Amy, I have noticed things are higher this year. I have plenty seeds and fertilizer for now, but I hope to buy more later. I hope to plant to improve the pastures and have small grain for the wildlife, but all of that is still up in the air because of expected cost increases.

I hope to plant some kind of a garden spot in the pasture some where. I am thinking pumpkins will be a good crop to plant because they are a such a space hog. I will have critter problems no matter what I plant.

M i garden did a video the other day about his seeds are so economical. He might be on some but seed count was off and germination was too poor for me to consider him again. Sandhills is my favorite. Then azure standard then seeds for generations. But usually i buy local at Calloways and get botanical interests.
Feed stores are next.

I wish it would rain too, Amy.

After work today, I organized the shelves in the extra bedroom. It's almost complete.

Also, went outside and pulled a few plants with Rick. Watered the beds in the hoop house. It was fairly nice today.

My Renee's order came in yesterday so I'm just waiting on SESE.

When y'all start seed, do you use sterile seed starting mix or potting soil? Just wondering....

It's so interesting how everyone does it differently and prefers their "own" way of doing it.

I still like the little peat pellets, but so many people hate those. They work well for me.

Then, I up-pot them into potting soil. That's my favorite way to do it. But sometimes I do little cups of sterile seed starter to start seed for up-potting into bigger pots/cups.

I feel that my cost per plant is less when I start seeds in potting soil. I most often take a flat without holes in it, or an old metal cake pan that Madge gives me, and make piles of potting soil across the pan or flat that might look like someone making meatloaf. I will make a small groove from side to side and plant most seeds about an inch apart. I mark them with popsicle sticks, plastic blind, or make a sketch of where different plants are located. When the plants are large enough to pot up I use a popsicle stick with a "V" or "U" cut and sanded in the end to press plant into new potting soil. Plants can be replanted when they are very small. Because I am running out of room I try to plant when first true leaves are small, but I have up planted before true leaves with good results, but if I have the time and space I wait on the true leaves.

I most often buy LC1 or LG15 potting mix from the Farmers Co-op, I did buy a 2' bag of Happy Frog about a week ago, but it is new to me and I know nothing about it.

I have used the pressed pellets for starting seeds, I had good luck with them.

I've never used the pellets, but had trouble with peat pots drying out and effecting roots. I use the small paper cups and "seed starting mix" I don't know if it's sterile, suppose it should be. (Jiffy brand). I don't pot up until there are a couple of true leaves. I poke a hole in the bottom and one in the side. I soak my seeds for a couple of hours first. Sometimes I add some seaweed fertilizer to the water, most times not. The seeds are soaked in a labeled cup, which I pour into a blank cup, and poke holes in the labeled, labeling any extra cups I need. I "pour" the seeds into a labeled cup of seed starter mix and top it off with wet vermiculite. I find pouring is easier for me than handling wet seeds.

I looked at MI Gardener but didn't find anything remarkable. When we first started gardening Ron said he didn't want anything "exotic". Then he tasted a Cherokee purple and all bets were off. I am drawn to unusual stuff. But I want things that will grow in our climate. He probably would have thought kale was exotic in those days. Sand Hill Preservation is definitely lower priced. I expect they will have to raise their prices as operating costs go up. I ordered from South Georgia Seeds and Rohrer for the first time this year, we'll see how they do.

Larry, I suspect your happy frog is very rich, possibly too much for seedlings. You may want to mix it half and half with something else. (I could be wrong but it seems like it had worm castings or rabbit manure in it.)

The keyboard is doing weird things again after several days without problems. So, I'll wish everyone a good week.

Amy, the peat pots didn't do well for me either, but I do like the pellets. They work with my style of seed starting, I think.

It was beautiful this afternoon, so we walked Josi right after work and I also walked around the gardens trying to get a picture of how things will look.

I need to research saving tomato seed. How important is it to separate tomatoes when it comes to seed saving?

I'm fairly tired today. A bad stomach bug hit me last night around 10, so I didn't sleep well, obviously. I did go on to work this morning because the fever broke...and I had to be there quite honestly. I rarely get sick like that. In one night, my weight went from 118 to 114. That is crazy. So, I'll skip Pilates and drink water tonight. Lol.

I sure hope we have a good gardening year. I wrapped up my 2022 journaling today. I tried to jot down notes about the weather, what did well, what didn't do well. ALL the issues--insane wind in the spring, drought, very hot.

Native perennials for a pollinator type of garden? Does anyone have suggestions? I have a mountain mint that comes back and a wild blue indigo. I hope that one comes back. I just planted it last year. Half of the "behind-the-shop" garden is covered with wood chips. I had the overflow tomatoes there and a couple of milkweed. I would like to put the native perennials on that side. And the other side had a lot of native annuals and some red poppies (the seed was a gift). I'm hoping that side that isn't covered in thick mulch will pop up a bunch of volunteers. That's my hope anyways. I need to put some echinacea back there. I just remembered that. Yarrow grows freely on my property so it doens't need to "planted". Anyway....

I'm rambling.

Its been a nice day here also. I felt like getting out for a while. I topped off the fuel on 3 tractors and my RTV, and went for a short drive in the pasture. I still have one game camera set up, so I took some deer feed down and placed it in front of the camera. I have not been feeding the deer as often after getting sick.

I also brush hogged a while, but felt like I might be over working myself and came back inside.

I really need to get to feeling better, it seems as tho I get farther behind every day. Madge and I talk about us getting behind, we have decided that is just the way things will be for the rest of our life. We have decided the things we fret about are not really important anyway.

It looks like I will have to put the electric fence back up around my garden. I don't mind the deer eating the cover crop, but they are trampling down the onions and garlic. I need some tame animals to care for to fulfill my desire to be around critters.

My dad came down for a late Christmas and brought me some pumpkin seeds and an ear of ornamental corn. His wife got a bunch of pumpkins from someone so she saved me seeds from several varieties. None are labeled so I may just have to toss them all out & see what grows.

I got the first round of seeds in. Since I'm mainly testing to see how bad my soil is, I'm not too concerned with early sprouts. But once they start growing I'm going to be compelled to keep them going.

For seed starting I use either seed starter (jiffy seems to be the most readily available here) or sifted compost/potting mix. One year I was broke so I just sifted a pile of wood chips. Best seedlings I've had, but I did have some weeds sprout up too. I used to use those peat pellets but always had damping off or they just didn't grow very well. I still try, since those things are usually so easy to find. Eventually I'll get the hang of them.

HJ, tomatoes are self pollinating so isolation isn't too big of a deal. If you're a purist you can always hand pollinate & just save seed from those fruits, though. I've never bothered to take any care in preventing crosses, and I've only had one not grow true to parent. But I'm not sure if that was because it actually got crossed, or if it happened before I planted them.

Thanks, Jen. I'm not too much of a purist.

Maybe I'll put the Dr. Wyche in the back garden and the Abe Lincoln and German Johnson on opposite sides of the KG.

Jen, do you know if anyone has gardened on your property? Are there any gardeners close to your property? I am having this dream for you. Remember when Dawn talked about being able to grow any squash or pumpkin for her first several years before the squash pests found her garden? That would be amazing! I hope that is the case for you too!

I am going to try pumpkins again--Seminole and one other that I can't think of the name. But they're both CM types. I really miss pumpkins. It's been since 2019 that I've purposely planted them.

I did grow a volunteer jack-o-lantern type last year. It was a volunteer from the compost. It was a big guy and produced about a quart of pulp.

Larry, it seems like you had a productive day yesterday. Days that are "just right"--not too hot, not too cold, not too windy are gifts.

I'm at work and not doing much work. I've been looking at zinnia seed instead. I love those queeny types. They're so pretty.

But...I better actually get on task now.

Have a good day, Friends.

Jen, you are not helping my seed starting itch. I always want to start seeds too early, and most of the time I can't get the soil ready soon enough because of my wet soil.

I took Madge out for breakfast. While out we also stopped by the drugstore, Farmers Co-op, Tractor supply, and Walmart. Most of the time we take turns going in because it cuts down on our walking, and permits one of us to rest while the other takes their turn shopping. I think most places have curb-side service now, and I think that is something we are going to look in to. One of the reasons I like to shop locally is that most of the places I shop know what type of vehicle I drive and the items are already loaded by the time I get back to the truck.

I picked up 2 more bags of Happy Frog potting soil, my old stand-by, Pro mix or Sun grow are not is stock yet, but I still have 2 or 3 bags left from last year, which I may mix into the Happy Frog, like Amy suggested.

I really enjoyed being on the tractor yesterday, and if I am not too sore this afternoon, I think I will climb on again. I cant work long, but if I can stay with it I should start catching up on my projects.

Just lost another post, I wish I could blame it on houzz, but it was my fumble fingers. Mutter mutter.

Larry, there are a lot of things we've done regularly through out our lives that really aren't that important. People are important. You've spoiled those deer, lol, they'll survive. Do what you can.

And by the way, I'm really sorry you're not feeling well.

I bought fresh Seminole seeds this year. The trick will be getting Ron to plant them.

Purists put mesh bags over tomato buds until they have bloomed, then tie something on the branch to note which tomato to save from. The year I tried that I got zero tomatoes from the bagged blooms. A little separation gives any bumblebees some room to knock off pollen on something else. They are the problem because they will tear open a blossom before it's open. I don't ever remember bumblebees on my tomatoes, because they live in the wisteria.

Natives, So many. You should talk to Nancy. Try to plant so the bloom is successive. There's the little daisies that bloom in fall till frost, calico aster, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum. Liatris, I love agastasche and Hyssop is one.. Do you want pollinators or butterflies? Planting host plants for butterflies means looking up what they host. You can throw some fennel and parsley in for black swallowtails..

I'm sorry about your classmate, Larry.

Dropping this link especially for Jennifer:

https://www.sandmountainherbs.com/articles/Agastache-foeniculum-medicinal-uses.html

https://desertcanyonfarm.wpcomstaging.com/2010/12/21/december-20-2010-agastache-rupestris/

https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-hyssop#:~:text=However%2C%20true%20hyssop%2C%20Hyssopus%20officinalis,of%20spice%20mixes%20and%20foods.

Oklahoma drought monitor

http://mesonet.org/index.php/agriculture/map/agriculture_essentials/drought/oklahoma_drought_monitor_map

Thanks for the links, Amy.

Ugly drought.

I think I have a hyssop of some sort in one of the garden beds. Trying to remember.....

I buy native plants from Lia's, but they don't put tags in their cups. They have them separated on the tables and labeled, but no tags. I enjoy buying their plants, but need to carry tags and a pencil with me when I go to their booth. They reuse cups and such. In fact, I have a large trash bag of cups and trays to take them.

The bed that I think it's in, is very pretty in the late spring, but looks like crap in the heat of summer.

I'm tired, so will probably not make much sense. Just a warning for anyone who chooses to read this post. :D

I had a wonderful day at home. Such a good day. I cleared out my herb cabinet. It was so ridiculous. Dried herbs from 8 years ago, tinctures, and bottles of unlabeled things. I played the sniff game and maybe identified some of them. It did motivate me to get back to my herbs, which I was planning on doing anyways.

I got my onions ordered and the Jet Setter.

Rick is going to order the black beans for the SG.

I ordered a bunch of zinnia seed--the queeny ones in different colors and a peppermint stick one too. They are so pretty.

Amy, I hope Ron will plant the Seminole seed so we can compare notes!

Oh, and I want all the things--the pollinators and butterflies.

I was prepared for them in 2022. Normally I'm worried I don't have enough stuff for them to eat, so I was prepared. BUT, the swallowtails and monarch caterpillars didn't show up this year. What a weird year.

I had all sorts of varieties of milkweed. I'm afraid the perennial ones were accidentally pulled out. I'll replant and try again.

I had parsley, fennel, and plenty of dill for the swallowtails too.

(The hornworms found us, though. LOL)

I just need to research the perennial natives to put on that one side of the "behind-the-shop garden. .

I spent a little time yesterday looking at previous videos of my gardens. 2019 and 2020 were decent years for sure. Lush and pretty.

Larry, I'm sorry about your classmate.

I finally got that rat last night, Friday the 13th. Its enjoying its new home out by one of the runways at Will Rogers. I let him out and he took off so fast, that he jumped off a 6 foot culvert to the ground.

I bought a new trap last week, set it out Monday, and it took the rat all week to get accustomed to it enough to go inside. It worked really well . He's not as big as he looked on my security camera.

Now the question is, if there's any more. I think this was the only one, or at least the only one as large as this one. My neighbor has set out snap traps and he's not getting anything. I filled in the tunnels the rat dug with dirt. If there's another one, they will reopen those tunnels quickly.

But Im gonna chop down and till in my rye grass a month early, probably in a couple weeks. IDK if it makes good rat habitat, but its produced all the organic matierial my garden is gonna need.

BTW, he's a different color than the rest of the rats I've killed. They've been grayish/black. This brown one may be a different specie, especially since he grew larger than the others.

Lynn, that looks like a trophy rat to me.

I guess I should've taken him to a taxidermist. I've been repeating Jimmy Cagney a lot lately. My brother tells me I will need a new hobby.

I will be more careful of disposing of bad tomatoes in the garden. More conscious of leaving stuff around that could feed rats. But as long as the neighbor has that big dog living in the back yard and keeping dog food out, this will be an ongoing battle.

Lynn, he's sorta cute. Sorry he's such a pest, though.

Happy BD to Rick. He won't see this today because he's in Okmulgee.

Kim, how are you doing? How did your appointments go?

We've had a decent day.

An acquaintance came over to pick up horseradish roots that I didn't use in the fire cider and some goldenrod oil. I used a cup of the oil to make salve, but had 3 cups left! I kept a cup and gave her two. The salve making went pretty well. It was a first for me. I might have used a bit too much beeswax.

I experimented in the kitchen some this evening. My falafel failed. I was so disappointed. The flavors were great but they disintegrated in the hot oil. My homemade hummus was very good. And the tahini was decent.

You know what's annoying? Buying herbs like dill and parsley from the store. I'm used to having them in the garden, but it's winter. Obviously.

Last night I realized I was missing a chicken. (I count them when I tuck them in for the night) I thought it was Jonquil. She is a buff Minorca. She often sneaks out and misses getting into the coop before dark, so will roost on cinderblocks behind the coop. In those situations, I pick her up and put her in the coop. BUT, last night she wasn't on the cinderblocks. I couldn't find her anywhere. Tom remembered seeing our neighbor's dog in the field next to our property. This dog has taken our other neighbor's chickens to his house. He's killed several. So, Tom went to where the dog lives and looked around. No chicken.

No chicken this morning. Then, later that morning Tom banged on the window and said "hawk". So, I went out and put the flock into their enclosed pen. He saw a hawk over near the kitchen garden and compost bins. He walked over and found the chicken. The hawk had started eating it, I think. BUT, it would have already been dead. She was missing since last night. Another neighbor said she heard a ruckus in our flock in the early evening yesterday. I think the dog killed my chicken and left it and the hawk found it this morning.

THEN, I saw Jonquil out running around this afternoon. That only means one thing. The dead chicken is Stella. Those of you who have listened to me ramble on about my chickens know that Stella is one of my originals. She is also a buff Minorca, but looks slightly different from Jonquil. She would have been 8 years old this March.

I feel sad about her loss. She was the flighty and loud chicken of the originals. She would always give very loud egg announcements and was hard to catch. I do have her daughter. Eve is the chick who hatched out of Stella's egg. She has a lot of Stella's personality traits.

The past few months, Stella has come into the coop after feeding time in the mornings. She would stand next to me and I would give her a little extra food while scooping the droppings boards. I did notice this morning that she didn't come into the coop for her special treats.

Aw well. I'll miss her silly self. I have one original left. A black production hen named Ida.

For those of you who are thinking about chickens. The black production ones seem very hardy. I have a few and have had zero issues with any of them. Even Ida who is nearly 8 years old. The red production birds seem to get reproductive issues and have shorter lives. It's just something I've noticed in my experience with keeping chickens.

That rat would not be a pest ......... its when they multiply they become a concern.

I've learned a lot about rats. They're nocturnal. But if ya see one in the daytime its a sign of an infestation. I was occasionally seeing a rat, here and there, in the day , last summer.

Either mice or a rat chewed into my bag of winter cover seed in my garage. They scattered seed everywhere. I''ve kept seed in my garage for 10 years and never had a problem before.

I've also learned the preferable way to deal with them is the live trap. The snap traps will get anything, possum, cats, birds. I only use those inside my shed. They're industrial strenght mouse traps.

One of my neighbor's snap traps is missing. She thinks it caught a rat and then a cat took the rat and trap away. I don't think so, I would bet the cat got into the trap and took it back home with him.

The poison bait stations also have problems. Rats will drag food back to their nests. I put peanut butter on a jar lid inside the door of the live trap, to lure him deeper into the trap, and the other night the rat dragged it 3 foot away from the trap. If they can get pieces of rat poison its possible they could drag them out of the station and leave them where a dog or some other animal could get to it. I also watched a squirrel go inside a bait station on my security camera live. I ran out and scared it away. Again, I now only use them indoors.

Our rental house had a rat problem. Enough that they dug out the sand under the foundation and caused it to shift. This house has a crawl space, but somewhere in it's past someone added a den on a slab. I would guess the owner did it himself since the roof was poorly done and the slab has had problems. But rats can do a lot of damage.

I'm sorry about Stella. You need to talk to your neighbor, that dog will think it's a game to chase your chickens.

I just realized it's Sunday. I'll make a new thread if there isn't one already.

Critters can be a problem, and I guess you can have them anywhere. I have used sprays, poison, live traps, snap traps. I have some steel traps that I bought and never had the nerve to use. I find that it is better to try to nip the problem in the bud by not having the habitat for the critters, which is almost impossible. I have used poison most often in my life to get rid of an infestation, but I get sort of an empty feeling when I have to kill anything.

My garden is trying to show some life. The cold weather took the onions and garlic almost to the ground. I am afraid all the turnips and beets are gone for ever.

I have to get some equipment repaired before I can get any ground ready for planting, unless I just plant a small area, but some equipment has to be repaired to even maintain the property.