moving that tree.

In the coming back alive world my pear, goji berry, peach and elderberry are leafing out. And raspberry

I ordered some plants from Tulsa Master Gardener's sale. You pick them up in April!

Bought my mother of the bride outfit yesterday, so, golly, 3 new outfits and none came from Walmart. I have to find a fancy party to wear this out fit to after the wedding, it's a shame to only wear it once. It's slacks with a glittery top and jacket. Not something to wear to spring fling...

We went to Cracker Barrel Friday night for dinner. Ron pushed me around the mall in the wheel chair, so he was tired and I was tired and we needed fish for Friday during lent.

Rebecca, my Arp is fine, in a pot, with hardly any soil around it. Surely yours is ok.

Nancy, pm me about ortho surgeons.

I love that you have great horned owls. They have babies now, I wonder where the nest is.

HU, you're so unperturbed about the hoop house! Did the wind do any damage? Is this in Okmulgee or H/J's?

Larry, you must sleep. I tend to go to sleep in the recliner and go to bed after my first bathroom trip of the night.

I have to laugh, we had a video chat with the minister from my dad's church today. They're going to do a memorial service on You Tube. So my cat wants to sit on my lap and rub her head against my hand, which makes the tablet move. Then she goes and walks across the dining room table which is not allowed but worse, all kinds of stuff from my dad's apartment is there for her to knock off or step on. I really feel for all

of you who have been working from home.

Love you all.

I spent the day with some sort of stomach grudge...not anything horrible, just felt more like bed sounded better than food most time. I'm feeling better at the moment.

I started two more packets of seeds yesterday (balloon flower and chimney bellflower (new for me..never even heard of this one)) which I'm sure got well watered in last night and today.

I did make a fruit pizza this afternoon (had to..or my fresh fruits would go off), and take about 1/3 to my aunt and uncles across town). Due to how I felt, I just left them a plate on porch and drove back home. Even in my food ambivalent state, it tasted pretty good.

I have a forecast break in the rain tomorrow, and then three more days of rain, and then 34F (lol).

3 compost piles. I think I will combine the first 2, they are not ready but close enough. I will continue to build the 3rd pile for next years use. I still have a lot of scrap to scoop up around the hay rings.

The south half of the south garden. Showing the onions planted a week or two ago, onions and garlic planted last fall, the carrots planted last fall, which is a flop, I have never been able to grow a good carrot. You can also see the collards planted last fall, which are about ready to bolt. You can see part of the beets just over the collards. They are also a flop, the row is full of henbit. The deer seem to hate the henbit as much as I do, but they reach in and pick the leaves off the beets. The only times I have grown good beets I had to have a fence to keep the deer out.

The north half of the south garden. I hate the henbit, but plan to leave it as long as I can for the pollinators. The north garden looks like this also, but wetter. Don't pay any attention to the time, I can see well enough to set in on the camera. The picture was taken about an hour ago.

Nancy, I used to do cryptograms all the time. I've always loved word puzzles.

The Coney I-Lander in Tulsa has a cryptogram posted every day. Not the A equals B, just the ones where all the letters are scrambled. When my co worker & I would go eat, it was a challenge to see who figured it out first.

Wow--I've never been to the Coney I-Lander! When we're out and about again, we definitely need a stop there. The list is growing: The fancy steak place, Mahogany; the best place to get gyros, Coney I-Lander, that great little Thai place in the strip mall where they have the best spring rolls!; . . . Siegi's. Boy oh boy. . . I am so hungry.

Speaking of hungry--I've been on a roll. Garry has loved the past four dishes I've sprung on him--all new things, not his usual meat and potatoes. Last night was a cornbread/ground beef casserole with ranch-style beans and Rotel tomatoes; then there was the divine white chicken chili thickened with masa harina (or cornmeal); taco soup; and hamburger soup. Neither Garry nor I like beef stew. I know that's crazy. But I DID remember liking my mother's hamburger soupl five or so decades ago. So I made one--it had the mirepoix, plus peas and corn. HEALTHY! He (and i) loved it.

Fruit pizza--sounds tasty. I've never made one. We never have that much fruit at a time. Maybe when we have company I'll remember to fix one. Sounds perfect for a brunch.

Okay, so much for the food.

Larry, the garden looks amazing! And so does the compost! It certainly LOOKS like the work of a hard core gardener.

Kim and Amy, am somewhat envious of you with your grandbabies. They are both adorable. And you're turning yours into a gardener from the get-go, Kim. Love the photos.

HJ, still laughing about our mutual difficulties with mail, AND the fact that a slightly used packet of Ashe County peppers showed up.

This cryptogram stuff takes a bit of background learning, it appears, Jen. But I think it will be fun. My DIL in Mpls introduced me to Wordscapes a couple years ago. and I played it for months. It was sort of addicting. lol

My new great thing today. Beefsteak tomato finally decided to germinate. NOW I have 100% germination on tomatoes and peppers. In fact, everything I planted must have been super easy, because everything has germinated. Potting them up is going to be problematic, to say the least. Not so much the tomatoes--but the peppers! Aggh.

I just now saw your post, Megan. Weird. But this is funny. As you were talking about what you'd be doing in the yard, I thought, "I wish she'd post some pics so we'd have an idea. . . and voila! There the pictures are! I'll have to go look at them on the big computer.

I came out on the deck to visit with GDW and maybe pot some stuff up, but it's too windy, and it's only, hmmm, says 68. But it's a too-windy 68. I'm going to go down to the back and see if I can detect life in the paw paw trees, and then back into the house.

Houzz has been acting squirelly for me all week. Id comment more but it’s still being difficult so no telling when this post will appear.

Yeah, Megan, I thought I was all done reading past where your post popped up. It wasn't there yesterday... WEIRD.

I planted these:

Those were both buggers for me last year, Moni. I cold-stratified them first, even. Please let me know if you get results? I finally ended up with half a dozen of the aquilegia. I see one sturdy one out front, and one smaller. I hope the others are out there but we'll see.

Nancy, these aren't seeds and shouldn't require stratitifcation, those are the packs from Lowes (or other big box stores). Your mileage will vary from year to year, or from however they've been stored.

I've seen cases where it SEEMED they were leftover from last year (ie dead due to dessication,etc).

Oh, I see!

We're waiting for it to get just a little warmer, then we'll head for the lake.

I like cryptograms. When we got the paper (no longer subscribe), I used to do the cross word every morning and if really lazy, the cryptogram after. I can remember, Mark used to sit on my lap and watch Sesame Street, while I did the crossword.

I missed Megan's post, too, but you'll note I DID buy from them, and one thing was liatris, lol.

Ron wants to plant potatoes. I don't have the energy.

I need to find my watering can which got taken outside before the wind. I need to water indoor plants.

Amy, if it was like here...your watering can may be in the next county.
Sunday, I watched a beach ball bounce/blow over the 4 foot high picket fence of a house, cross the five lane highway, and enter the fenced yard of the house on the other side of the street. I doubt it stopped there either...

A couple days before I stepped out of the house and was in a dust and leaves tornado...yes, a dust-devil, but one large enough to encompass my whole front yard. I watched it slink away down the street. People on NextDoor reported greenhouses and trampolines missing from their yards.

I didn’t get outside to enjoy the weather today as much as I would have liked. It was still a bit chilly during the slow part of my day. Then when it warmed up, I was slammed with work. I called it quits as soon as possible after 5 and once I got dinner going in the oven, headed to the backyard to work on the potterville relocation. The October ice storm took out my remaining Bradford adding sun to a formerly shady part of the yard. So the mineral tub garden, “potterVille” is being moved.

I accomplished more than expected in the time I had. Unfortunately, bermuda had grown in over so much of the mulch that I didnt have a lot of mulch to remove. Our privacy fence blew down along that section of the yard last summer. Between the temporary fence, then all the digging by the fence crew and moving pots and drip lines to accommodate them, that area was a wreck at the end of last season.

its bedtime now and both dogs have practically fainted. There is a playground on the opposite side of our fence so they were barking and running the length of it for some of the day and all the evening while I was in the garden.

I got here safely, despite the gale force headwind... and then, after arrival it snowed. I need to steal a picture from my daughter... ;)

Moni

Where are you in NM? Y'know, I never was a real traveler. The times I traveled were always times I was alone. Then I loved it. . . loved road trips. . .this was just in the states. But truly, there was always so much going on at my home (art, gardening, reading, quilting), that traveling came in a distant 5th. But I love that you are such a traveler, Moni!

We were out "fishing" for the first time this year and the weather was glorious, at about 70, good winds. We were lounging and fishing for 4 hours--not one nibble. But being out there in the fresh air and 15 mph winds wore us totally out. Good day.

Nancy, Albuquerque. It melted a bit.. but we went sledding at the school (still closed) before breakfast.

My car this morning

Ok, somewhat sarcastic now Moni, but why after our polar vortex, would anyone want to return to a land of ice and snow ? :)

Danny it's not normally a land of snow in March.

I came, because the last time I saw them all was at Thanksgiving in 2019. School was closed a week before spring break last year, and all options for a visit there left when Covid invaded.

We are having a really nice visit.

:)

Moni

Oh family visitation, I missed that apparently. Glad you're having fun.
Dunno about the rest of you, but the promised frost is tonight and tomorrow night for me. 30 on one site for tomorrow night, and 26 on another (you may be able to guess which I want).

We’re not forecast to get quite that low, but still I’ve brought everything in. The banana tree and geraniums I overwintered in the garage came indoors during the polar vortex and moved to my front porch about 2 weeks ago. They’ve been happily adjusting to light there while being fairly sheltered from the wind. The brick from the house helps keep them warm too.

I’ve also been hardening my veggies to sun but they won’t go out for a few days. I anticipated this so I’m not upset to have to start the hardening over.

We only dipped to 39 last night so everything should be fine out in the garden. I‘ll go check on them when it warms up a bit and I have a few more spinach plants that popped up in my tray so I’ll put them in the dirt. The tray has been sitting on the patio table so they’ll be fine going strait out.

I have a bunch of greens sitting on one of the deck tables--they've been there for a couple weeks. I've no idea what I'm doing. I want to take some to Lincoln, but have to see if John will be available to help keep an eye on them. I've already put a bunch in my containers on the deck.

I don't know what it "dipped" to here last night--my min max thermometer says 26. I know that wasn't right--I must have forgotten to clear it. But dip, it did. It was 38 at 9 am. Cold enough that Garry and I decided it's a good day to stay inside. EWWWW. Low tonight might be 36, tomorrow night, 33. Yuck!

I just got Native American Seed's newest catalog. It is the most amazing thing--any of the rest of you get it? I told GDW I think I'll have to send them a donation, even though I don't need to buy anything. It's that great. Chock full of excellent information, and as a bonus, got Nat'l Geographic's survey, too, with great survey questions. Guess I'll go online to do the survey.

I don't know if I'm done planting seeds YET! lol. I saw a couple basils I'm missing. Might have to order them. And I was SO late with these that recently came from Pinetree: Statice (do any of you grow it here? Why I thought I needed it, I've no idea. Illumination Amarantha; Chives; the broccolini; and Tulsi. And then discovered I hadn't planted the last pepper seeds--aggghhhh. So got them in: Fatalii, Yellow Bhut Jolokia. Gorilla Griller, and Trinidad Scorpion Butch T. Fun stuff. And now I must prepare to be done! I'm out of seed starting mix, and Walmart doesn't have any and the orders online are backed up. Hmm. Maybe Lowe's in Muskogee has some. Okay--GDW says he's good to go. :). Bye all.

I've gotten NA Seed in the past, but not lately. I was on their website a week or so ago. Their # of annuals seems to have gone down.

I'm sure not done with seeds, probably won't be finished sowing till June. I actually ordered some more last night, after failing to find coreopsis tinctoria seeds (lost in house somewhere?), finally decided easier to order fresh seeds anyway. And I decided to throw some snapdragons in there for late summer sowing.
I attended a webinar yesterday, and found that several of my native ornamentals were actually highly desirable forage materials. Most I knew of, but I didn't know rudbeckia laciniata (golden glow) was edible, nor cup plant.
I'm stocking up with a diversity of natives this year, because I'm planning on a possible lawn replacement strategy and planning to propagate all this stuff into numbers needed a few years down the road.

Anyone think it’s relatively safe to transplant nasturtiums?

Do you have frost covers to throw over them if necessary? If so, I'd say go for it. Best to get their roots into the ground since they don't like being transplanted.

I'm envious hearing about your webinar, Danny. I need some good webinars.

GDW and I zipped over to Lowe's in Muskogee to get seed starter mix--the only stuff they had was Miracle Gro. I didn't know MG even had a seed starting mix. So--guess we'll give it a try. I saw some guy ranting on OGN about NEVER using MG because it's POISON. Obviously that guy doesn't live in my neighborhood--it's often the only potting soil available. lol

I planted seeds Wednesday afternoon, and the broccoli is UP. That's good, since I was late getting it planted. I took each tray off the grow cart today and inspected. All's well. I dread potting those plants up, since there are so many of them. I am going to have to make some tough decisions.

We had ribs at Chili's last night; now a friend wants to meet us at the marina for an early dinner today. I don't mind going to some of these places if it's early. Shouldn't be many, if any, folks at the marina early. Let's see. . . . what's for dinner this evening--shrimp? Chicken? The special?

Later, all!

I hate MG, I will fertilize when I want...no need to add it to my mix (and make me pay for it), most of which will just leech into the drain water. But yes, it's often the only game in town...making me mail order potting soil :(

I made chicken noodle soup (homemade) yesterday...finishing it off for supper, then I bought a corned beef brisket today, which I'll probably make tomorrow.

It warmed up more than I expected today, so everything on my grow cart went out for 3 hours. Somehow, a few tomato plants got dry while out even though everything seemed to have moist enough soil when I put them out. So a few got droopy but it was time to come in when they did so no harm done. But since they dried out so quickly, I'm debating whether to give them another round at 3 hours tomorrow or go ahead and bump them up to 4 hours. Probably 3, just to be safe. As big as they're getting they're almost guaranteed to go in the garden next weekend. I have a backup plan if the weather or forecast is not cooperating - and I have plenty of Dewitt 10 degree frost cover if I plant and the weather changes.

There have been bad batches (formulas?) of MG mentioned on line through the years. Dawn's early posts were against it I think, but in later years I think she used the one that retains water. I don't like to support the company that owns it...which may go back to the days when I believed every thing I read on line. Never the less, I am fortunate enough to be able to buy potting soil from Worleys, which I guess they mix themselves. For all I know it's repackaged MG, LOL. I feel like I'm supporting someone local.

We're having kids over tomorrow night for pizza I guess. My Mother of the Bride outfit is in at the bridal store. Daughter says I should pick it up and take it to a tailer up here to have it hemmed, which would mean only ONE trip to never, never land (south Tulsa).

I did find my watering can, and watered the Basil plant behind my chair which promptly pissed over the side narrowly missing the electrical outlet. (I think I over filled the pot). Today my dear husband decided it needed sun. I must have been in the bathroom. When I came back the arm of my chair was wet. Mystery. The dog must have come over with a wet face and wiped it on my chair. I even mentioned this to the husband. Later I see the Basil plant outside. Lightbulb moment. I tell him he let me blame it on the dog. He still doesn't think he did it. Eyeroll.

My life this week was calling government and life insurance entities related to my dad's death, emailing (wrong address) aunts, and going to a doctor's appointment a week early. (They took me anyway).

I feel the pain of being on the phone forever dealing with govt and insurance. I did the same over the last week (regarding hospital billings and name mispelling,etc).

Yep Amy, your dog carried the basil plant outside *lol*.