Look at all of those beautiful plants, Larry!

I will say that I'm glad to only have one tray of tomatoes to move in and out. Much easier and quicker than past years.

I'm enjoying downsizing. Honestly, I think I'll grow veggies according to pantry needs in the future. I canned so many tomatoes and beans last year that we're good for another year. Without the boy home, we just don't cook as many casseroles, enchiladas, soups, and chilis that use pantry items like that. He would literally eat half of whatever I fixed. Even if it was for 6 to 8 people. I guess that's how it is when you're a young man. You can eat a lot.

Everyone is different, tho. This is working for me right now.

I watched Seasonal Homestead's latest video and it seems she has the same thoughts about that as well.

I really do enjoy that channel. Her voice is an issue for me a bit--she tends to slur her words a lot. I'm sensitive to that. My own voice on videos makes me cringe too.

I really want a cold room like they have. I wonder the cost of running that. It's a good video. They did the pantry challenge and didn't grocery shop for 3 months. It was super interesting to see how they used their foods. I would love to try that, but Tom wouldn't be happy about it. And we are foodies and enjoy eating out a couple of times a week.

This weekend I'll start sunning the peppers some. Only a tray of those too.

Last night I planted the Heirloom Beauties sunflowers. They were way too big and could possibly snap in the wind before they get rooted in and strong. So, I put giant food cans around them like with my tomatoes. They were really too tall for that even. So, I started planting them in trenches like I've done with tomatoes. We'll see how they do. There are some volunteers that are coming up as well. They'll probably be healthier plants. Haven't seen volunteer zinnias yet, tho. Has anyone else?

The raised bed with the stunted henbit is almost clear now. Just two more raised beds to go. It's hard to explain how that henbit looks. It's yellowed and shorter. It started coming up in the fall. It is henbit, tho. It's a pain to pull too. The bigger and healthier henbit is much easier.

Henbit, gives me fits, I most often till over it and and then mulch. But I do try to leave it much longer than I like because the pollinators seem to love it as much as I hate it, I have a lot now that needs mowed or tilled.. I also have a love/hate relationship with Hairy Vetch, it is hard to get rid of, but it has more nitrogen balls on it than the clover does.

I agree Jennifer. I think we have to evaluate and reevaluate what are the priority foods in our life. If we just go willy-nilly like I have done in the past I end up with very few things to actually eat or preserve. I’m saving room for three tomato plants And two pots for herbs specifically and then I will tuck in herbs in every other pot that I have planted and veggies. I gave away a gallon and a half of greens today. I like to give the first fruit as much as possible. I am going to canned greens in half pints this year Oh and beans. We’ll see what else I come up with. I have a three day weekend so I am going to spend one day getting my Preservation area set up in the house and in the shed. When things start coming in is not the time to think about where to put this and that. So some of the plants I’ve been raising high thought were hyssop they are actually henbit. Sneaky little darling. They have been fertilized and well cared for if anybody is interested. It’s funny to me because it happens almost every year I grow something and it turns out to be something else. That’s what happens when you experiment. Some of the seeds I had just about given up on are actually sprouting. Tonight I planted purple Pak Choi not sure how long that will last. I am really proud my son is putting in a large garden and I am going to provide them with some seeds and plants.

Larry I’m sorry Madge has such a hard time with skin cancer and with pain pills. My mother had extensive skin cancer and several MOHS treatments on her head. You would think I would learn from her experience but I have to visit the dermatologist every 3 months. Sunscreen either turns me red and blotchy, burns like crazy, or sweats right off. My husband does not tolerate any pain pills stronger than Tylenol.

Jennifer, if I could just fix meals for myself I would have time to work outside, but by time I prepare lunch and do the ”daily have to do list” inside I have lost at least 1/2 of my day. My husband is a meat and potatoes guy and will eat an occasionsl sandwich or leftover, but not too often. On days he says ”I will pick something up for lunch” I am thrilled. Don’t care what as long as I don’t have to prepare it.

I’m planting most of my tomatoes this weekend, before the predicted rains. I have to get mowing done, husband fell again and is too bruised and sore to set on the mower, barely walking. If I don’t get it mowed we’ll have to bale it. We have about 3 hours of mowing so will certainly intefere with my garden time. I’m havjng kidney stone removed Monday so need to get all done and house in order too. I can’t abide a messy house, but no denying I would much rather be outside working.

My greens and broccoli are ready to pick, potatoes are about 8” tall, and strawberries are blooming. Sugar snaps are climbing the strings and a few blooms

It appears that my last post isn't showing up for anyone but me.

But...

We got a dump of rain. And crazy wind. Did anyone else get rain?

We got 3/10” rain - as you said in just a downpour lasting just about 20 minutes

i put out a few tomatoes so was happy to get thel rain.

Glenda, use to be a meat and potato type of guy, but for a long time I have been mostly a veggie guy, and many of them I had just as soon have raw. Meat has become hard for me to swallow.

We go out to eat quite a bit now, and the Olive Garden in out favorite place to go, I can eat their salad till my eyes turn green.

We got a little rain early this morning, what little we got came hard and fast, I doubt that it was more than 1/8 of an inch. I need to go out and make sure my plants are okay, they are sitting in flats without holes, and they could have more water in them than I would like.

I would like to risk a few plants, but it seems as tho my plants stay healthier if I don't plant them so early.

I have some sweet potato slips that have gotten too long, I have half a mind to plant them under the edge of some stall mats and see what heavy black rubber will do for them. I am thinking that it may heat up the soil, but I am also concerned that something may bleed out of the rubber into the soil, do an of you have any experience at doing anything like that. I would also want to put an irrigation tube under the mat.

Jennifer the last post of yours I see talks about henbit April 5th.

There's one that is not showing up from 17 hours ago. It's okay, though. Just strange.

I checked the plants this morning, and we got very little rain, I must have been hearing mostly wind this morning.

I moved the rest of my plants outside. I really have some nice looking plants, I hope I can keep them that way. I noticed the Fred's Tie Dye, and the Dwarf Sweet Sue, I have never grown, or seen any of those before, but at this time they are a very pretty plant, If these plants keep looking

like they do now they will make a pretty ornamental plant, even without tomatoes on them. So far the Isis Candy have not impressed me. they don't seem as hardy.

I have a bumper crop of goat heads also. I have tried to fight goat heads with clover in the past, it tools like i need to spray and plant Ladino clover. I would like to find something that works better than clover, but I have clover seeds on hand, and they are easy to buy about anytime of the year.

Larry your plants are beast compared to mine : ) mine are coming along but certainly smaller. I winter sowed most of mine. Some I showed a couple weeks ago and a few varieties are popping. I am going to Lubbock on the 19th and will be taking plants to my friend Henny. Not sure how many she wants. The rest will come to the fling. I have Snow White and large red cherry just now ready to pot up. My carrots are doing great this year. I am so excited. I hope to ferment and can a batch. I picked a bundle for me and the bunnies today. I read to harvest before temps are consistently above 80. I am going to put up insect netting today or tomorrow. It’s going to be a job for one.

I was for ever getting my carrots up, they are only about an inch tall now. I may never learn how to grow carrots, but I want to try again this fall.

My onions are getting large enough to tell them apart. it looks like nearly all of them are the walking onion.

I will have extra large red cherry tomatoes to bring to the fling, if anyone is wanting some, I have other types also, my largest concern now is having the room that I need. My daughter and her friend are going to drive us, and if we take our car there wont be the room that I will want. I bought 4 folding chairs, now to figure out how much room for food and plants.

That is how I figure it. I told my friend she may have to hold a flat of plants.

I worked in the garden on and off all day. It was the perfect weather with a light breeze. I planted in the garden and potted up several things. I have been trying to do in inventory but I think I will wait until the two weeks before the fling. We are expecting rain tomorrow but not until the evening and I am off school. My goal is to get the insect netting up and secured. Some of my Porter are getting really big and will probably be huge by time I deliver. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and meeting new people in person. I am bringing two new people to the fling. My sister-in-law and a friend from work. Neither one or really gardeners they just wanted a road trip. I keep trying to convert everybody I meet

I want to plant in the containers today. I think I can make a few covers for some of the containers by using another container, which should help in case of frost, it wont do much if the temp gets too low. My l plants are out now, and it got down to 39 last night, I don't like my plants being out in that low of temp. I may take some backup plants to neighbors greenhouse. My grow shelf will not handle very tall plants.

We are told to be ready for a crazy day here in western Arkansas because of the eclipse. We are told to expect crazy traffic on the main hwy's, that wont include me, but the main hwy's east of me, as well as the towns may get a little crowded, that is just one more reason for me to go dig in the dirt.

A picture of my cute babies.

In the foreground are large red cherry and Chinese giant bell, then you see Ashe county pimento. I am sure there are other kinds of pepper in there, and some dwarf tomatoes that are just a cute as a bugs ear. I don't remember what all I planted this year. My plants are pouting a little because of the cold nights outside.

Those are beautiful Larry. I saw plants for sale at Walmart for 5.98. They don’t look nearly as good as yours.

Thanks, Kim, I have some plants that look better, some not as good, and some I will toss, but all n all I have a pretty good crop so far this year.

It will be bed time soon, it started getting sun down about 5 minutes ago, this has been a short day. I don't think that I have ever seen sunset at 1 : 30 before.

My picture is not as good as the ones shown on TV. I could see it much better through a shade #9 welding lens. This had been the shortest night I can remember also.

That’s the truth. I really felt myself getting tired.

Larry , you nailed it better than a lot of them , even got the corona.

Rick

Rick, I wish I could have taken a picture through my welding helmet, but I didn't know how, it was clearer and you could see more detail.

We got 4 1/2” of rain. Thankfully the hail did not come near me. Less than 10 miles away people had 2” hail. Tore up lots of stuff and they had really high winds north of me. I may lose some plants due to overwatering. We are expecting more rain tonight.

Yesterday, I spent most of the afternoon outside with the kids at school. It turned noticeably colder as the sun was covered. We spent most of the time hollering "don't look up without your glasses". We don't need a lot of children with eye damage. Our friend posted something like, "if my kids listen as well at school as they do at home, at least two of them will come home blind."

It was all so tiring, but super cool too.

That long post from 3 days ago still isn't showing up, I guess. It's so odd how I can see it. Is there something that can accidentally be activated that only allows the poster to see particular posts? Sorta like with FB?

Just got back from the vet. THAT wasn't in our budget this week. Apparently Finbar has an ear infection that isn't common in cats.

After work last night, I was able to work outside some. I only have 1 bed left to weed. Should be able to start planting this weekend. It is chilly out there today. Probably won't do any outdoor work today. I have a lot to do indoors and it doesn't feel that great out there.

Once I get the kitchen garden beds finished and planted, I'll start working on the flower beds around the house and the native/pollinator garden behind the shop. That garden is supposed to be sorta wild, but it does need to be thinned of a few things. The flowerbeds in front of our house are just a mess. They're always the last thing to get attention.

I have been trying to de-water my plants. I use mostly flats without holes to reduce the chances of me getting something wet in the house. Well, those flats don't work very well outside. I have started leaving my plants outside to harden off. The rain last night snuck up on me and everything was full of water this morning, and I have been emptying containers this morning and carrying plants onto the back porch.

We are expecting more rain today, and maybe later also, but I need to get some plants in the ground. I have 2 cucumber plants trying to bloom in the tray, I might as well put them in the ground and see what happens.

I came home from work and had to dewater my plants. I heard many stories of fellow gardeners that had their gardens shredded from hail. So sad. I have had that happen. I put all my plants I could fit under tables. We have more rain expected and everything is well watered. The garden is so vibrant and fresh looking. I took pictures since there was good cloud cover. I swear this nasturtium grew 2” since yesterday.

Kim, the plants look nice. I only have 4 containers with plants in them, which are lettuce and onions. I have not done any gardening related task in the past two days. It was rainy all day and I spent a lot of time in the clinic for a medical procedure today, maybe I will feel like getting out tomorrow.

I still have quite a few plants drowning in my trays outside. Maybe tomorrow I can fix my plants, my 6" pots came today while I was in town.

I'll try to post again and see if it shows up for anyone....

Got to work outside for a very short time this evening. Really, there's just half a bed left to weed. In the kitchen garden.

I found a giant carrot from the fall. It was way overgrown. I peeled it and it was actually quite sweet.

Dang beets. I can't seem to get much from them. I found the ones that were planted in the fall. They did something, but not much. I really want to grow the golden ones. Maybe I'll try them in the Vego bed this fall. Does anyone start beets in pots?

About 2 years ago, dock really showed up on my property. I always wonder if there's a reason when things show up.....like maybe I need it for something. After pulling one, the stem broke in my hand, and it is quite mucilaginous. Hmmm....

I know people ate it in the past....maybe they still do....and I know it's medicinal.

I've just never been that interested in it, but perhaps it's time to show some interest now.

Obedient plant, Blue Mist, coreopsis, gaillardia, echinacea, bergamot. IF anyone needs/wants those things and you're going to SF, let me know. I'll dig some up for you.

We didn't get much rain here, but got an enormous amount at work.

Still hoping to get the tomatoes planted out this Saturday. It is time. The oak trees and pecan trees have leaves coming on.

I've decided to only fill one Vego bed this spring. It's gonna be pricey. I don't want to get a truckload of soil even though it is much cheaper. I'm just too tired to deal with the shoveling this time. So, I'll buy some bags and mix it with homemade compost that I have in a couple of places. And keep dumping kitchen scraps, toilet paper tubes, and chicken droppings in the other bed. At the end of summer, I'll top it with soil and plant it for the fall. The one I'll fill for spring, will have the miniature Hardins tomatoes, the lunchbox peppers and the smaller basil--can't think of the name right now.

I've got some ideas for the fall too. Maybe some fall dwarf tomatoes could be fun, but I need to order seed for those.

Simplify. Work smarter not harder. Gotta get this figured out.

I wondered where y’all were Jennifer and Larry. I have been studying and getting my presentation ready for natural grocers. It’s on companion planting. I learn more every year. I found some stuff I printed out from Dawn . Its been raining for two days so not much to do in the garden.

Jennifer I need a load of soil but without a pickup it’s impossible. I bought bag compost that was horrible and went back to promix. I can’t fill my last 13 pots but I am just making do. I need to plant my tomatoes as well.

Another half inch of rain and my first flower from Dawn

Its 53 degrees here and sunny. If I can find a dry enough spot I think I will plant some cucumbers, maybe even a few tomatoes, other than sweet potatoes, that is all that I have that is large enough to plant. If I did not have back up plants I would not plant anything.

I need to do major thinning of my Egyptian walking onions. If anyone would like a start of them just let my know before SF, they grow very well in mineral tubs, and are much easier to care for.

Also I would like advice on my garlic. This is the first year I have taken growing garlic serious, and I think the plants look too yellow. You can see that the onions on each side of the garlic look like they have plenty nitrogen, I would expect that onions and garlic are to be fed about the same. Please some garlic grower comment.

Larry , my garlic looks a little yellowish like that.They may just be a lighter shade of green than the onions.

Rick

Jennifer the only beets I ever got a harvest from were Crosby's Egyptian.

I started beets in water jugs this year. I planted little clumps of starts and they are doing great.

Larry, did you plant your garlic in the fall? Maybe they're just a little slower to green up because they've been through the winter? My garlic usually looks a little pale and anemic coming out of winter and then looks healthy, colorful and robust once we're well into spring.

Amy, I'll look into the Crosby's.

Part of the reason I want gold beets is the beeturia. It's not a rare thing, but it affects me so that the beets aren't just tinging the "output", but it's a dark, deep red. It bothers me, although it's harmless. I don't have low iron, but suspect I have low stomach acid, which is supposed to be more common in blood type A. And that's probably why I don't enjoy meat as much either--low stomach acid. One of the reasons, anyway.

Kim, I might try putting golden beet seed into little pots for the fall. On my lunch break, I read about a guy who does that and gets great results.

Asparagus is going crazy right now. It is the season for it after all.

(Side note. I found a house in the Edmond area that we could afford if we were ready to move. It has 5 acres and established berries, grapes and asparagus. And fruit trees.

The house is a one owner, built in 75 and hasn't been remodeled much, although it looks to be well cared for.

BUT, it's closer to Deer Creek and not as close to my daughter (20 minutes away) and 45 minutes from Tom's work. And we're not ready to move....if we move. But, it would be so nice if the right person comes along to buy the home. Someone who will appreciate the fruit and asparagus).

I didn't clean up the asparagus ferns last year and immediately the beetles showed up. They obviously never left. They're easy enough to squish, but it's still a daily chore that I don't enjoy.

Do you ever wonder how bugs find "their" crop? Especially if you're gardening where no one else has ever gardened before. I remember Dawn saying she had several years where she could grow all the squash and pumpkins she wanted. Then, the squash pests found her. Do they crawl for miles looking for their favorite food?

It took about 3 years for the asparagus pests to find me. Another funny thing about asparagus is how the spears get bent in the extreme wind. They still taste good, tho.

Rick, when you come over tomorrow, be sure to get the asparagus if you want it. I have a lot in the refrigerator. Just cut it at the soil level. Take it all.

The wind is awful today. The firefighters came to the school this morning to talk to the kids and show them their tools and the truck. It was almost miserable standing out there.

I'm going to try to finish up that one veggie bed in the KG tonight, and the clean up in that garden will be complete.

Jennifer, I planted garlic some time in Oct. Even my Elephant garlic does not look great. I pulled some of each, and they did not look too bad, just pale.

I planted 6 tomatoes and 3 cucumbers, and have 6 more cups of cucumbers to plant. I don't need that many cucumbers, but neighbor had some to get rid of. Its not very smart of me to take in extra plants when I don't even have room for the plants I started.

The wind has been strong here also, not too bad now, but was cold this morning.

Larry I do believe some garlic is just a different green. they look great to me.

I would like to have some walking onions please.

I had some for years and last year happened.

My garden looks so nice this year. I am really enjoying it

. I think my group is going to stay on Saturday night as well during the fling.

It's done! The kitchen garden is cleaned out.

Kim, were you talking about lavender? My lavender is about 6 years old now. It comes back each year, but parts of it die each year too. I think I'll add another one next to this one. AND put one in the herb spiral too.

I was able to get healthy plants from seed that year. I gave most of them away. Kept the one. It's really too late to start seed right now for this year. They seemed to take awhile if I remember correctly.

I'm waiting to see if the zinnias reseed. I've pulled a lot of sunflower seedlings and hope it's not the zinnias that I'm pulling as well. I didn't start any zinnias this year because I was sure that the zinnias would reseed.

Next up is the back of the property. I have quite a mess out there. The beauty berries are back there and the wild violets.

And the native garden needs just a bit of help too.

Not sure Jennifer. Did I mention I gave up on my desert willows coming back from the dead. Well I planted up their pots and guess what? One came back from the base

Kim, I think the garlic is a lighter green than the onions are. The plants I pulled up to make room for the 3 cucumbers and 6 tomatoes looked healthy, except for the yellow leaves, and the yellow leaves could have come from the dry spell we had some time back, and I seldom water this time of the year.

Jennifer, you may be rushing the zinnias and sunflowers a little, mine reseed themselves, but the grass man be too thick this year. Mine are planted in the wildlife garden, and I have not been over there this year to check on them. If the grass is too heavy, I will work the ground and reseed the sunflowers and zinnias, Madge is wanting me to plant Blue Bonnets also, but I don't have high hope for the Blue Bonnets, I have seen then all over Texas, but seldom in Arkansas.

Jennifer, I drove over to the wildlife garden today and did not find any sunflower or zinnias. I will try to get over there an mow, which might help clear the ground enough for the sunflower and zinnias to come up, if that does not work I will use the tractor to bust up the ground, and I will plant more seeds.

I am planting some things earlier than I can ever remember doing before. I now have 3 kinds of cucumbers, and I Think 8 kinds of tomatoes. I am planning on 2 rows of okra, 2 rows of peppers and butternut and sweet potatoes to go into this ( south ) garden. Then I will have to get the north, an pasture garden ready, they are still too wet to work.

Here is a couple of Madge's flowers, she is not wild about the garden, but she sure likes her flower.

Lovely flowers.

Larry, I have 1000's of sunflowers popping up. But, I hope I'm not pulling zinnias thinking they're sunflowers.

Hopefully I'll be able to get things planted tomorrow too. Mostly the heirloom and cherry tomatoes. The calendula and nasturtium too. I will pick up some soil for the Vego bed too. I have two Hardins miniature tomatoes so far that will go into that bed. Eventually the lunchbox peppers and basil.

These are the ones I hope will reseed.

Jennifer, my sunflower and zinnia ( California giant ) normally reseed, but the grass is heavy over in their bed this year, and it was very dry last year and all kinds of critters were feeding on the seeds, I may be forced to start over.

I had forgotten about some of my plants till you mentioned some of yours. I still have basil, Teddy Bear sunflower, and many tomatoes to make room for, I only have 14 tomatoes planted, that should be enough, but I have some I planned on trying this year. I may have to crowd some tomatoes in the two pepper rows tomorrow. I also hope to pick some poke tomorrow, I have a lot of it in the wildlife garden.

I harvested my first sugar snap peas today. I ate the first few so fast I did not get a picture. I cut a bag of greens for dinner tonight. And I am about to fertilize everything with granular fertilizer. I use plant tone on everything except the beans and peas. The tomato I’m growing out for Bruce is putting on flowers.

I bought rosemary, sage, oregano and a gazania. Planted all the herbs together and will add cumin to that later. Potted up about 80 more plants. Getting ready for Lubbock, the farmers market, and the fling in that order. Lots of stuff coming up

Uh where did everybody go

I am here taking it easy. I tried to post earlier and lost the post.

I need to take my plants off the porch and place them where they can get a little sun. I am not trying for a lot of growth because it is still too long to SP. It looked like something got into some of my plants out under the trees, my guess would be a squirrel, but not a lot of damage, I still have more plants than I need.

I have some plants that I need to up pot from 72 count trays to 36 count. Because of room I would like to not go any larger than the 14 of 16 oz solo cup, but I can see that there may be quite a few 6" pots, which I really don't have room for.

I picked and cooked a good mess of poke today, and even picked a good size mess for my uncle, he, his wife and their daughter all live together, and all have been in the hospital, and not doing very well. Its sad that my aunt and uncle are at the point in life where they need someone to look after them, and their only child is in worse shape than they are. It seems at though most of the folks we have know for so long are gone now.

Kim, I need to toss out a little nitrogen. I have had a lot of compost in the past, and now that I don't have access to it I don't know how to fertilize, my soil test shows that I don't need anything other than a little nitrogen, I have too much P & K

I'm here. It's been a long day and I can barely move.

I always splurge on a flat of colorful annuals--usually vincas-- each year. Went to Marcums but they didn't have any. Grabbed a couple of other annuals, though, and some liquid fertilizer. Then picked up the raised bed soil from HD ...and asparagus fern. Wow. asparagus fern isn't cheap this year. I'm going to order seed and see about starting it in the future.

Came home, ate a sandwich, went to do the recycling and grocery shopping. Finally made it home by 3. Filling that Vego bed-lifting and opening the soil bags was very exhausting to me today for some reason. Also, shoveling out the compost from one of the bins.

I was able to plant the cherry tomatoes in the KG and the 2 Hardin's dwarf tomatoes in the newly filled Vego bed. Got them mulched and cans put around them....the wind is horrible.

I really didn't get everything done that I wanted to get done, but my fatigue today is off the charts. Yesterday was a mentally draining day. I work with a very chaotic and passive aggressive person and at times it's just a lot.

This is the time of year, I go back to the doctor to check my "lupus" status again. I haven't been diagnosed, but have the ANA (antibodies something or another).

It's probably just a combination of both jobs being demanding at this time of year, plus trying to get the garden up and going.

But, I love being outside, so I force myself to stay out and work until dark.

It's the best.

I wish I could sleep for 12 hours straight tonight, but have to work tomorrow and even if I didn't, the animals around here wouldn't allow it. lol

Something is chewing on some of my cabbage plants but I don't see any worms at all. It's under insect netting. I wonder if it's a roly poly.

Hope everyone had a good and productive day.