March second week 24

last month

Looks like evryone is busy in the garden. I am headed out now and hope clean up and tidy and then get my insect netting on all my pots. I hope to have a large variety of herbs and teas to bring to the fling. I was thinking about past flings when Dawn used to come and bring her giant tomatoes. I would tease her and say dont put those near mine makes mine look stunted. Share what yall are doing. inspire me. We need to keep this corner going.

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Kim Reiss
Original Author

last month

Larry I too am always concerned about running late even though most years I am on time or early there have been occasions where I was way behind and did not get a decent crop because of you so late. I got 10 strawberry plants in and a bunch of other stuff planted. Plants from winter sewing and Seeds. Sifting soil slows me down. I’m going to calculate how much soil I need for next year and maybe buy a bag every month it was a beautiful day here and since everything was still wet from the rain the other day I didn’t have to water a bunch of stuff. I also had to take my car to the mechanic again because the front and was shaking and shimmying. So got to order new tie rods. I think it’ll be easier to keep a horse at this point

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Comments (53)

Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
You have been so busy lately Jennifer. I am on spring break and started off with a dreadful headache yesterday. I’m so allergic to fragrance and was exposed on Friday night. I worked in the garden about two hours Saturday and about five hours today. I feel my face is quite pink. So many things planted. I keep checking seeds but of course they aren’t popping yet.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I just got through checking my seeds, nothing popping up, I checked the date in the container and it was 3-08-24, then I thought that I expecting too much on that container. I do have containers that should be popping up, but when you are working with old seed you never know what to expect. I did notice something popping up in the cilantro cells. I am not sure I have ever grown cilantro before, but I may have some soon. The date on those cells was 2-24, or 26, so it may take a little longer than most seeds.

I must have spilled some turnip seeds into my potting mix, so I have little plants coming up everywhere. When the plants get large enough to tell if I am pulling the right plant I will be getting rid of them.

Kim,I don't do well with some potting soil, some of it really messes up my lungs. I have been telling myself that I was going to get a good respirator, I guess I have been lying to myself, because I don't have one yet, I also need one when I mow.
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Kim, I hope you're having a great time in west Texas. Dawn
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hwy20gardener
last month
Well...our goal was to get the potatoes planted today, and since I was digging in dirt already, went ahead and planted the broccoli too. Now i'm down to only one broc, which is nothing. I wont have any replacements when the wind/storms/rabbits shred some. Hoping that they put on some growth while the weather is good to them. Guess ol' Creekside garden center will be our fallback for any replacements.

I did the post hole digging method again for the taters because it seemed to have worked well last year. Just have to do a better job storing the things this time around if we get a good harvest.

Won't be long and we'll all be spreading carrot seed. Every year about this time I start thinking we're running out of space, but I like the cool season harvest. Pests aren't crazy just yet and no fungal diseases. That's about all from us. I guess we'll get tomatoes & peppers going inside and wait to sow the carrots in a couple of weeks.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
I do need to wear a mask. My 1 1/2 lungs don’t appreciate dust from the soil. Or smoke. I had to come in before I was done last night. Neighbors started burning. Hwy 20 I planted my carrots in January. I have a gray stand but it took awhile for them to come up. I think next year I will warm the ground with black plastic.
hazelinok
last month
Josh, do you mean you only have one broccoli plant left total? Or that you only have one replacement left?

I'm hoping to get mine in today after work. I was planning on leaving early, but just found out I need to stay a little later than what I wanted.

I spread our potatoes on the floor of the extra bedroom last year, with the fan on. Our house isn't that cool in the summer, tho. And I won't be storing any produce in that room again.

Finding space to store those types of things is always difficult. I've seen those cold rooms that people build, but I'm not sure how expensive it is to keep them cold. It would be nice to have one of those in the shop.

I'm really stumped on where I'll put both the potatoes and the onions. Onions are a little easier because they can hang in our utility room, even though it's not very cool in that room

If I had time this summer, I would can a lot of potatoes, but my time is going to be limited, I'm afraid.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I went out to the south garden a while ago, I will soon need shelf space.

My plants are too small to go outside, but some I expect will be going out after hardening off.

There are about 35 lettuce on the right end of the top flat, most will go in mineral tubs, which is a first for me. The bottom flat is one of the flats that the markers ( like on top flat slid off), so need to figure out what the plants are.

The markers slid off this flat also, but I think I can figure out what the plants are by reading my notes. My plants are too small, but I still have a lot of time before I plant.

I have a lot of plants that have not come up, many of them are peppers. I planted about 37

bell pepper seeds last night. I dont normally start bell peppers, because I can always find those plants at the store.

When checking the garden this morning, I picked out some spots in the onion row to pull the onions, and clear spots for pepper.
hwy20gardener
last month
Yep, I only have one broccoli plant leftover after filling the row. For some reason, I thought I had plenty started, but it was cabbage that we went heavy on.

Last year, Creekside had Lieutenant broccoli that we used to replace the ones that didn't make it. They did well. Guess we'll do the same this year if we must.
HU-422368488
last month
last modified: last month
I got potatoes and onions on in.

Now working on brassicas. Got some Lieutenant broccoli in and bought some more. Got some Bonnie hybrid cabbage , some Early New Jersey Wakefield cabbage , some of Bonnie's cauliflower , collards and kale.

Working towards planting seed for spinach , lettuce, mustard ,chard ,carrots, beets. .green peas...

Anything cool season.

Rick
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I planted some lettuce in some mineral tubs, some alone, some with onions.

I also planted a small bed of carrots. I tried covering these carrots with some tool box drawer lined, which looks like vinyl seat cover material.

I have shallow soil, so I spaded the soil to the depth of a spading fork, tossed in some vermiculite, and about 2 gal of Happy Frog potting soil, then tilled it well. It is a small bed, but my great grand son got me some seeds for Christmas in 2022, and we have not had a chance to plant them together.

I have never worked vermiculite, but I hope I have loosened the soil up enough that we can get a good crop, which I have never done, and I have seldom covered my soil to aid germination.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
This is my trash bucket by the door. So far Red mustard greens.
hazelinok
last month
I did not get to plant the cabbage and broccoli. We got the message the carpet is coming tomorrow. We spent the evening clearing out the bedrooms. They're totally empty now and you can imagine what our living room looks like. We'll be sleeping on the couches tonight.

I am tired. Maybe while they're putting in the carpet, I can plant the brassicas. I put a video up of my Greenstalk on FB. I look weird in the video, but I am excited to get it functioning finally.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
Jennifer I had to go watch your video. That looks really awesome. I have one of the greenstalk for a while but it’s just not the right time. Your house is gonna be so nice when you get all your remodeling done.
hazelinok
last month
Kim, i actually bought the GS about a year ago when they were having a great sale. just now setting it up. i want another one but its not in the budget.

its probably good to start with one anyway to see how it does. its an investment.

yes, it will feel good to get the house done. The carpet in the bedrooms was really gross and old (not in a good way) and it smelled bad. pretty sure it caused some allergy issues too.

weve put it off for a long time for various reasons.

anyway, i want it to be clean for the baby especially.

next year, ill paint the main living areas. it will have been 8 years since the main remodel and its time for those walls to be freshened up. no textiuring or painting trim. just simple paint.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
Jennifer I am not a fan of carpet but in my tiny house it is necessary. I’m supposed to get a new piece of carpet from my son which should be big enough to replace my carpet I have now it’s about 10’ x 10’. I need to finish fixing my place so that I’ll be ready to sell if necessary. Every so often I have the urge to get everything ready so I can move. I don’t know where I’m going but I wanna be ready. I had to make a decision what to do about the rest of my plantings. Except for tomatoes I think I will put everything else in the ground bed. I scavenged some beautiful soil and leaves from my brothers place in Oklahoma yesterday. I decided I can’t afford to buy any more soil for my containers so I’m going to build another inground bed. It should do pretty good because it’s right over the area where the chicken coop was. I’m gonna work on that and getting my shed cleaned out today. I have to take about 50 things out and then put them back in an organized fashion. And I need to get rid of a bunch of stuff I’ve been hanging on to. I want to get my dehydrator set up in the shed so that I can use it this summer.
hazelinok
last month
That's great that you were able to get some good soil from your brother's place.

I'm sorta dreading filling up those Vego beds. They're half full of composty stuff, but still, it will take quite a bit of dirt to top them off. That's in April's budget.

And over the old chicken coop--even better for you. I'm excited to see how it all works for you. I'm so glad you're somewhat well now, and able to do so much. You were so sick. It was scary.

And that's what we need to do as we put our stuff back into the bedrooms--sort through and rid ourselves of stuff. However, I'm pretty good about purging stuff fairly often, but there's always more. And, you're right, organization is always helpful. It makes staying tidy easier. When things have a place to go and easy to get to, it's always helpful for actually putting stuff away.

My issue is my webbing mind. I start one project or task and then get distracted and do something and forget about the "tools" from the first project. It's a curse of a webbing mind rather than a linear one that stays focused until project is complete, done, and cleaned up.

Kim, I feel the same way. I need to be free of unneeded/unused stuff in case we need to move. Being ready to go, if necessary.

I told Tom as we were pulling everything out of the bedrooms last night, that it would have been much worse if we were hoarders. As it was, we were really able to clear out in under an hour. Not bad.

We had a much larger home before this one. We had to rid ourselves of about half of our stuff back then. Of course, we've collected more over the years.

Honestly, a big chunk of our stuff is Ethan's. He's not ready to receive it all yet. His apartment is very small. At some point we'll load it all up and drive it to Oregon. He has so many musical instruments especially, and amps and whatnot. He only took one guitar with him.

Anyway, the flooring is IN! Yay!. Tonight, I'm skipping Pilates and we'll put our bedroom back together and work on the other ones later this week. I am going to try to plant those brassicas too.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
I am cleaning out the shed today and I don’t know why I have to make such a huge mess before it gets tidy. I still have about six totes to sort through and repack. I’ve already done about five today and I don’t think I’m gonna go through the rest. I’ve made a space to put my dehydrator in the shed and I’m gonna get that cleaned up and set up out there. That way I’ll be ready at a moments notice to dehydrate something. It is a beautiful sunny 65° day here and we should have the same tomorrow. I told myself I cannot work in the garden until I get my shed cleaned up and tidy. I think half of the stuff I have I could probably give it to my kids but I am not sure how much to get rid of right now. I need a big house to spread it all out. I have so much kitchen stuff and garden stuff. I discovered I had five shovels. And they’re all exactly the same size. I have some shop lights and Extra bulbs I am going to bring to the spring fling. Lunch is over I guess I’ll get back to work
slowpoke_gardener
last month

Kim, I am sure someone would want your shop lights. And you need a few extra shovels. I had to start buying His and Her tools. When Madge was younger she would break all the handles out of my tools, and shovels were the thing she would tear up first, then the hoes, the ole gal just didn't know her own strength. I started buying heaver tools for her, but old age has taken care of that problem.

I need a pointer from you gals that cook with onions. I am trying to bridge the gap from one production year to the next by replacing bulding onions for a type that will grow "Off Season".

What I would like to ask, is what is the best way to save this type of onion? Now I am harvesting about half a dozen at a time, clean and slice, dry and freeze. Is there a better way?

Madge did not grow up eating onions, and knows very little about them. I grew up eating onions, but know nothing about using them.

I have found that harvesting about 6 at a time works pretty well for me, it does not tie up a lot of space, and by only having 6 frozen, the stored ones stay fresh, and the others are in the garden growing.

Would it be better for my to place the in the sun to dry? I am only trying to get them dry enough that they dont stick together when they freeze.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
Larry that’s exactly how I do it if I am going to freeze it from fresh. Sometimes I like to sauté a lot of onions at one time and bag those and put them in the freezer. Then when I’m having a hamburger or some thing I want sautéed onions they are already ready for me and I don’t have to cook them. I also have a dehydrator and I like to dehydrate lots of stuff. In fact I cleaned out the shed and I got my table cleared off so that I can set my dehydrator there after I get it cleaned out. I have always wanted one to hang outside because it is so hot and windy around here it wouldn’t take long for them to dry. I don’t like to do onions in the house or garlic. With the tiny house I have to be careful not to stink it up with something like that. Because when I go to town my clothes will smell like onions and they’ll start thinking funny things about me. I worked in the shed almost all day and my reward is to work in the garden tomorrow. I found some adorable things while I was cleaning and going through junk. I found a load of my mom’s recipe books so I brought Those in to look through
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Kim, what way of preserving food do you like best? I always canning would be the cheapest, but a lot of work. My neighbor said that he bought a 1000 watt dehydrator. I would think 1000 watts would cook the food.

I know what you mean about the smell of food. When I was chopping up those onions, I could tell that it was making the house smell like onions. The smell may still be here, Madge and I may have just gotten use to it.

I went outside and up potter 12 cucumber plants, and I could smell them outside. I have no idea what I am going to do with 12 cucumber plants, they will die of old age before planting time gets here, and I am already out of shelf space, I sounds like its time to build another light shelf.
hazelinok
last month
I'm pretty simple with onions. I don't have all the different kinds that some of you have. I just cure and store the bulbing onions that I plant in February and harvest in June. There's some around that Rick plants that I use for green onions, along with some chives that I have in a pot.

The bulbing onions, I try to chop and freeze the ones that look like they won't store well. And that's basically it for me.

As far as cooking goes, I'll often chops some (or use the frozen ones) and cook them in oil/butter/ghee and put them into whatever dish I'm cooking. The green ones are often garnishes or sometimes go into certain salads.

I got the cabbages and broccoli planted. Hopefully the crazy wind won't tear them up. All my cool season things are now planted.

I'm so thankful I didn't start a ton of seeds this year. The lightshelf is finally back in it's correct spot.

Our bedroom is mostly back together. The basics, anyways. And the other stuff will be considered before putting back. It might be time to let some of the decor go.

The furnture and junk from the other two rooms is still sitting in the living room, but I'm too tired to deal with it. Just glad that our bedroom is clean and ready to welcome me. We bought new curtains and a new bedspread/shams. It's so pretty and lovely. Hopefully I'll sleep well tonight.

It's about time to up-pot the tomatoes.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
Jennifer that is such a treat. I hope you get some time to work in the garden this week. Larry my favorite way of preserving vegetables actually is dehydrating. When done properly it can last for years. I have jars of onion powder and green powder from a variety of greens That I use and soups and celery that I used to make celery salt with that are probably eight years old and they are still as fresh as could be. I do for the first time have a pressure canner that I will be using this summer to process a lot of my greens and some of my beans. I don’t like to depend on freezers because they go out or the power goes out and so I would rather have something that is shelf stable especially in this time that we’re in in the world
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I would like to have a canner, but I am having a hard time selling Madge on buying one, she thinks we are too old to start, but I think, we are old, period, and hope to get older, and a canner has nothing to do with our problems.

Jennifer, I chop and freeze bulbing onions also, maybe the answer is just grow more bulbing onions, I think that is what Madge would rather do, We never seem to have time to chop the bulbing onions, and it hurts Madge's hands, and, they take more freezer space. The green onions I can go to the garden and harvest as I need one. I am trying to take over more of the things that Madge does, because I feel that she is doing too much. I know that she does not really like the idea, the same as I would feel if she was trying to take over the gardening, but we are old and Father time is not being nice to us, and we have to work together. Life has gotten harder for both of us in the past few years.
hazelinok
last month
last modified: last month
Larry, my canner is a Presto with a weighted gauge only. It's light enough that I can use it fairly easily. It doesn't do a lot of jars, but (I think) I can do 7 or 8 pint jars at a time. It's light enough that I can use it on my electric glass cooktop. I use it for both pressure canning and water bath.

Rick has two heavier canners that we use in the shop with a camp cookstove. It's a pretty good set up, although a little toasty in the summer.

I recommend the Presto if you want something lighter weight.

Kim, I like to can stuff too, rather than freeze, but sometimes don't due to time. Also, certain foods aren't great canned. I need to begin canning our broths, but it's just so easy to put them in jars (leaving headspace) and pop in the freezer. One bad thing about that is remembering to thaw it for a recipe. It would be better to have it canned.
AmyinOwasso/zone 6b
last month
I hate canning. I don't have it in me anymore. I have a dehydrator, an expensive one (they have an adjustment for temperature, Larry.) I never mastered rehydrating. And never learned to use the powders I made. So freezing is better for me. Larry you can throw the onions in a food processor. They get a little mushy but when you're in a hurry to freeze them, it works. There are a number of products that will chop them. I have a thing you push on and it makes little squares or there's the old fashioned jar with a chopping blade inside. I even own onion goggles to keep from crying.

One point I would remind you of is that walking onions are stronger tasting than bulbing onions so you need less. I'm not sure how strong bunching onions are in comparison.

Ron put up the light shelves (new shelves!) Now it's up to me to start the seeds.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
I got the new presto precise electric digital canner. It works perfectly for water bath and hopefully soon I will be testing it out on pressure canning. I had to get it because I have no way to use a regular pressure canner. My hot plate never gets hot enough to really boil water. Amy I’ve had a problem using up my powders obviously I forget about them. Now I have built a shelf so they are with an arms reach of my kitchen. Well let’s be honest everything is within arms reach in my kitchen.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Jennifer, my mom had a small Presto pressure cooker when I was a kid, she loved it. I don't remember much about it, other than it had a twist type lid, and seems like gauge on top that had 3 lines on it, the bottom was copper, and the rest looked like stainless steel. I doubt that mom could get over 3 pint jars in it. I don't remember much detail about that time in my life.

I told Madge that I wanted to buy a canner, I want a small one, but I want to be able to can quart size jars, I should still have a good size supply of jars that my grand mother used.

I need to go to town and buy a sheet of wafferboard to place another light shelf on. I would like to make a light shelf that I can take over to my daughters house. I want to rub some of my growers disease off on her, I think she would like it, I think that some of the problem she will have to overcome is, that everyone has failures, especially when first starting out.

I have some plants outside hardening off, I also have some lettuce that I want to plant in the south garden, but I dread fighting the insects. I am also going to up pot a few plants today if I can fit it in.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I just checked the post, and I must have been typing, or they were delayed getting to my computer, but thanks ladies for the input, I will get back later ramble some more, but now I need to go for supplies.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
Larry I might have a presto canner that needs a new seal you can order online or have your granddaughter do it. And you can get the gauge checked at the ag office. Let me see if I can find it. I have already started loading the car for the spring fling and it’s over a month away. But some of this stuff I have to get out of my shed so I can get around. I got my new bed made and the soil put in it. I weeded forever. I planted some flowers and I moved a lot of heavy pots. I am trying to get all of my stuff inside a little fenced in area that is not very big. I’ve got my chair and side table set up and I’m almost done with the layout. I want to go out and plant some cucumbers in a minute.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Kim, I would love the presto canner, repair would be no problem. Repairing small appliances was one of my hobbies long ago.

I got a bed made for some cabbage, and lettuce, I tilled it a few times, while adding perlite. I have never used this product alone, and I have no idea what it will do to my soil, but my soil is heavy and tight, and I dont have access to compost like I use to. I wish that I had a small sub-soiler to bust up the ground a foot or so down.

I hope I can find someone that wants some yellow tomato plants. I plant a lot of old seeds, and, I have yellow pear, and Golden Jubilee running out of my ears, and I have a flat that had 3 or 4 kinds of tomatoes planted in it, and the tags slid off the flat onto the floor, and I doubt that I can ID the plants. Spme of my "new to me" tomatoes look like they will make good container plants, they seem to be starting out short and stocky.
HU-422368488
last month
It's so odd that the tomato you want is so scare and the tomato you don't care for is so plentiful.

I'd like to try "Kellogg’s Breakfast " or some similar orange variety but have never seen it around in the transplant stage.

Rick
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I need to come up with a new system. I like to start different kinds of tomatoes, but some germinate faster than others, also older seeds are sometimes slower. If I use the dome over the seeds the soil does not dry out so fast, but when the first seeds start popping up I like to remove the dome, which seems to slow down the rest of the seeds. I have never started as many different kinds of tomato seeds before, nor have I had such a range in seed age.

Rick, Madge ordered some orange tomatoes last year that were very nice, I don't remember the names of them, I joked with her about just buying the rejects that fell to the floor, because of there names, like "Orange Hybrid". I don't think she found any this year, but if I can keep the plants I have alive we will 8 or 10 times the amount we need, I think my count will pass 150 already. I am not doing so well on peppers, I may have to get the heat mat out to wake the pepper seeds up.

Farmgardener, I did a germination test on the Anasazi beans that I bought at the produce stand, and they came up. I plan on planting about 75 of them and see if I can grow them.
hazelinok
last month
I'll take one of each variety of yellow tomato, Larry.

I do have the Hardins miniature for my Vego beds, but am hoping Jen has some luck with her dwarf varieties and she's able to share.

I'm happy to sit down now. We have Ethan's room partially back together. The bed, armoire, chest of drawers, nightstand is in. Blinds and window cleaned and new carpet vacuumed. I put my great grandma's quilt on the bed. It doesn't quite fit it, but will figure out a cute way to decorate. Next up is my office. It's a challenge. I have a lot of "curiosities" in my office...it's just gonna have to be a bit junky, I think. In a cute way hopefully. I have bones, butterfly and moth wings, pretty rocks and stones. Stuff that Rick gave me from the geology lab. My dried herbs are stored in there. My pressed flowers.

One more day and then Spring Break.
hazelinok
last month
Larry, when did you start your peppers?

My new seed (and the ones I saved last year) popped up pretty quickly. But, I am seeing some action in the older seed FINALLY....and it's been over 2 weeks. Other than the pimentos, I've got about what I want for peppers (and at least one of those is coming up, so maybe more will). I might pick up a habanero at the store. My old neighbor and I like to go to The Greenhouse in Norman to look around every spring. It's pricey but a dream place. I normally don't buy much, but have fun looking around and got a habanero there last year and it was truly a habanero. I picked up about 18 jalapenos for another neighbor because they had a good price on 4-packs and they all turned out to be sweet banana peppers.

Not the nursery's fault, tho.

I am pleased that the little lunchbox sweet peppers are up. I started 4 and have 3. I wonder what colors they'll be. Those little packs are a combo of orange, yellow, and red. I didn't sort by color, tho. It will be a surprise.

I've gotta leave my cozy office and go over to the school now. It will be crazy because this is the last day before spring break. Everyone will be fired up.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Jennifer, the first bunch of seeds I planted were on 2-28-24, only about 12 Ache County pimentos in that group, all look good, most have their first true leaves. I planted a flat of mixed peppers on 3-7-24, many are just now coming up, I expect many old seeds will not germinate. The last peppers I planted were 36 California Bell on 3-10-24, none of those have sprouted yet.

We are told that there is a strong chance of rain, wind, and hail this after noon, so I up potted some lettuce that I had planned of throwing away. I am going to have to go to an odd/even day set-up with my plants. I only have room for 8 flats under the light. The weather is good enough now for the plants to sit outside, but it is early enough that I need to be ready to carry them back inside if needed.

I bought another bag of potting soil. Starting seeds is not bad, but up-potting can eat potting soil in a hurry. When I was at town I looked for some Early girl plants, or seeds, I did not find either. I do have a tomato that is supposed to produce in 49 days, it will have to be my early tomato this year. It seems to me that the seed supply is shorter this year. I have plenty of seeds, but I don't have a lot of variety.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I hope everyone came through last night as well as I think we did. We got some heavy rain in short burst, a little hail, but very small sized. My garden looks okay, some of the plants that I had put out are almost covered with soil but they were very small plants.
jlhart76
last month
last modified: last month
I lived in my house in Tulsa for 14 years, and I have a tendency of saving things because "I can use that..." So when we moved, I had several yard sales and then hauled at least 3 minivan loads to the thrift store. And we still left a lot behind that I regret. When we sell this place, I've already warned Cliff that I'm not downsizing my garden stuff again. I'm still debating about taking all those concrete blocks HJ gave me, just not sure the logistics on that. I'm sure some landlord would love me hauling in 30 concrete blocks to stack in a corner somewhere.

I've started separating out my seedlings and so now we get "recess" time. Any day it's warmish and little to no wind, I move them out for 30 min or so while I'm out there. Not true hardening off, that comes later, but this way seems to work for me. And I found someone on facebook giving away 10 gallon grow bags of dirt, so I'm going to try to pick some up tomorrow. I want to plant all of my tomatoes in containers, plus my houseplants all need repotted (it's been years since I did that).

Peppers are lousy this year. I've started 3 differnt batches. First batch didn't sprout anything so I planted another round. Then a couple from the first batch popped up. Started a third group, and a few more from the first batch sprouted.

Larry, I have one of those Nesco/Carey canners. It holds 5 jars at a time, which is plenty for just me (Cliff doesn't eat vegetables and I haven't had enough at one time to try making spaghetti sauce yet). And I have a dehydrator that I use about once a month or more. I've tried to get into the habit of putting all of last week's leftover vegetables in it before I go do grocery shopping. Then I grind the dehydrated stuff into powder and use as a seasoning.

HJ, I posted in the facebook group the list of all my dwarfs and micros. Just let me know which ones you want. I've also got a couple Snow White if you want one. Cream colored cherries, incredibly prolific, and did well in drier years for me.

Rick, I grew Kellogg's one year. It was pretty good. I'll see if I have any seeds left if you want.

And I thought I'd brag on my questionable handyman skills. It isn't pretty, and it's already trying to come apart, but I was able to build a cold frame from random stuff lying around. I kept the glass doors when we replaced our shower, then some leftover wood the previous owner left behind, and some metal countertop samples to hold it in place. I need to do a little reinforcing, but for now it's working.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Jen, I like your handy man skills. I am a pack rat and just cant throw anything away, there is always a place that I maybe can use it, then when I need it (if ever) I can't find it, but I know that I had it at one time. I have also moved and took junk from my attic at the old house and stored it in the attic at the new house.

Jen, I had to take a look at the canner you were talking about, but I am not sure we will get any kind of canner, Madge and I are too old to plan very far ahead, and we are becoming more limited every day. I would like for the kids to develop some growing and canning skills, and I guess they will if they have to, each person has to seek their own path.

So far my plants are doing okay, it seems as tho I never know if I am ahead, or, behind schedule, I guess a lot of that depends on the weather, and we never know what the weather will be.

It looks like I will have a bunch of seeds that wont sprout. I don't use seed starting mix, and have tried using some Happy Frog potting soil, and some Top Choice potting soil in place of pro mix this year, it is always difficult for me to change to something new.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Three of the six containers I am starting slips in. I still don't plan to start as many as I did last year. I bought stuff yesterday so daughter will be able to start things at her house, she has a lot more room.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
Your slips look great Larry. I was out of pocket. Went to my daughters Thursday. We went to ikea. I spent the night last night and babysat all day. A four year old, two year old and nineteen month old : 0. It’s very hard for me. I did get a card game with the 11 year old. Working in the garden is easier. It’s supposed to rain again tomorrow so I can catch up on house chores.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Kim, we are babysitting also, we have puppy. Daughter is going to Las Vegas for grand daughter's wedding, and we get to keep her yorkie.

I am not sure any of those slips well be used in the garden. I expect a lot of the first slips will be too large by planting time. I always get request for plants to be used as ornamentals. I don't want the plants to become root-bound if I am going to use them for food, and it is much too early to plant sweet potatoes here.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
There is a plant swap listed on our fb group I’ll see if I can find the link.
hazelinok
last month
Hi Everyone.

It was a cloudy and sprinkly day here. No real rain, tho. We haven't had real rain in a few weeks.

We did grocery shopping this afternoon and looked at thrift stores and an antique store this morning. It was fun. I have a few specific things I'm looking for--lamps and oil paintings are two of them.

In the garden....

Ellisons in Norman had Chandler strawberries (that Rick told me about last night) so we went first thing this morning and picked up 4 of them. I found 5 others while cleaning out the strawberry bed this evening. And two other varieties. I think they're Sequoia?

The potatoes are about to pop up out in the SG. I can see a few green leaves. And the dirt has that look right before the potatoes burst through.

Unfortunately, I saw that we have a forecast low of 29 at the end of the 9 day. My phone isn't showing that, but one of the news channels did. I hope they're wrong.

That's all I've done today other than sort through a couple of boxes. My give away pile is growing. And I cleaned up my salt lamps and put them back into the bedroom. We were able to find a lamp and a decorative pillow that I like. The bedroom is starting to feel cozy.

Tomorrow, I'm going to squeeze in time to up-pot the tomatoes and some of the flowers too.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I am hoping to up pot some plants today also, but I have run out or room and nearly run out of containers also. I don'i like to use solo cups because they tip over too easily, and they are space hogs.

Some plants may be a little large by Spring Fling, Is anyone not in favor with planting large plants? I plant some oversize plants pretty often even though I had rather the plants not be so large. I just take post hole diggers and did a little larger hole, but my gardening area may not be as close as yours.

Jennifer, I will just take a 36 size cell of 6 and put your yellow plants, if it looks like the plants will be too large for that size cell I can make other arrangements.

I am going to start taking my plants out some in the day because I am running out of room in my growing area in the house.

I did find some Early Girl seeds yesterday, but there were only 15 seed packs. I try to plant these every year to have an early harvest, but this year I shifted to Early Treat because I had run out of 4th of July and Early Girl seeds. There were 3 packs of Early Girl seeds on the rack, and I bought 2 of them. I expect that these 2 packs will last me the rest of mu gardening life. I also think that I will stick with Roma, Beefsteak, Celebrity, and Golden Jubilee, because the seeds are cheap, and I have a lot of them
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
Found out the soil I bought is not the best ever and there are multiple people that have had problems. I will have to buy one promix so I can pot up my spring fling plants.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Kim, which Pro Mix do you use? I guess I use more Pro Mix LP 15 now than any thing else. I buy nearly all my supplies at the Farmers Co-op, They know both rigs I drive at the Co-op, and most often have me loaded up before I even get back to the car of truck.

I don't like changing mixes, there seems to be a learning curve with which ever mix you use. I think that I got into trouble this year with Happy Frog. I think Happy Frog may be good for containers ( if you can afford it ), but I am not sold on it yet as being good for small plants.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
I just have to buy the one from Walmart in a red block. If I want any other type I would have to drive to Dallas. I would prefer the one I used to get in a gray bag but no one carry’s it local or even Lubbock anymore. I go there frequently so I checked. I have used happy frog and Fox farm. I like them but they are pricey.
hazelinok
last month
Dawn used to bring 2 and a half feet tall tomato plants with blossoms and small fruit even. lol. We all took them.

larry, don’t go to any trouble for me. i will take whatever you want to share.

i guess these tomatoes wont up pot themselves so I better get busy at it.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
Jennifer, I think I have the plant part covered, I am more concerned about room now. I have invited my daughter and her boyfriend to come also. I expect daughter of her boyfriend to drive, we will need to bring 4 chairs or stools, Madge will want to bring some kind of food, then I will need room for some plants. What I would like to have is a four door truck, but I don't have one.

I need to get out and up pot some plants also.
Kim Reiss
Original Author
last month
Most of my herbs are up. That gives me so much hope. I harvested spinach, pea shoots, garlic chives and broccoli raab for a little salad. Then I cooked mustard greens, garlic chives and one onion leaf. It was delicious but I need alot more greens.
slowpoke_gardener
last month
I up potted 12 Beefsteak, and planned to up pot about the same amount of Roma, then I got to hurting and decided to come back to the recliner. Madge would probably tell you that it was the junk I tried to make for lunch. I tried to make some onion soup, I don't even like onion soup, but this was the best that I have ever tried to eat, it looked more like onion gravy, but with a little more spicing up it was okay. But, when you have onions growing in 3 different gardens, you need to come up with a way to use them.

I noticed that the California Wonder that I seeded on the 10th. already has 20/36 popping through the soil. I will have to up pot them sooner than normal because I planted them in a plastic salad container that is very shallow.