I messed up. I have never tried starting flowers for Madge, but, I thought I would try to be nice, and start her a few flowers. I picked up some cheap seeds of portulaca, celosia, and dianthus, and planted them on the 20TH, and placed them on top of the light shelf. When I went to check them tonight, I had some plants 3"+ high. I had no idea that those seeds would germinate that fast. Some of the plants are just now coming up, so I expect that I will still have some flowers to plant. I still have more stuff that I want to start, it looks like I had better get busy on another light shelf. I don't see how these could be this tall in 3 days.

Some sprout so quickly. My mustard sprouted quickly this year. It was old seed so I did not expect much at all.

Jennifer I have my jugs in a crate. I have used all sorts of things over the years, including boxes. I just set them inside. And they are fine. The hardest problem I had one year was keep my dog from stealing them.

My tomato germination is not going well. Out of 45 seed, I've got 15 sprouts. And this is Day 9.

I'm thinking that next year I go to the paper towel in the zip lock bag method. Since I'm not planting large numbers. I've done it before and have gotten 100% germination in just a few days .

But I'm committed this year, I gotta dance with with who brung me.

I am going to assess the damage from the freeze in a minute. I also need to drag the hose out and water really well

That's a good idea, Kim. There might be a crate in the shop.

Do you think it's time to winter sow marigolds now?

I'm looking forward to getting back outside this evening.

I read something about how a bacteria in the soil helps with the blues--something to do with neurotransmitters. I fully believe that. I wasn't sad or blue, but wow, after having my hands in the dirt, I felt amazing yesterday afternoon. Even had extra energy at my community event later in the evening.

My onion bed situation. I am a little nervous that the chicken droppings are not composted enough, so I scraped them into the center of the bed and will plant the onions on either side of them--a few inches away. And sprinkle the fertilizer around the onions instead of trenching it. Because the trench would have been where the dropping are now.

I have been feeling overwhelmed with the garden, but after yesterday, feel much better. I couldn't imagine how I would possibly have time to get it all cleaned up. The henbit laughed at the single digit temperatures (so did the gaillardia) so there's a lot to pull. BUT, it felt doable after yesterday. Just one garden bed at a time.

Then, I had a thought that after the onions are pulled, I could put the little winter squashes into that bed. Maybe even with a trellis. I want to experiment with planting them later in the year to see if that helps with the pests.

Jennifer, are you still having cool to cold nights? Then it is a perfect time to winter so anything. From winter solstice until nighttime temperatures start warming. First year I’ve ever lost in a winter sewing due to early sprouting and late freezing. And I am very disappointed because now I have to replant everything. It’s still cold here so I am going to get busy getting seed packets out and ready.

Add to say, I usually so everything the first part of January when I do winter SOWING. Some people do warm weather crops at different times but I never have.

I went in to check my plants. I have 115 peppers sprouted after 10 days, and 55 tomatoes sprouted after 5 days, I am not sure how many more will sprout, but, if all of these plants mature, it will be more than I need, and, I still have more pepper, and tomato seeds that I want to plant.

I sat a bag of potting soil out in the sun this morning so it will thaw enough to start more seeds after I get back from taking Madge to the doctor this afternoon.

I took Madge to the beauty shop, and out for breakfast this morning. Of course I had to stop at the Co-op to check their seed supply. I have a better supply of tomato seeds than the Greenwood Co-op has, they offered to bring some seeds in for me from another Co-op, but I need to try to use up the seeds that I already have

My take on winter sowing in Oklahoma, since we're further north than Kim is, sow a little sooner than you would if you were starting inside. I winter sowed Tomatoes and peppers in march. I didn't like it because it got hot too soon for them. I used jugs at first, setting them in a raised bed with a fence around it wrapped with plastic. The plastic was to shield the previous crop from the wind. It worked pretty good. I put water in a 5 gallon bucket and sat them in it to water from the bottom. But then I got a dog that liked to pick the jugs up and shake them like a toy. Now I plant in solo cups and sit them in a clear tub with holes drilled about an inch or one and a half inches from the bottom. Rain water may need to be drained, (but who gets rain?) But I can fill to the holes with the hose and let it soak in to bottom water the cups. The tubs I have are translucent on the bottoms. They have "half" lids on hinges on the top. I can open the lids on a warm day, or just half way, so they're still shaded while tender. This is also how I harden off tomatoes. They can sit on the patio table so I don't have to bend over. One year I stacked 4 of them, covered with frost blankets and they survived a few days of freezing weather. Easily carried in as well.

Amy, I like the sound of your method, that may be what I have to go to. If I stopped planting so many seeds, I think I could make the system that Ihave work a lot better. The carrying in and out part is what gets me the most.

I finally got my pepper seeds started and the rest of the tomatoes. Got 3 muscadine Vines pruned with over a dozen more to do.

I think that I lied to y'all earlier. I went in to check my seeds a while ago, and those plants that I called flowers earlier, I think are cabbage plants. I really have a hard time seeing small seeds, and what I think happened is, that I planted some cabbage seeds earlier this month, and spilled some on the top of a tote tub that I use for a work bench in the bedroom. There was some loose potting soil on top of the tote top also, and I dumped the loose potting soil back into my potting tub not knowing that there was some cabbage seeds in it.

I did not get to do anything gardening related today, by the time I had taken Madge everywhere she wanted to go I was worn out.

I worked outside for about four hours came in and I think I have the flu.

So, winter sowing. I do both methods, jugs and clear totes. They both work for me. You really do set them and forget them. I don’t usually need to water, but I will bottom water if its excessively dry, Its not usually a problem, though.

I do find I have to tape all the way around the jugs, otherwise our winds dry things out real quick. No animal trouble. I’ll usually just bunch them together and they keep each other from blowing away. If the soil is saturated enough they’re fairly heavy.

I’ve only had one major loss, when the temperature was forecasted to be around freezing, but dropped to the lower 20s. This was a couple years ago. Even though I threw a blanket over the jugs, I still lost a few dozen tomato plants. This was a freak early April thing, though. I rarely lose things.

Beets I usually sow in foil pans in a sterilite tote, let them get a couple sets of true leaves before I transplant.

I use an Xacto knife to cut the jugs open along the cut line through the tape.

I’ll try to get a picture of where I currently am. I usually do 100-150 jugs each year, and 3-4 sterilite totes. I start with perennials in January and finish up with delicate annuals in March.

My garden shop has seed potatoes and onion plants in, so I’m going shopping this weekend. I rebuilt one trellis last sunday, and put in a few snap peas. I also need to get a visual on a hog panel at Tractor Supply. I think I could handle those more easily than a cattle panel. I also have a couple more beds to put together and fill.

My indoor peppers arent doing so hot. I think the bell pepper seeds are too old. No sprouts after a month on the heat mat. My newer jalapenos and Thai hot peppers are popping up well. Might try fresh seeds…might just buy plants. Peppers are the only thing that hasnt wintersown well for me. They just need that heat they don’t get outside. I’ve done it but I didn’t get peppers until September.

Headed to Springdale tomorrow for an appointment. It’s early so I might get some dirt under my nails when I get home .

.

Rebecca, I think I will try to winter sow something. I don't need the plants, but I want to try your method by taping the jug shut. I have tried it in the past, but not taping the jug shut, and the soil got too dry. I only have 2 or 3 milk jugs, but it is enough to try.

Well, Day 10 was the magic day .......... I had 12 new Tomato sprouts this morning, almost as many as have sprouted before.

Well, Lynn, sounds like you almost have all of your garden going.

I was hoping to plant some onions today, but it looks like I will have to plant rice instead.

I have been out cat hunting. I trapped 3 stray cat and gave to the neighbor, his grand daughter had been taming the cats, she had one on a leash taking it for a walk, and it got away. Madge and I have been driving around in my RTV looking for her cat. I am afraid that the cat will get the leash hung in the brush and something will eat it. Some of the ground is almost too wet to drive over even in 4 wheel drive.

I am going to bring in more potting soil and start a few more seeds.

I went out today to plant onions, but got side tracked. I started cleaning out my bunching onions and carrots. I planted my carrots, then a few weeks later I planted onions to mark the area where I planted carrots. I have not had good luck getting a harvest, I seem to never get them planted on time.

Jennifer, I know that you have had good luck with your carrots. Here are some carrots that I pulled up while trying to weed the rows. I am thinking about just leaving these carrots in the soil, and re seeding the skips in the row. Do you think that would be okay, or should I scrap all od them? I feel sure that they will regrow, but, will they be fit to eat?

Rick, here is a type of bunching onion that I have started growing fall before last. I have been digging the cluster, and separating the onions to use on the kitchen table, and replanting 1 or 2 from the cluster back into the garden, and keep doing that till the onion just dies back from the hot dry weather. I have no idea how to properly care for this type of onion, do you have any pointers?

These are very productive. My cousin's husband came by today while I was working in the garden and told me how well the Egyptian walking onions that I gave him last fall had done. I ask him if I had given him any of the bunching onions, he said no, so I gave 2 Walmart bags of these. I had very few of these last fall, now they are everywhere.

I really need to get some of those bunching onions going. I'm not too good with permanency, but never ending onions would be hard to beat.

Fire up the tillers everybody, the soil is perfect right now. I screwed up my plan of only tilling as I plant. I just HAVE to finish the job if i'm on it. I only tilled about 3 inches deep, just enough to work in the clover.

I need a wide rake to level high spots in this plot. Has anybody used a landscape rake for gardening? I almost bought a drag harrow for the lawn tractor. That would definitely do it, but i'd have to order it. No time for all that...too busy gardening!

I use a landscape rake to make my raised rows. Same rake the grounds crew uses on baseball diamonds between innings. It makes a tough job a little bit easier

This is the one I bought 6 years ago, no longer available

Rake at Amazon

My garden last year after using the landscape rake

Thanks for the winter sowing info Rebecca, Amy, and Kim. I really appreciate it.

Kim, I'm sorry you have the flu again! That really stinks. You must have had A or B last time and the other this time. SO not fair!

I rarely get the flu. I normally get the upper respiratory stuff when I get sick. I have had the flu and it suddenly hits ya like a ton of bricks. One minute you're fine and the next you're shivering and achy and feverish.

So far this year, the two times I've been sick have been 1 and 2 day events. Hoping that's the end of it for me.

Anyway, I'm super tired tonight, so I'll finish commenting tomorrow.

Larry , my understanding of bunching onions is that they like to grow and be replanted as bunches , not as single plants (except when you're first starting out from seed ).

So when you divide an onion bunch for replanting , "divide them into smaller bundles " ( even if it's just 3 or 4 plants together) instead of single plants. They like to grow close to each other ,maybe they feed off of each other I guess. So if you're replanting "single plants" that's why they die out in the hot weather instead of multiplying more.

It helps to trim the roots when replanting too. also cut back the tops.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vgWwoJ8wmE

Rick

hwy20, I use a piece of treated 2x6 about 28 or 30 inches long to leavel out where I have tilled. I took an old treated 2x6 and drilled holes in it at a low angle, and stuck 1/2'' PVC through it on 6" centers, then attached a long handle on it. I drag the flat side down to level the tiller marks, then flip it over and run the PVC side down if I want to make small furrows to drop seeds in. The PVC is held in position with deck screws so the PVC only sticks out the one side of the 2x6. I use the 2x6 drag and the small hand garden rake every time I work the garden.

If you want something to drag behind a lawn mower, a chain link garden gate works pretty well, you can toss on a few rocks or boards if you want a little more weight.

I fill in the low areas in my garden with my counter rotating rear tine tiller. The counter rotating tines sling soil to the front, I just keep driving from the high areas to the low areas, then level with my 2x6 hand drag.

Lynn, I like the way you bed up a row, sometimes I do that with the tractor, but I dont have a bedding attachment, and have to do it with the bucket. Using the bucket still leaves a lot of work to do by hand if I want it to look like anything.

I just got through planting 160 onion plants, and 111 sets. I need to go in and clean up for a classmate lunching, there are not many of us left anymore. This is our 64th year of being out of school.

Larry, you could leave the carrots and see how they do. Although the ones you pulled look ready. Are the others that size? If so, pull them and eat them.

Sometimes I leave carrots way too long and they're not so tasty. Part of it is not wanting to deal with them once they're pulled. I need to make myself take the time to cut off the greens and bag them up properly. So they don't get all rubbery in storage. I took the time and did that last time and they're storing well.

It's a little chilly outside (according to a co worker). The plan was to find a place for about 30 more onions, so maybe I'll do that. We're having lamb and sweet potato curry for dinner and that is a little time consuming, but planting 30 onions shouldn't take long if I can find a clear, weeded place to put them.

I sorta wanted to up-pot the cabbage and greens too. But, not sure there's enough potting mix to do that tonight.

I forgot my walking shoes, so can't do my stair walking this afternoon and will need to take Josi for a walk regardless of how it feels outside. It's not as bad as last week at this time. lol. And, I did walk Josi around the perimeter of our property just to get her (and me) some exercise on those very cold days....so we should be able to handle it.

Everything has mostly sprouted other than the peppers and valerian. If anyone is growing valerian and coming to the SF AND you have an extra, can I have it?

I'm not worried about the peppers as they were just started on Sunday.

Everyone feel like marigolds are good to winter sow right now? It's nearly spring.

Jennifer, I am not sure about the size of the carrots, I feel like there are more about the size as the larger ones shown. I pulled those carrots by mistake, I was just trying to clean up the row before I planted the bulb onions. I have another row of carrots that need to be weeded, but I will do that from the other side of the row.

I am not doing well getting my pimento peppers up, I have 6 pimentos up, and over 100 hot peppers up, and they were all planted 13 days ago. I want to start more seeds, but I have my light shelf full. I want to start a package of marigold seeds, that may have to be a winter sow project. I have the material to build another light shelf, but I seem to spend my time doing other things. It seems as tho I spend a lot of time visiting with friends and family that are not in as good of shape as I am. It is disturbing for me to know so many in nursing homes, and maybe others that should be there.

I just looked at our 10 day forecast, It looks like we may get down into frost range 3 night, but for the most part the forecast looks good.

I just sowed marigolds in the house and they have sprouted. I may try some ws. I dried my carrot tops and use like parsley. Still sick so no garden work here.

Kim, maybe I'll try some of each--indoors and WS. I need another plastic jug. There's a tea jug in the office fridge and I might grab it. The tea in it is old. I feel like I might need to wet down the beet jugs. We're pretty dry.

My chickens get carrot tops.

So sorry you're still sick. Fever and chills?

I didn't get to "garden" yesterday. No planting those 30 onions or up-potting. Probably won't tonight either because it will be close to dark when I get home. Also need to get some potting soil. I have enough to WS the flowers tonight, tho. Once I get the greens/cabbage/lettuce up-potted, they will go live in the hoop house. It's still (maybe) a little cool at night for some of the herbs that's in the same tray.

Still no pepper action as of this morning.

Saturday should be a good day to do those tasks. And Sunday afternoon.

Sweet potatoes were used in our dinner last night. I've noticed that the purple and/or red variety is sprouting more vigorously. Does Covington tend to last better in storage? (Some of those are beginning to sprout too but not as much).

Jennifer, the storage life is what I like best about the Covington sweet potato, they seem harder, and maybe dryer than the purple sweet potato, but my Covington always last longer, and I think that I like the taste better. I will suggest that you cut the sprouting ends off of the Covington, let them chit for a few days, then sit them in a seed tray of potting soil, and place them in a warm area, or on a heat mat, and you will have plenty slips by planting time. After you cut the sprouting end off of the sweet potato you can cook the rest of the potato. I posted a picture of some of my gopher bitten sweet potatoes a few weeks back, those damages potatoes are now producing slips very well.

I went out to do some cleaning on the south side of my carrots this morning, came in to have a donut with Madge, then went to sleep in my recliner. I need to get back out and get a little work done.

Here is a picture of my Covington that were placed in the potting soil on Feb. 4TH. Many of these slips are ready to pull now. I will try to harvest as many slip as I can, I am shooting for 100 slips.

Please excuse all the other plants in the sink, its watering time. Those are purple sweet potato slips down in the sink, I already have my goal of 100 of those.

What kind of weed am I dealing with? What ever it is, it may have been what protected my carrots through the winter.

I sort of cleared it out from the carrots. The tag shown says that I planted the carrots and bunching onions on 9-29-24. I must not have fed or water the carrots enough, or maybe they took too long coming up.

The onion on the end id an Egyptian walking onion, you cant kill them. The onion to the left is a purple onion that sprouted, and I was going to see if it would overwinter and make seeds, you can see that it did not.

Larry, tilling the garden and then raking those rows , is the hardest part of my gardening. Its physically hard.

And I'm wondering if its worth it. My experience is that heavy rains will cause puddling mid row. And doing raise row, my tomato plants don't sit in that water. I don't have good drainage a foot or two below the surface.

But that does really matter ? Is it going to impact my tomato production ? IDK

I'm gonna till in a couple of weeks. And right now, I'm so far out of physical shape, its gonna be a battle.

Larry , Nope you can't kill Egyptian walking onions.

My Mom started a small patch of them 30 some years ago.

They're still there.

Lynn, it's even worst if you got the flu.

I'm trying to get my onions in over east but it's been a little wet the most of winter.

And got more snow last week when it was so cold. Haven't tilled yet... haven't manured yet.....

Rick

I killed Egyptian walking onions. They stayed too wet and rotted.

I did get my garden tilled today. Hopefully I can get my old Farmall running tomorrow and lay out my onion row. I will probably have to change the starter .

My cousin's husband and his brother came over last fall and put a starter and battery on my Kubota, if I can get it started I hope to do a little tilling today, but first I need to take down a trellis and do a little cleaning.

My tomatoes after 9 days, and the sweet potato potted plants I hope to be able to give away. I have enough of these purple sweet potato plants to make 10 of these containers.

I am slowly chipping away at the garden. I have all of the onions cleaned out, and have started on the garlic.

Scrolling forever.

Got my onion's planted . 5 varieties of onions and 3 varieties of garlic.

Released 5000 green lacewing eggs in the greenhouse.

Robert, you have had a busy day, things look good.

Have y’all ever heard of hydrofiber? Apparently it’s like peat moss. I have an opportunity to get as many giant bags of it about the size of a small bale of hay. For free. We’re gonna go tomorrow and see how many I can fit in my car.

I got 11 bales so far
It’s from the Bonnie plant growers. It got too dry for their machine so they are giving it away.

That's a new one to me. It looks like really fine cut straw from the pic. Looks like that could be really useful for my grow bags & pots.

It is pine fibers, shredded, so nice like Peat Moss or coconut COIR. It is not nutrient rich, so fertilizer would need to be used. Apparently they mix this with compost and fertilizer in a machine at the Bonnie nursery. I had no clue that nursery was out there and that sucker is huge. I wanted to ask for a tour, but I didn’t have time gotta get in the garden. I’m going back for a couple more loads I can fit 11 bags at a time in my car if I go by myself. And he was right about it being dry. It is very hydrophobic. I have a bale soaking right now that I will use in my next bed that I’m going to amend. He also suggested planting directly in the BALE. I am going to cut an X on the top. Dig out the center and attempt to hydrate it over the next few days.

Our Govenor is serious about his gardening .............

https://x.com/KevinStitt/status/1895944002723332443 

Garden web must have kicked me off, my last 2 post have not shown up, this one may not either, and I can see what the Governor says either.

New weekly conversation thread is up.

Planted 2 bunches Yellow Candy onions, 1 bunch White Granex, and 1 bunch White Bermuda, plus one bunch of King Richard leeks. Also 12 tulips, 12 crocus, and 3 rhizomes of a bearded iris that has my great grandmothers name, who got me interested in gardening as a child. Still have a bunch of daffodil and gladiolus bulbs to go in. Potatoes happen next weekend.

Felt good to get my hands dirty.

My mom, sister, and niece are getting over COVID. Somehow I escaped it. We think thet got exposed when they went grocery shopping together. I was with them later in the day. Mom was way less sick than the other two, thanks to getting the vaccine and multiple boosters. Just minor cold symptoms.

Hey friends,

I'm the prodigal-- haven't been here in a good couple of years. Now I'm shopping for blueberries, and I think I remembered that there was a blueberry genius in this group. Can anybody point me in the right direction? Is there a "files" section that I could explore? Honestly, it has been so long that I've never reallly learned my way around Houzz. I see that a new weekly thread is up, but I don't see it, and don't know where to look.

Sorry to be the problem child, but it also feels nice to be back!

Kristen, I don't remember the blueberry genius. Maybe someone else will. Welcome back. Houzz is very weird and difficult.

At the top of the page, above the first post, is a button for Oklahoma gardening which will take you to the threads most recently posted to. above that button is explore discussions, which lists the groups. However, I didn't find blueberries. Usually it is easier to find something by googling than using search functions in houzz. Try google: +blueberry+Oklahoma