glenda- hope the poppies turn out well for you. i have always wanted to give them a try.

ceresone- if you need backup on the tomatoes, i have great discipline. only 5 diff. varieties this yr!

great picture by swmogardens.

spring is just underneath your snow.

william

Glad you started this Christie. I looked last week and didn't see Feb.
I did figure out why I had no birds at the feeder. DUH the little hole things were closed.
Picture is great and peaceful. Makes me think I have a lot of work to do to get to that point. I haven't even gotten my winter sowed seeds in yet.
More snow this morning and snowing hard. So far it is just snow and no ice. Temp usually drops around this time so expect some as the roads were really wet. As long as it warms up enough to get home. Kathy

Here is another photo of the same garden. The yellow flowers are Epimedium "Frohnleiten", the blue flowers are Woodland Phlox "Blue Moon".

I like every thing in that picture. The rabbit is nice and I like the natural color of the board fence and the plants and the pine needle mulch.

Lovely combinations! Must be a shade garden.

Good morning all. Looks like we are in for a very cold week.
At least we didn't get much more snow and now the ground should be frozen which makes chores easier and cleaner.

glenda

I've had that bench about 10 years. Never treated or stained it. It's covered with lichen now, it looks real pretty. I have it standing on some concrete blocks instead of bare ground, maybe that helped it last so long. My entire garden is a shade garden. I have one long strip along my back fence in the sun. Other than that, it's all shade. Six mature hedge trees form a tall umbrella over my garden, I have the lower limbs trimmed way up. Here's a rare sun shot.

Another gorgeous shot. I am envious of that Japanese Maple.

Your yard is just beautiful! Epimedium is one of the plants I lost after the ice storm. I tried to find and move all my perennials before we pulled out stumps but it was winter and I missed a few. They're coming out with a lot of new cultivars. Have you seen the ones in Plant Delights catalog? Don't look, they're pricey. ; )
I have species woodland phlox but haven't tried any named varieties. Yours is really blooming well in that photo.

Ceresone - I'm glad to see you check in. You got a lot more snow than we did. I hope it's over for the rest of the year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant Delights - Epimediums

I like the roses and the nice rock edging.

Here is our first of 2010, and then 6" of snow the next day... I'm really ready for some dry ground and warm weather. We were supposed to have had all new windows installed in our early 1900's house this week, but now there is no telling when we will get them. Two tremendous snows in two weeks is about all I can take.

Beautiful sign of almost spring.

Winter driving you crazy? Just can't stand it anymore? Just keep smiling, spring will be here soon!

My first thought was 'poor little thing; he looks so cold'.

When I was a child, I covered my dolls when the room was cold. I felt like they were too.

I would probably want to bring your little bear inside.

I hear another storm front is due soon.

Enough already.

No NO more storm fronts! Pictures are great. You need to have tours. The woodland phlox reminds me of my grandmother. She loved flowers but that is the one I remember most. I need to get some of that, just for her. This am felt warmer to me. We had a nice sun yesterday and some of our snow melted. Hope for the same today. Kathy

I'll second that on coming storm fronts! Glenda, you must be a wonderful mother, with so much empathy. Helen, you might like to read "Honolulu" by Alan Brennert -- a novel giving a peek into Korean mainland and then Hawaiian life from an imported lady's life. Also "The Piano Teacher" is set in Hong Kong. I read things to get me out of Joplin, Missouri and to learn about other cultures in an entertaining way -- (Lightweight Education). I'm loving the beautiful photos -- I know what it takes to have gardens look like that so they are an inspiration to us all. I got out in the sunny bed and cut back old dahlias and butterfly bush yesterday. Can't wait for spring -- crocus blooming and daffodil foilage started so far. On warmer days the compost bin is getting fed. It will be fun to play with that in April.
Sunny

I have daffs blooming too....on the kit window sill. Nothing outside yet except buds on stems that keep getting bowed over with ice and snow. Three or four crocus did bloom outside a couple weeks ago though.

Is that a frozen turtle on a swing. I love it!

Our local weatherman says February is definitely not over yet! Oh well, we can always wish...

Hi all,

The garden photos posted here are lovely and inspirational! Some day I hope to have my own place again and I think I'll come asking for landscaping advice and ideas!

For now, I'm still planning my container garden at my little college-town rented duplex. I have my little grow light set up over the kitchen table, with cabbage (Stonehead), cauliflower (Snow Crown) and broccoli (Green Goliath) sprouted and growing. I'm not really that experienced with cruciferous veggies, but I thought I'd give them a try. I also started some catnip just for fun. I have two kitties and I am curious to find out whether they find it to be "good stuff." A couple of days ago, I planted some basil, chives, cilantro, thyme and marjoram seeds. I also have lemon balm, lavender, borage and bee balm seeds, but I'm out of room under the kitchen table grow light, so they'll just have to wait their turn!

We got snow here, just not very much - it was pretty while it lasted.

I do most of my studying at the kitchen table, so it lifts my spirits to look up and count how many sprouts have sprouted and note how quickly the little plants grow.

-Cheers and good gardening,

Carrie

Hi and welcome Carrie. Good luck with the new vegetables and herbs.

My broccoli still isn't up. Making me wonder since the cabbages and onion are.

Sounds like the kitchen table is getting a workout.

glenda

Carrie I have never had a cat respond to cat nip. The time I tried to grow blue fescue grass, I couldn't keep my cat out of it. You might grow some wheat ( not treated seed) for your cat.

Helen - thanks for the tip - I'll try wheatgrass, as soon as I find the seed. I'm hoping that our local whole foods store has some.

My cats totally ignore the Walker's Low catmint and yet I was told they would love it and roll about...not so. I think I have catnip too. I have never seen the cats pay any attention to anything I have growing....except the nice loosely tilled soil!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hobbled to the cabinet and made DH some Valentine Cookies with white chocolate, dark chocolate and maraschino cherries.

They are pretty tasty.

I am getting tired of all this sitting around.

Broccoli still isn't up. I wonder if it is too old.
Little cabbages and onions are growing nicely. Snaps are not germinated yet either.

Christie, I got my last issue of Fine Gardening and they listed the cardboard lasagna method of getting rid of sod for new gardening space....said it takes a year. I just did it one fall and planted the next spring. Of course they weren't dealing with Bermuda Grass.

I found lasagna gardening to be the way to go when starting new beds or making new ones. It just doesn't get any easier. I plan to do that with my vegetable gardens this year. But the soil will be deep so I don't have to worry if it doesn't break down this year.

I've used the newspaper trick several times, it works great. I weed whack the grass and weeds before I put the paper down. Then pile on compost and mulch.

For some reason newspapers seem to take too long to break down in my garden. I used them one time and six months later that hadn't started to break down at all. And they are really tough to dig through. But they are good at controlling weeds.

The folks on the Oklahoma Forum don't think the lasagna method will work on Bermuda Grass. Maybe if you sprayed the stuff for one entire season, it would kill it. If you do, don't use that expensive stuff that is supposed to work only on narrow leaf plants called tri something. It was about $15 and very small bottle and the stuff damaged some nearby plants and the BG came back anyway.

I think I would not mow the patch, spray with glyphosphate, then proceed with the lasagna layering. You would have to wait the time recommended, 7 - days before planting. I have planted plants in holes right through the uncomposted paper then pulled it back around the plant and they grew great.

Newspaper doesn't rot that fast. Either you have to pile enough on top to grow in the top layer or you have to do as Glenda said and make holes for the plant through the paper. If there is grass there you have to get it out. On something like a tomato, the plant will grow big enough to out run the weeds and grass if you can give it a good planting hole and then smother the surrounding area with newspaper and mulch.

My yard looks terrible now. I have never found that I could make a garden and let it go. You have to constantly maintain it or the weeds and grass take over. The four o clocks took over the day lilies. My paths that I covered with gravel have creeping Charlie. Maybe if I did things right the first time I wouldn't have those problems. My house won't stay clean either.

Now, thats a idea--a self-cleaning house!1 maybe a vac built in the walls-with outlets along the baseboard-just flip a switch-and swoop---Oh well!
I noticed the book on "Weedless Gardening" the gentleman says to go with the lasagna method-but dont punch holes, just plant in the mulch, and the roots will find their way. I might try a few seeds like this, just to see if it works.

I am so tired of snow, even telling myself its good for the ground isnt working. Perhaps spring will revive all of us.

Got a pleasant surprise - some people moved away down the street, leaving three two and a half foot long planter boxes behind and the complex maintenance guy, who knows about my little container-garden-by-the-dumpster, (OK - not so scenic) brought them to me. They'll be great for greens and herbs.

The herbs I started are coming along, the broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage plants are getting big and I have some lettuce, kale and chard started.

I now have four containers with which to try winter (or early spring?) sowing - and I hope to experiment with them this weekend.

They days are getting longer and more and more birds are singing. Please, oh please let it just start to feel like spring soon! At this point I'd be happy with anything above the freezing mark . . .

Would you believe Wal-Mart has tomato plants. That is too early. They do it every year but this year it is so obviously too early. I am cooling off on my tomato seed obsession as it gets closer to spring. I have to prepare holes and cut wire for cages, reality is setting in. I have one hole two feet deep and three feet wide that I have been excavating all winter. Now I need about 15 more holes; that isn't going to happen. At least I have my manure piles. Last year I stuck plants in manure piles and they grew just fine.

I hate the way Wal Mart/suppliers treat their plants. I've seen huge plants with toms. on them go in the trash. They just don't seem to have the love there. I feel like that little seed worked so hard to become a plant and they destroy it. You would think they are all my children! Why don't they just make them cheaper?

Good morning! The sun is shining and it is cold as the dickens.....I am waiting for the warm up.

Helen, I am impressed with your digging outside. I haven't done anything yet and won't until it is much warmers.

I never dig that deep a hole for tomatoes, In fact if the plant is pretty tall. I just dig a 6 to 10 inch trench and lay it sideways and cover up to the first set of leaves.

If those tomato plants get too chilled it will ruin them. Who on earth would buy them this early.

Good score Carrie. : ) Glad the mainentance guy didn't just trash them.

My kohlrabi seedlings are looking pretty leggy. I need to get them some more light. I thought putting them by a south window would be enough. I have a couple fluorescent light fixtures in my basement not being used, but the bulbs are several years old and probably need to be replaced. Wish I had a good spot upstairs for seedlings. It would be easier to remember to water them.

This is off-topic so I don't want to start a new thread for it. It's an article that was on Yahoo today about using brain exercises to improve concentration and memory. There's a link to some free games.

Here is a link that might be useful: How Brain Training Can Make You Significantly Smarter

I need some brain training and it is on topic. You have to keep track of what seeds you planted.

Glenda that hole is there because I removed the rocks. There is no soil. That spot is totally rocks but it is in the sun, no tree roots and close enough to water. Part of my yard was a creek bed before they rerouted it.

Carrie it is fun getting free or cheap gardening stuff. You must get along well with your maintenance guy; that was thoughtful of him.

I also think it is cruel to mistreat plants. In the summer I have reported wilting plants to the service desk; they think I'm nuts.

I posted a wee reply to you Christie under my artichoke post. I see you're all here.

Carrie's talking rocks and no soil. At least there's a reason! My 5 years of digging out rocks is just a cruel Ozark joke! So far I've filled in the pits I've created with 10 yards of fill and 30 yards of wood chips left from our ice storm a couple of years ago. I dug down two feet extracting rocks and boulders and then went up 8 inches with raised beds to fend off all the rain in the Spring.

My news today is I need Spring to get here soon! My dining room is overflowing with seedlings and I want to start more. I got cabin fever and started a month earlier than usual. :-)

Under what's new at garden web they have a red message about the new ads. You can click to disable them supposedly ; I hope can figure out how to do it. That will be my brain training - you have to start small. So far I am still seeing them.

i am so tired of this cold. and now snow again in tulsa but maybe not here.

at least our groundhog is up and eating.

i was always told to not buy plants from wallie world. they don't take care of them. i think i have enough seeds to not have to buy anything but more veggies, and if some of my other plants didn't make it, then those. can always hope.

outdoor faucets keep breaking, and so i think my dh is giving in and getting some of those faucets that don't break.

When I went out this morning to clean out the hen's nests, the sun was shining and the birds were singing. It was still 27° but somehow I felt like spring was truly coming.

I see daffs up here and there. My cabbages under the lights need to be thinned or transplanted. I have tons too many! as always.

The snaps are up about 2 inches; still just a scattering of broccoli but enough I think.

Onions are looking good too.

I need to drag some straw or hay bales into the garden and rebuild a coldframe. I must get a permanent one built this year.

I have a book called The Vegetable Gardener's Bible and the author recommends tilling and then putting a raised bed over it so the loose soil will be deeper than just a regular raised bed. Sounds very much like what you're doing Tavy but you're going even deeper. I bet you get good results with that.

I saw a groundhog run under our shed a few times last summer. Crossing my fingers that it will just disappear so we won't have to deal with it. If the shed starts sitting sideways we'll know that it's made a giant burrow under there. I've been seeing a red-tailed hawk close to the house a lot so I think there must be one nesting nearby. That should keep my rabbit population down this summer but I don't know if they catch groundhogs.

Glenda - Murfins had bunches of Vidalia onion sets and I picked up a couple of those. I was going to get Candy onions from Hummerts when I went to the Lawn and Garden show but on Friday when I went, they didn't have them put out yet. Also forget to check to see if SoMo had $5 coupons for potatoes like they did last year.

Does anyone know the name of the place west of Republic that sells bulk seed and other things?

The end of February is a good time to weed whack your Liriope to the ground. For me it is my "start" to spring.

Christie, are you thinking of the MFA west of town? If so, they are now closed. Not sure of the one at Ash Grove does bulk seeds anymore or not.

My onion seeds are up about 4 inches tall and I finally broke over and ordered plants from Dixondale in Texas. I was given some of their plants last year and they were wonderful big fat things. I think I got a bundle of red candy, superstar and maybe another of Candy. I can't remember. I know the more you order, the cheaper the bundles are. I will let you know how they look when I get them. They are supposed to arrive at the proper planting time for our area.

I wonder if someone else moved into the old MFA store then. Or maybe I heard wrong. Is it right along the highway?
Onion sets are pretty cheap. It makes it hard to justify the trouble of growing them from seed.

Before law school (which seems like forever ago), I got onion starts from Dixondale. I don't recall which ones I got, but the onions were great - and the bunches I received were quite large. I remember planting as many as the company promised to send (I was doing square foot gardening then), and then giving quite a few more that were left over to my Dad for his garden. Good company. I'll be interested to hear about gldno1's (sorry, but I still don't know names) experience.

It was a while ago we drove past and yes, it is just off the highway. Something else could have moved in there since.

Doesn't Hummert's have bulk seeds?

Hummerts has bulk corn and I think beans, not sure what else. I'm not shopping for seeds in bulk. I just can't handle it if there's a garden store of some kind that I've never been to. lol Got to check them all out.

Looks like we're going to have a nice weekend.

Things are looking up! The ten day weather forcast shows more days of 40+F and even some days hitting 50F. Yea!

I had containters from last year stacked on my carport - all frozen to one another. I put them out in the sun yesterday and voila - unstuck containters!

I also had a chance yesterday to lay out a preliminary container arrangement for my garden, which was fun. I plan to lay down a weed barrier, then mulch with wood chips all around my pots.

I found an old enamel wear stockpot on the side of the road, had my husband drill drainage holes in the bottom, and today I sowed carrot seeds in it. I've not tried carrots before, but this pot is really deep, so I thought it would be an ideal container for the maiden voyage. I think I'll keep the pot inside to encourage more rapid germination.

Finally, I am concocting strategies to build a snap-pea trellis out of discarded broom and mop handles. More to come on that front!

My garden is truly going to be an odds-and-ends motley collection by the time I'm through. Oh well, I'm having fun!

While out for a walk. I noticed my columbine plants are starting to push up through the leaves I had put on quite thick early last fall. Makes me wonder is that going to be a good thing or a bad thing. I know they like cool weather but hope they don't get more snow on them.
Bonnie

Carrie, I'm not sure that discarded broom and mop handles will work for a trellis for snap peas. Pole beans twine around a pole for support but peas put out narrow tendrils that tighten around a support and a horizontal support works best. You may make it work if you stick the poles in the ground and then tie either wire or heavy string horizontally around the poles. My pea trellis is a length of hog wire fencing attached to metal T posts which works well, but should be two feet taller.

Hi Mulberryknob - I agree with your assessment. I do have a somewhat more elaborate plan than having the vines grow up the handles. I'm not very handy, though so I'll have to see if it really works out. I have several five gallon buckets that I'll be planting in this summer. I thought what I'd do is sink a handle into the side of each of two fully planted buckets, put the planted buckets about a handle-distance apart from each other, and then affix a horizontal handle across the top, connecting the two uprights together. This would be my trellis handle-frame. Then, I plan to hang trellis netting from the handle-frame for the pea-vines to grow on. I'll be building a small berm in which to plant the peas, which will take up the ground space between the two buckets. I'm not sure, but I may also have to stake out the buckets to keep the handle-frame trellis contraption from keeling over in the wind.

This is either going to work or flop fantastically, but I'm up for the challenge! Given that almost everything I'm using this summer is salvaged and scrounged, I figure what's the worst that could happen? Hmmmm. . .

Carrie