Oh... congratulations, Mia!

I don't have a crying baby, but I've a nagging back. To get produce I had ta let go of the aesthetics and do what I can for the plant roots and, then, sometimes I just let the wee seedlings suffer through without amendments.

I cant get in gear either. I have garlic sprouting in the shed that I did not get around to planting. I did get some of the garden cleaned last year but it is covered with Henbit now, most of my fall stuff has stalled or died. I have not had any time to haul mulch this winter, so I expect my garden will be very small this year. I do plan on planting tomatoes, okra and watermelons. I have a lot going on now so I cant make plans.

I don't have a baby to look after, but I do have my 90 year old mother living with me that requires a lot of care and Dr. appointments.-------Tank God for my wife, I could not make it without her.

Larry

We're planning on moving within the next few months, so as much as I'd love to garden it isn't worth it. I don't want to move a bunch of pots and planting anything here is a waste of time and money. Hopefully everything will get cleared up soon and I'll have a new garden to prepare.

Mia, Congratulations on the birth of your child. This is such happy and wonderful news.

When my baby (who turned 30 years old last summer, so it's been a while) was young, my garden was small and not terribly well cared for as I worked full time as well. I didn't care much what my garden looked like----I just wanted to enjoy it. There's only so much you can do when the baby requires constant monitoring and care. When I had a garden or landscaping chore I wanted to do but couldn't find the time or energy to deal with it at that time, I hired someone to do it. In my case, it was my younger brother who wasn't employed at the time, so it was a win-win situation. There are parallels between your situation and mine as I hired him to dig out bermuda grass both at our home and at my parents' home down the street from us. Maybe you could hire a handyman or a teenaged neighbor to clean up your garden area for you this winter while you are focused on your little sprout?

Don't be too hard on yourself either. It is hard to get anything done when your child is an infant (or a toddler). It is hard enough to find time to sleep or take a shower, let alone do garden prep work.

If dealing with the in-ground garden's grass and weeds this planting season sounds daunting, maybe this would be a great year to grow in large containers. It certainly would simplify watering and maintenance.

Larry, I know how much you love gardening, so hope you are able to at least grow your tomatoes, okra and watermelon this year. You are such a wonderful son and I know that your mom appreciates the care you're giving her.

Jhart, How are you going to fight that urge to plant? Are y'all moving somewhere within Oklahoma?

Dawn

I think henbit is a blessing. It's sort of a ground cover, a place keeper; and, it's easy to hoe out when it's time. I still have garden clean up to do. But animal pens are needing cleaning, kidding season has begun (and milking) and today I teach the first of a series of 5 classes for beginning beekeepers.

I started one flat of sweet potatoes, which is way too early. But the variety had only managed to make very slender roots and I was afraid they would dry up before March.

Green Country Seed Savers is meeting on February 15 and we're going have a class with demonstration of how to start your own tomato plants (and peppers). I will use this as my "mark," before which, I won't start my warm season plants.

George
Tahlequah, OK

George, I think henbit is a blessing too, and Larry knows that, but most people don't love it the way I do. Nothing keeps the tiny bees, flies and butterflies (especially swallowtails) happier in spring than the henbit does.

So what if the slips are early---you had a very valid reason to start them early. The worst thing that can happen is you'll have slips coming out of your ears and then, knowing you as I do, I expect you'll share the extra slips with other folks.

Hooray for kidding time. There is nothing cuter in this world than tiny kids.

You have a lot going on, but it sounds like you're motivated to get it all done and have a plan in place. I just don't know how you find time to do it all.

Dawn

Ya, we're staying 8n the Tulsa area. Which is good, I still haven't figured out gardening here; I'd hate to have to learn all over in a new area.

Thanks for the encouragement and commiseration, all! I think I'll look for someone to hire to dig out the bermuda/clean up the area and I'll try to squeeze in starting some seeds during the nap times. During my pregnancy I developed an intense craving for green beans that hasn't gone away and my baby is almost 3 months old... I'm looking forward to fresh green beans as much as I am tomatoes, and I've never been very successful with the green beans so here's hoping!