My rain barrels were full in a 3/10 inch rainfall. I need more barrels, or bigger containers. Working on the pictures... so darn time consuming to add them here, one at the time, with the option of loosing the whole post.

tools used, after making the level spot

the inside patch (yes, didn't stick well) on the crack in this barrel

duct tape over the outside patch

about as level as I can get it.

diverter sleeve installed

all hooked up

full

took only this much rain to fill the rain barrel up

I was one of those annoying people who asked for a "favorite's list". I printed it and used the suggestions given. I'm sure Dawn rolled her eyes at me, but she was always kind.

I've never tried Kellogg's Breakfast. I first heard about it on a YouTube channel I found maybe 8 years ago--Calikim in California. She has a pretty garden in her backyard. Grows lots of food. I rarely watch her channel now-a-days, though. Side note. I'm pretty sure I saw that she and the Spoonmores are collaborating on something. Maybe I dreamed it.

Anyway...yep, she mentioned the Kellogg in a video a long time ago. It always stuck in my head, but I've never tried it.

Rick, I'm growing Dr. Wyches in the KG. It's a Golden (orangeish/yellowish) tomato. There may be 2 plants out there actually.

Speaking of, I've had 5 tomatoes snap in the wind this year. It's super frustrating and a first for me. One of my SunGolds snapped a couple of days ago--but not completely. I "bandaged" it with stretchy tape, staked it and caged it. It was full of blooms and fruit. So far, it's surviving.

Caging tomatoes was my task on Sunday. I only had a couple of hours to be outside and enjoyed the time immensely They're all caged/trellised now except the smallest 4.

Pulling grass out of the "behind the shop" garden continues slowly but surely. The area is on a slope, so we'll see if this rain washed the woodchips down and away. There are 7 overflow tomatoes back there--all looking good, volunteer melons and roselle. I think Stella's red poppies are coming up. Hopefully won't drown. She's visiting in a couple of weeks. Would love for them to be blooming by then. The plants from Lia's Garden are going in a little at a time. Mostly just milkweed now and a couple of other things that weren't marked, but she told me what they were--I neglected to write them down. Oklahoma natives is all I know. It will be a surprise!

There's a couple more of those plants and all the basil gifts from you all. They'll probably go in that spot and planted around the tomatoes/peppers in the KG.

I picked up a holy basil from Prairie Wind and have the Valarian from Nancy. I would prefer those be in a more protected area, so am still trying to figure out where to put them. Need to figure it out soon.

There's so much to do inside and outside. And here I sit.

But, it feels so good. it's been about 3 weeks since I've been home alone.

We do have a bigger skunk situation that I previously thought. The skunk has dug under the shop's concrete slab. It's right at the busiest corner too. Maybe 4 feet from the door. The coop is maybe 10 feet from it. We are in and out of that shop constantly. Finbar is around, Juno stays in her catio enclosure on the shop's porch on warm days. Probably watched the skunk dig the hole/tunnel. Around the corner, is the large garage type of door that I pull open on hot days to vent the shop. I'm in and out of it as well especially while working on the garden area behind the shop. The TV or music is often blaring from the shop. Josi barking. Bad chickens that escape their yard wander around with me yelling at them to get back in their yard. WHY did it choose that very busy area?

Maybe it feels protected because it's around us? Maybe it sees that we feed everything and release spiders and are basically the Peaceful Kingdom around here. (It obviously didn't see me squishing harlequin bugs and asparagus beetles.)

We can't leave it there, though.

We borrowed a trap. I don't want to shoot it. I want to relocate. It seems that they will rarely spray in a trap unless you shoot it in the trap.

Obviously, not much gardening today. Just harvesting some broccoli from the hoop house, and watering indoor plants.

Maybe a little thinking on fall seed starting....

What is everyone else doing on this very wet day?

Jennifer, thanks tor the long post, its sorta like reading a letter from home.

I just came in because it started to sprinkle lightly, I was in a tee shirt, and too cool. I was watering the south garden, trying to get some peas to germinate.

The south garden looks pretty good. I do need to work on the tomatoes. They are planted next to a trellis, but I have not tied them yet.

The lawn and wildlife garden look pretty good now, but need rain. I mowed the wildlife area and the lawn yesterday. Its strange that the ditch along the wildlife garden is so wet, and the rest of the garden is so dry. Anyway I stayed away from the bottom of the ditch, and did not mow the ditch at the house either. I may have mowed some of the lawn 2 or 3 times, it was after 9:00 when I finished, and the lights on the mower are too dim to mow by.

I am thinking that I might try the live clover mulch on another row in the garden. The beets along the strip of clover look better than the beets along an un-clover area, maybe because the extra water applied while trying to get the clover to germinate, but, anyway I have a row of peas planted north of the clover, so may add a few more clover seeds. I have always hated clover in the garden, but like it in the lawn and pasture, because it blooms when there are few flowers for the bees. I use Ladino clover because it blooms low enough that the lawn mower wont get all the bloom, especially in the higher traffic areas.

Gifts from Jen and Alexis. Both from last year and both survived the winter. the yellow flower (can’t remember the name) was seed from Alexis. It has lived its life in this pot. So happy it came back this year.

The soapwort is a plant from Jen. it is so pretty. Thrilled that it also came back.

Well, we are getting some of that left over Oklahoma rain now, it has seemed like it has wanted to rain all day, but just couldn't break loose and do it. It finally broke loose and is coming down steady now.

I am going to try to trim up some of my tomatoes like Lynn did, I know I am starting too late, but I will play with the "tree style" plants and see what I can get them to do.

Nancy, you, and Jennifer have posted some pretty pictures.

Jennifer, your garden looks perfect. It is easy to see that you and Rick must spend a lot of time making it so pretty.

Jennifer, each time you have posted about that skunk made me chuckle. It brought back a memory of my childhood.

I was about 8 years old when we moved on this small farm, We all brought out prize possessions. Dad had 2 horses, mom had a cow, named Lady. My brother, sister, and I, each had a kitten. My kitten was named Speed Ball, who grew up to be a really useless cat. All speed ball was good for was to be gone for weeks, maybe months at a time, just coming home long enough to heal from his battle wounds, and get the female cats pregnant.

On one of the times when ole Speed Ball came home, I was out in the barn milking the cows. We only had one way into the milking stall, it was just a wooden gate. I finished milking a cow and went over to the corner where we had a table built across the corner where we kept the milk strainer, and other odds and ends. On the way over there I saw a big skunk waddling along looking fat and drunk, it had just became daylight, the skunk headed right for that gate, and I had no place to go. Looking around for something to throw at that skunk, all I could see was ole Speed Ball standing on top of a feed barrel waiting for some milk. The best idea I could could come up with, was to throw Speed Ball at the skunk.

My guess is that Speed Ball knew what a skunk was, and wanted nothing to do with one. You have heard that a cat always lands on their feet, which seems to be true. I think Speed Ball turned into a curve ball. He turned around in flight, and started to try to run back to the barn, but he was at least 6 feet off the ground, his feet were spinning 90 MPH west, but he was head east, right at that skunk. Ole Speed Ball hit the ground just in front of that skunk, threw dirt in its face, and was gone in a flash.

The skunk just looked around trying to figure out what happened, then turned and waddled toward the woods. I did not see Speed Ball for a long time. As fast as his legs were spinning, I figure he coasted to the Oklahoma line.

Larry that is hysterical. Poor cat and skunk. After more tragedy in this world I needed a good laugh. I also have a cat story. Yesterday I found my sweet dog that lives outdoors has adopted 5 kittens. Not sure how why or when but they are living in her house with her big ol furry self all snuggled in trying to stay dry. My great niece pulled them out to see them.

Larry, glad we could share our rain with you.

Poor, Speed Ball! But, I understand the fear when seeing a skunk. You have to DO something even if it's just throwing your cat.

The bad thing is, I'm becoming less fearful and that isn't good. The skunk just seems so mellow. We should name it, although it will be going away hopefully on Friday. IF we can catch it in the trap. Because I typed the word "mellow", I just started singing Mellow Yellow (a song from probably before I was born). The guy who sang it was Donovan. So, that is the skunk's name.

Kim! What a cute kitty. I could (almost) be a cat hoarder.

And Finbar has figured out there's something in the hole. I'll come back with a picture. We tried to put cinder blocks around the hole when we saw it leave a couple of nights ago. Ha! I just dug under the cinder block.

And, finally, why you should always soak and check over your fresh garden veggies. I found these guys (and a couple of others) in the broccoli that was harvested today.

Jennifer I hate that worms are the same color as the food.

Well shimey shame shame. Nobody's talking about their gardening.

It's been a wet week , lots of rain for central and western ok which was much needed.

The SG at Jennifer's was in need of a good rain overall ,in particular to get the okra that was planted to come up . Hopefully it will. For over east I didn't need it to rain much , which it only rained 1.7 inches so far. So maybe I can get okra and some pinkeye peas and some winter squash planted in. That's all I lack getting the spring planting done.

Rick

HJ, I'm quite okay with skunks, They don't threaten anyone, they just amble along, And who can't admit that their babies are so adorable.

I'm not talking about vegetables, Rick, because my vegetables are non-existent save for the garlics, the great greens, the few onions that haven't bolted. . . and so on. I am crazy busy with my gardening, just not vegetables, except for the ones I mentioned. Meanwhile have plant beds full of herbs and flowers, and 1 1/2 dozen native shrubs to be planted. "OK Gardening, I would presume, means not just vegetable gardening. Perhaps this group disagrees."

I note that the "flower lovers" amongst this group have pretty much dropped out, although still come to our spring flings, I never really distinguished between veggies/fruits and forbs until recently. I noted that Dawn was edging more and more toward native plants, less toward vegetables.

I don't have enough room for huge beds of vegetables, nor do Garry and I have the capacity to actually eat them. We love eating what is seasonally available but don't have a need to can. Our appetites are small as we're getting older.

I have reveled in learning about native plants--which provide food for native insects (POLLINATORS). If the pollinators die, we die.

But most of all, our native plants are the MOST beautiful plants.

Larry. . . you need to write a book with your tails. I laughed SO hard. Hugs.

I have to agree, that story was epic. Poor speedball!

Nothing much to say about gardens here. Been too wet to do much, plus been dealing with a houseful of pups. Currently up at Grand Lake visiting my dad. His wife's flowerbed is beautiful. I had to "assist" in deadheading her columbines.

Nancy, I noticed that there seem to be fewer flowers at SF the last few years. I think this year all the doomsday preppers have been shouting for so long that everyone has focused on growing food. I'm thinking about turning that circle bed into a flower bed (with a few ornamental vegetables, I'm sure. And I think I'm going to look for natives first. Since it's going to be a challenge to water it, natives may be the best option.

I’m not talking much because theres not that much to talk about. Everything is in one growing stage or another. Potatoes and onions need a few more weeks. Starting to worry about blight and fungal diseases with all the rain. Right around 4” in my part of Tulsa.

Niece graduated from high school. No ceremony, as she did online school. 4.0 average. Absorbing the Texas shooting. Gearing up for a rough month of June at work.

My mom has an oakleaf hydrangea in her yard. Anyone know if they can be propagated?

Once the sun comes out again, I’ll grab some pictures.

I love flowers and start flower seed. Y'all might have missed it, but that's one of the big things I've been working on this year--the area behind the shop. It's specifically for pollinators and wildflowers and milkweed. I DID put in the extra tomatoes--7 of them, because I ran out of room in other places. Then I had some melons volunteer there as well. I've pulled a lot of the melon plants out, though. It's mostly for natives this year and will eventually be for all natives.

I have been thinking a lot about the resistance to using organic (or non-organic) treatments for insects. I'm the same way. Rarely use anything. I prefer it. BUT, the truth is, every human eats. We have to eat to live. And if you're buying your food at a grocery store or eating at a restaurant, you're eating food that more-than-likely has been treated with some type of chemical. And more-than-likely it was harmful to beneficial insects. I'm guessing. Maybe I'm wrong.

I do remember Dawn talking about how it was probably better for a home gardener to use pesticides carefully and rarely, than buying even "organic" produce from stores.

It's just a weird thing I've noticed lately. People won't treat their own gardens (and that is a good thing) but will buy food from people/places who DO treat their gardens.

Everyone is different, though. I like different.

I do LOVE growing my own food, though. It's something I love so much. We use a lot of what we grow in our meals. I feel that has benefit to the environment as well. Maybe others feel there is not a benefit to growing their own food and prefer to purchase it at the store/restaurant. I respect that. And the truth is, if you don't like veggies, why grow them?

I just happen to love all veggies other than beets.

And I know growing a garden saved my great grandparents in the 1930's. But, most of our food now isn't real food. People now would never go back to eating cowpeas and okra, which is how the GGrandparents survived.

Dawn was definitely focusing on landscaping her "backyard" area. We had a few conversations about it. I have a list of those plants she bought on sale back in the fall of 2019 and had planned on putting in her new landscaped area in 2020. They're not all native. I was maybe going to mimic her. LOL. Because we were going to do the same thing in 2020, but....2020. And the Survivalist Garden happened instead. (There were empty shelves back then. And it was concerning. I still wanna know who bought all the lentils! and wanna know if they ever actually ate them. I was so annoyed when I couldn't find them because I really DO eat lentils often. haha!)

She was certainly reducing the number of veggies she was growing.

I'll try to start more flower seed if that's what folks want at the SF. I've been selfish and have kept all the flowers I start from seed. And give a few to my Mom. But, they may not be the type of flowers y'all would want.

Most everything is out of the hoop house now. Just the basil y'all gave me remains. I'll probably tuck it in around the tomatoes and put the leftovers in the "shop" garden. Don't know if basil is native or not, but the buzzing insects love it.

Nancy, I don't think I will be writing any books, may try reading one some day.

Neighbor and I got rained out building a trellis for 47 tomato plants in the wildlife garden yesterday. This rain had made about 750' of peas pop our of the ground in the wildlife garden. The sunflowers and zinnias are popping up also, but I wish I had planted them in rows, I will never be able to keep the weeds hoed out the way the seeds were broadcasted along the highway. The past few years the flowers were thick enough to sorta shade out the weeds, and I, or the hwy department would mow up close enough to them to help keep the weeds knocked down to be seen from the highway.

I have about 50' of okra about 1/2" tall in the south garden, and waiting on about 22' of zipper cream peas to come up in the south garden.

I was weeding my onions Sunday. I don't bend well, my onions are planted too thick, a double row, then a skip of about 10" then another double row. I decided to try to crawl with my hands and knees in the 10" space on each side of the double row. A guy really should check his ground clearance before he starts a job like that. My belly is larger than it use to be, but I didn't know that it almost drug the ground, but that is the only thing that I know of that would hang down that far. So far I was lucky, only 2 onions damaged enough to be removed from about 8' of travel, I will keep an eye on the rest of them, hope they straighten up.

I have about 400 sq. ft. in the north garden waiting on plants or seeds. That is the only space I have ready, other than one row ( if I can get slips ) for sweet potatoes in the south garden.

What a bad time to transplant some okra into the ground. One of the rows had completely washed out and the okra went along for the ride. They still have soil blocked around the roots, so i'll pop them back in. Too much rain at once, as always.

It's probably a good idea to break out the fungicide when it dries a bit. The bermuda is going to have a field day now. I'll have to get some pics uploaded soon to give a visual on how things are going. Just can't really do much with all the rain lately.

I am going to have to re-plant some okra also, but my plants are small. I re-plant okra almost every year because I will have skips in the row, or some type of critter eats some plants, I use post hole diggers to remove a plug where I want the plant, then go where the plant is that I want to remove, and lift a plug out with a plant in it, and drop it into removed plug hole. The plants have to be small to do this, or you will damage them with the post hole diggers. This year I got too close to the small plants with the tiller. I should have been watching more closely.

We really have too much okra planted anyway, but with the world conditions we really don't know what to do. When Covid hit we plant way too much stuff, but I had rather till veggies back into the soil than to see someone go hungry.

Looking out the window to the west, I see blue sky. Welcome sight.

Glad you got this going. I check in to see what going on and everyone was so quiet. It’s been raining here almost daily this week. I love it because then I don’t have to water. 1/10 to 1/2”. Everything is growing great except that one 30”x10’ bed. I have yet to fully amend the soil. I hope to get some stuff when I go to Lubbock. They have back to nature products. Remember the man on here that used to get that from Tulia? I wish I would have bought more compost in Edmond. It’s working out great. I need to plant some more potatoes in buckets. I hope my soil mix works. I ran out of perlite but it still seems pretty fluffy. Larry. I can hardly read your posts without a good belly laugh. I needed it so. With the heaviness of the world I have been really struggling

The world is heavy, isn't it, Kim. I suspect that may have been why the forum was so quiet yesterday. People processing recent events (and the ugliness that always goes along with tragedies).

Glad you checked in, though. It's always good to see your posts.

I don't remember that man. It might have been before my time here. I am still so sorry about the crappy soil you got. What a disappointment.

My neighbor somehow manages to grow a beautiful garden every year. It's not a giant garden, but she grows lots of food every year. She's not done potatoes before (not since I've known her) and she's trying them in smartpots. It will be interesting to see how they do. It's just the two of them, so they also don't need a ton of potatoes to store. Although she is a canning freak. She's retired and volunteers at an assisted living type of facility once a week. She plays bingo with the residents and takes jars of her salsa and jam/jellies as prizes. They love it because they remember when they helped "momma can jelly".

I dug up a couple of roselle volunteers for people who wanted one. The ground is so wet, the soil just fell away from the roots, I tucked it all back into pots and put them under my grow lights indoors. Maybe they'll make it. Anyone have experience transplanting roselle volunteers?

I'm taking a break at work now. But should get back at it.

Hope everyone can find a little bit of joy today.

I've got a Big Beef tomato plant that is just ridiculous. Best I can count its got 13 tomatoes. I have to tie it to the tomato cage to hold up all the weight. And its not a big plant, its almost my smallest plant. Been putting all its energy into putting on fruit.

Lynn, that is a beautiful plant. I like Big Beef, and Beef Master, but did not plant any this year, I need to buy some seeds

What I think is gonna happen, it will produce those 13 tomatoes and then be done . I've never had a plant load up like this one.

My dad gave me a bunch of raspberry plants when I went up. They're sitting in a box so now I need to get them planted tomorrow. Between that & digging rock out of the flower bed, my weekend is full. I'm sure I'll need to find some time for mowing. Oh, and I need to dig up a few of those milkweed plants. Cliff is mouthing about mowing again, so I don't know how much longer I can hold him off.

Is it too late to plant roselle

Kim, if I wanted roselle plants I would go ahead and plant, it seems a little late, but you are farther south than I am, and I am sure your growing season is longer. Madge got the roselle itch this year and has those things everywhere. I even found a plant growing in one of the pots I had a sweet potato planted in, to make slips. The sweet potato came up after the roselle did, we fought for the pot, I lost, but it is a pretty pot with both plants growing in it.

I have to get something done today, this rainy weather has got me behind. One of the things I have got to do soon, is spray fence rows, and spray Honey Locus, those things are sure hard to get rid of.

These roselle plants are volunteers from behind the shop. I had 5 plants back there last year.

I have two (purposely started from seed and planted) in the kitchen garden.

They are such pretty plants and even prettier in the fall.

Lynn! Wow. You'll be eating tomatoes soon!

Jen, where are you putting your raspberries? The one you gave me a couple of years ago is still living. It's not growing super well, but it's still alive and that's something.

Also, what are you going to do with the milkweed? Just transplant it to other places?

After you showed the pic of your milkweed, I've noticed it all around me. It's mostly in the horse pasture next door. The horse doesn't eat it. It's the green milkweed like yours.

I continue to notice things showing up around me now. It's so odd. I remember something that Rosemary Gladstar said about the relationship between humans and plants....about how you could be thinking of a particular plant and it show up shortly after. That's sort of true.

Tom also likes to mow the field areas of the property. I like it to look like a meadow. I DO like the areas around the house mowed, though. There's a lot of crabgrass around the house and in the garden beds too. Anyway, I relate to your situation of "holding Cliff off' from the mowing.

Speaking of moving things....I need to dig some echinacea out of the burn pile. The area that is designated for it. (lol at designating an area for coneflowers!) is empty now. I didn't harvest it all...no idea what happened to it. Maybe it felt disrespected there. ha.

Normally there's volunteers all over the kitchen garden.

I might run up to Marcums in a short bit, to look for flowers for the pots and containers. I'm SO behind on this.

Then, will work on weeding the asparagus bed.

Tom and I are going on a date tonight, so that will be fun. Eating at Barrios and hanging out around the Scissortail park area. We like to spend a night away from home once in awhile. We don't really go on vacations often.

Wow. So, now I understand why my Mom asked if I could start some pansies from seed for her.

Just got back from the nursery--it's close to my house.

A $100 later, I am the proud owner of a couple of flats of colorful annuals and a coreopsis.

Need to start more flowers next year for sure. IF I can stick to my plan on starting fewer tomatoes, they'll be room on the light shelf.

Don't get me wrong, I still plan on having plenty of tomatoes too. Just not twice as many as I need....that I'm pushing off on people.

It's nice out. About to go do some weeding.

Take plenty of money if you're going flower shopping.

I am just weeding. So easy to pull carp out right now... after all the rain we finally got. I would like to mow, but it is sooo wet still, at 11:00 AM. maybe I can by afternoon.

But I already did a 28 mile bike ride... and am just killing time at the computer. :)

Moni

Well, I have been out weeding also. I hoed most of my melons, and hoed the zinnias from under the electric fence.

When I was getting the ground ready for the flowers and melons in the wildlife garden, I left a path for the fence, and drove a few t post to show the path. Neighbor came over and drove the rest of the post when I was not around. Neighbor works 90 MPH, and runs on alcohol, sometimes his driving is not really straight, and I had to do some pruning to make my flowers match the fence, I will do more pruning when the plants get larger.

I also re-planted some bunching onions to a mineral tub near the deck.

I did a side gig today. Pulling Bermuda out of a mulched bed. Paid well and got me moving. She said last person used a weed eater.

Well ,a hard worker thou arc.

Rick

https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/the-story-behind-ron-cook-s-special-okra-plants/article_87b1e784-4042-11e5-a796-fbf623b65fa5.html

https://www.rareseeds.com/heavy-hitter-okra

reamstime.com/summer-vegetables-cultivation-okra-image121821084

I'm still trying to get my okra planted in.

Rick

I just came in from spraying a mulched area to kill Bermuda, it did not pay anything. If I am going in after Bermuda, and have room to use a weed eater, the weed eater would be my last choice. If I were going to try pulling Bermuda out of a mulched bed, I would hit Moni up to borrow her Cobra head.

I was going to clean the north garden a few day ago, and did not take the time to remove any of the grass and weeds, I just tilled and tilled with the tractor, I expect to regret it later this summer, I will have Bermuda everywhere.

Gonna have to give that Okra article a read, Rick. I've grown the heavy hitter and burgandy the last couple of years.

Rick it sounds rough but it was only 2 1/2 hours. My hands are tired but that’s all. I did manage to pick up another yard while I was there

Like I was weeding my onions last weekend. After dark by flashlight.

My hands still hurt.

Rick

I will join the sore fingers club.

The asparagus beds were bad!

Fingers are sore and swollen but it was worth it.

Here’s some pictures for the flower lovers.

Scissortail in OKC.

Yay I am in a club!!! I took magnesium for muscle relaxation but nothing else. Kinda wish I had something

Jennifer those flowers are gorgeous. Here’s some of mine

I have grown Heavy Hitter every year (except one ) for quit a few years now. I lost my seed one year and was too embarrassed to say how I lost them, but when I did, Ron and/or George sent me some more seed. I have not been placing the seed in the freezer any more.

I thought I was going to have to re-plant some of my okra plants this year, but, after this rain I have more plants popping up.

I was over at the wildlife garden a while ago checking on things, neighbor also came over, we were just admiring how good things look. I dont think we have lost anything except one tomato, which was not in good shape when I planted it, I just popped another tomato in its spot. We have over 100 tomatoes, maybe as much as 200 sweet potatoes. I don't even know what all we do have, but, I plan on making a spot for st least 10 hills of cantaloupe this weekend.

We are so far behind, we have not even got the fence finished yet.

I am blowing about how good things look, but when it starts hitting 90+ every day, and no rain for weeks, everything will change fast.

Raspberries are in a mineral tub for now. Once I figure out where to put them, I'll move them again.

Ground was too wet so we're going to work on the circle tomorrow. So I'm moving on to the next project for now.

Rebecca---oakleaf hydrageas are easy to propagate. . . they throw out runners, you can just separate the runner and have a new shrub.

Jen, are you leaving your tubs out in the weather all winter? I have been leaving mine out and I think they have been freezing and splitting. Mine hold about 4 or 5 inches of water, and if water freezes and expands 10%, it may be splitting my tubs. I may need to place a row of empty, sealed, water containers around the edge, hoping to cushion the expansion of the ice, or try not to let ice form in them in the winter, and leave them stores in the dry, of on edge.

Larry, there are 3 mineral tubs in our kitchen garden. I've had them for 3 years now (I think). They haven't cracked or split. We're pretty dry most of the year, though. And we have holes drilled in the bottoms of the tubs for drainage.

I know you were asking Jen, but that is my experience. I have had a large pot split over the winter. And terracotta pots too.

Every time Ron walks out the door it thunders. It's hysterical. He put off mowing this morning thinking it would rain and it didn't. We were going to put some plants in the ground and it thunders. Came in and checked radar. Walked out again...thunder. There's a little storm south of us that I think is making all the noise and won't even effect us. There is one pointed at us but they seem to dissipate before they get here.

I have grown heavy hitter. If you like Clemson spineless you will like heavy hitter. I'm growing emerald velvet this year.

Visited Nancy Thursday and she sent me home with more plants.

Pretty flowers Jennifer. I'm going to have to do an oakleaf hydrangea.

Jennifer the drain hole is up on the side of my tubs about 4 or 5 inches. The tubs have a "donut of french drain, and some weed barrier to make a self wicking tub. I am thinking that the donut freezes and stresses the bottom of the tub. If this is the case I wont be using the self-watering tubs, because I am not going to the trouble to empty then out each year, I will just use then as a pot , and let the split serve as the drain hole.

I have been out working on my compost piles, that stuff just seems to walk away, I never have enough. I also removed shrubs that we have had too long. I lifted them out with the tractor, then hauled a couple of buckets of harden soil to fill the holes.

Posting a few pics from phone. Will be back later tonight to edit and ask questions about pictures.

Amy, is this the type of flower you posted on FB? IT popped up in my flowerbed, which is entirely neglected.

One of many offspring from Dawn's LB petunia.

Green Milkweed? Asclepias viridis?

Does anyone recognize these? I have a suspicion

So, the next two pics....the plant in the front, center....what is it? The last picture is the same plant. I've had lots of herbs and pollinator types of plants in this bed, including gifts from SF.

And....when you look out your dining room window and see your neighbor harvesting an onion from the garden. LOL

Too bad I didn't get a picture of that.

The asparagus beds are currently weed-free. It took a total of 6 hours.

There's dill coming up in one of the asparagus beds. Dill is so delightful.

And lastly.

Everyone just enjoy your garden. Whatever you're growing--flowers, veg, herbs, natives, whatever. However you're doing it--containers, tilling, raised beds, no-till....Just enjoy it. Whatever size. Don't stress so much over it. Don't judge others. Don't judge yourself. Relax (until the grasshoppers show up! grrrr!) and do what you do.

Larry, I've had my tubs for 3 years now, don't bother emptying them & they've been fine. But I have a hunch that the donut thing in yours may hold too much water & burst. Not sure if it would break the tub or just the pipe, though.

HJ, that one is green milkweed. I think it's also called antelope horn, but I'm not positive. That's the one I have growing in the field.

Thinks, Jen. The tubs are sitting on a rack, rather than on the ground, so no heat transfer from below, which helps me think of a frozen, expanding donut. I have 10 tubs sitting on this shelf (rack) , so I wont be getting under it to check them. At the end of the growing season I may lift each tub up with the tractor and inspect them. I will just use them as a plane pot this summer, I am not sure how many have a split bottom, but more than one leak.

I spent a lot of time tilling and weeding today. I am afraid neighbor and I bit off too much this summer. Neighbor works all the time, but I just cant do it, but we really do have a pretty garden, ever though everything is late. I need to modify my cultivator so we can have our rows closer together so we can get more produce.