Checked the stock a few months ago. Ordered the few things I was out of and they are chilln' in the fridge. Doing a few things different this year, starting with not trying to plant every seed and every start.

Been watching You-Tube videos to get some new ideas. Actually remembered to plant the garlic this year. Usually it hangs in the fridge until I have to send it to the compost.

Got a plant starting stand which I am itching to use but I know that the last several years we have had late snows all the way back to Mother's Day. If I start now, everything will be root bound :-(

So it's back to the videos. Recently been watching the Farm Tour. Just wish I could figure out how to watch them in order.

Billie

It's inspiring to see a post from Billie ت!

Punxsutawney Phil(click) saw his shadow.

Here, the day started off overcast and got worse! By midmorning, the fog was hanging in the neighborhood to where I don't think we could see over 200 yards. Then, it darkened ... rain began to fall. Several hours later, it stopped raining. Now, the sun must have set - we didn't see it aaaallll day! (And, any rodent venturing out wouldn't have seen it either ت.)

Steve

Still waiting for winter to start here. While it's been cold, no moisture. Went to Conifer for new years. Didn't even need 4x4. It's sad. Gonna be a dry summer.

Going to make my chickens earn their keep this summer. Making a giant compost pile for them to work. Then I plan to use the compost and plant a cover crop while the girls work another pile. Roosters go in the freezer in the fall.

More compost = less watering, I hope

It's good to hear from you billie. We're pretty dry, too. We got good snow cover and drifts that stayed for a while out of the last week's snow. Not much out of the one this week. I'm hopeful we'll get some heavy wet snows closer to spring.

I've started a few pots of tree seeds on a heat mat. 3 oriental spruce and a honeylocust have come up this week. I've had the winter blahs a bit lately and seeing green coming up sure helps. Seedlings are cheerful things!

Barb

Funny I've been stealing honey locust seeds for years and this year I was talking about actually planting them. I have a tree line that needs to be filled in. Did you want to do anything special to those honey locust seeds stratify or anything like that.

Just thinking about it it's not really inspiration I need its motivation and time

Honeylocust are tough to start. I got my pod off a tree at work a few weeks ago. I used an emery board to sand down a section of each seed, then boiled a half a cup of water in the microwave, let it cool to 190 degrees F, then put the seeds in the water. You let them soak until they swell up to 3 times the size of an un-soaked seed and plant immediately. Only a couple of seeds swelled over a few days time, so I took the rest out of the water, let them dry enough to not be slippery and cut the sanded parts with a knife, just deep enough to get through the hard shell. Soaked them again and that got a few more to swell up.

I sowed them in in a mix of peat moss, starting mix and Sunshine potting mix (what I had on hand), watered them well and put them in a domed tray on a heat mat. The first pot went on the mat last Saturday and by Wednesday the first seedling came up. They look a lot like a pumpkin or squash when they first come up, gave me pause, lol!

Honeylocust propagation

"Waiting is still an occupation. It is only having nothing to wait for that is terrible." ~ C Pavese

I don't know about those locust seeds but I had my compost piles right in the middle of the garden for quite a few years. Since they were there, and regularly watered, I would use last year's pile to grow something while building a new pile, usually close by.

In the veggie garden, I found winter squash was a good choice for the pile. In the flowers, I grew sunflowers. Sunflowers are grown as a cover crop. I believe that they are turned under while still young. Probably, it would make sense to just sow more seeds as soon as those plants are outta the way. But, there are other choices for cover crops.

Conifer on 285, huh? Someday, I doubt if it would be in January (!), I'd like to drive up 285 from Las Cruces ...

Steve

edit: Oh hey! There's Barb while I was typing ... and thinking about some country I haven't seen!

Oh, digit, that quote is spot on!

Having the compost pile in the garden and growing plants in it seems like a smart idea! That would save a lot of wheelbarrow time and effort. What made you move away from that? Did the pile get too big to navigate around or were there some other factors?

I ask because I've been needing to reconfiguring my veggie garden for a few years now. We had some well issues after the flood and discovered we couldn't easily get a crane truck to the well because of the veggie bed. Fortunately the rig driver was really good and made it work without much damage. But we realized that can't fly, long term. The beds are also too close together. When we make the changes, I may figure in a space in the middle for a compost pile.

On a tangent, I've also learned that foundation plants aren't for planting ON the foundation of the house. When you need to paint, re-roof, wash or replace windows, etc., you need to be able to get right up to the house without standing in plants. I've only had to move a couple of plants, but I do seem to have to learn things the hard way!

I hope you do get to make that drive up 285 from Las Cruces. I know quite a few people here that would be very glad to meet you!

Barb

I got twitchy yesterday and started some tomato seeds. Only 18 pots. It's only my second year starting tomatos and I only have a small light that I used last year. Don't tell my husband, but I plan to buy a bigger one and start taking over the basement when they sprout! I had moderate success last year I just didn't start them early enough. Here I go...experiment #2.

Barb I pull lots of little thornless honey locust seedlings out of my beds every year. I will try to pot up a few this year. It's a great tree. The seed pods rattle like windchimes so fabulously in the fall. I would love to share some babies. I barely had pods or full sized leaves on it last year. We were hit with a hail storm while they were budding. I am anxious to see it thrive this year.

Cat, I busted out laughing at "I got twitchy yesterday and ..."!

You go, girl! I'm leaving for a week later in the month, that's all that's keeping me from starting more.

I thought about you while driving down 4th this week, wondered how you were doing! It's nice to hear from you!

If you pot them I'll give them a good home. I hope your trees bounce back well this year.

I don't think that starting tomato plants "too early" is necessarily an impending problem. You need room for them, they need room for their roots. And,
if you remove flowers and any fruit at transplanting anyway, you will
probably want to do that pruning earlier so that growth doesn't come to a
stop while they are still in containers.

Some plants would be too much trouble if started real early.

treebarb (5b Denver, CO) "What made you move away from that? Did the pile get too big to navigate around or were there some other factors? "

Tractor guy, Barb. When I was doing that, I had a nice triangular garden. It was almost a perfect isosceles, right triangle. A tractor could have gotten to it but not easily.

Anyway, I had everything in beds and would clear it down to the dirt every fall. A bed was dug out to about 8", the compostables were layered with some of the soil and then covered with the remaining soil. It was higher than the other beds but didn't look terribly out of place.

That garden was smaller than the one I moved to about 10 years ago. No, they didn't throw me out! Aging property owners - they sold the year after I left. At first, the "new garden" was about the same size but then, about doubled. I couldn't get it all in beds. Besides, the property owner also has a garden and has a tractor guy come in. My job is just to get everything down on the ground and the tractor tiller turns it under. My compost piles are now in 3 locations - 2 are in pits under decks outside my greenhouse & chicken coop here at home. I call those my "stealth" compost piles. The 3rd pile is on another person's ground (see how I am?). It's a very shady location and not much would grow there. Hopefully, the property owner there doesn't mind the looks of it but when it started - it was entirely with HIS weeds. It's a little difficult to see and I trust it's okay.

Steve

This would be the real compost bins, 4x5x5 three in a row. They are on the east side of the garden. The other side is the driveway to the barn. Makes it convenient to drop materials from either side.

Seven beds 16'x4' raised cinder block. Then another bed 4'x24' up past the compost bins on the right of the the photo.

One of several raw material generators. We have two other horses and a goat.

Last year's crop. Currently unemployed.

The job. Reclamation of a 40x40 abandoned hog pen. Have been adding material and even used the neighbors tractor to till the compacted soil. All I got was patches of bindweed. Tried planting corn and sunflowers, Neither did well. Yes that it a wheelbarrow leaning on the right side of the pile and a five gallon bucket in the front of the photo.

The second job. Reclamation of the abandoned duck pen.

The plan: snow fence and hot wires around both pens. The unemployed peck, scratch and poop to their hearts delight on the big compost pile. Then they move to the weedy area where I will dump all the bags of leaves currently protecting my garden beds. When the chickens move, the first area will be planted with buckwheat. When the buckwheat is ready to turn, the chickens come back and enjoy the benefits of their spring labors. After they till, it's going to be planted with barley which, hopefully, will protect the soil through the winter. While the chickens are working I will be renovating their coops in the barn.

Think it might be easier to move!

if you can make it out, this is the remaining stalks from my 7' tall sunflower weeds. Spent four hours burning sunflower stalks the other day. Need to clean up the ash.

Yes this will be going on the job too.

Feeling like the Gardening Season will never come?

Here you go: try gardening in Fairbanks, Alaska: Seed-Planting-Chart/pdf

Now, if you are in Fairbanks, you better get ready! If you aren't in Alaska but it might be very similar to the "North Star Borough," you better get ready ..!

Sowed onion seed yesterday in, what is a very chilly greenhouse this morning. If that seed wants to be frozen before sprouting, I think, mission accomplished!

Steve

Winter is finally here

Of course, the onions in the greenhouse are not up. It's sunny this morning and that is likely to help but 18°f during the hours of darkness couldn't have. At least, the soil didn't freeze but I'd better get the thermometer fired up in there before too long. I mighta gone out at 5am and rescued the flats by carrying them into the utility room if'n I'd checked the temperature.

I didn't expect that much cold. Nearly 8" of snow fell yesterday. Years ago, I started seed for quite a few things on 13 February. It was below zero that morning but I went ahead and got the seed in some soil mix. They were in the house, after all. It was a Mistake! Warm weather didn't come soon enough and my plants that year suffered.

Still, I plan on more than onions in the soil mix by the last week of this month. I'm thinking snapdragons and pansies ... then, a little more of that seed in about 10 days to cover my bets. Maybe, I'll wait until after the first to put some pepper seed in. The last few years I've been talking about getting the starts in like 8" pots during their final weeks in the greenhouse. Haven't done it! They go out to the garden in their 4" pots just as usual! Cannot rely on myself for nuthing ...... sniff

On the news front: in less than 24 hours from ordering, 2 seed companies had shipped my seeds! I've got the pepper seed but the flowers ... well, it will be a relief to see them this week. Yay!

Steve

We've had such a warm winter till just recently that I've been spending lots of time outdoors with our new(ish) puppy, Dash. Lots of weeding to do, even now. Annie, I have a huge pile of sunflower stalks to burn! It seems like it's always too wet or too dry or too windy...I also have a four year old, which doesn't help much if anything (except joy and propagation of my family line).

I've bought my seeds and they're sitting in the basement. I also caved and bought some healthy looking peony roots from The Home Depot. They were cheap and freshly arrived, in January! I figured they'd do better sitting in a pot of soil in my garage than they would in the bright dry heat of the store. So I took them home.

i have plans to do more "edible landscaping" this year, and get early color in my garden beds by planting greens in there amongst the stuff that comes up later.

Finally, not actually gardening, but I put together a flyer and have started advertising my outdoor parent-child play group classes for this spring and summer. It had me looking through all of my photos and pining away for lush green and flowers.

You will have little ones pining for green and flowers in the future, Faith!

I thought that I might be able to show you snapdragon seedlings this morning but they are too, too tiny to capture with the camera! We can all wait awhile for the peppers. Some of the seed is 4 years old. I hope that it won't cause problems with some needing the sunlight of the South Window but the slow pokes needing the overnight warmth of the warmer kitchen and me carrying them back and forth twice daily.

Yesterday, I could have captured a pretty picture of lazy snowflakes falling in our snow-covered landscape. The snow was supposed to continue but maybe it blew away! Nothing out there looks lazy today ... the wind is strong enuf to blow the milk outta your tea this morning!

You will have to wait for a seedling picture but here is something that I hope will brighten your day.

I wonder what weather will be ... maybe, some sun?

Steve

The Royal Babies! Snapdragons

The Candy Babies! Onions

Oh My!

The snapdragon seedlings are leaning to find the light, this morning! Their time in the kitchen must now be limited and we have migrated (as a group, wishing that there was some actual sunshine to enjoy :o) to the South Window. They will be back in the kitchen by nightfall.

Today is a day to sprinkle some celeriac seeds. Celery Root! I have found it easier to grow than celery and it serves some of the same purposes, with several more calories thrown in. It didn't do too well in last year's location in the more open big veggie garden. It may have to do with exposure but the especially rocky soil probably isn't so good for them. One more plant that would best be here in the yard with more deeply prepared and sheltered soil.

Celeriac is a full-season plant including its early start. It's March!! I probably should have started some seed a week ago. Making a commitment on tomato varieties today and as soon as I see a pepper seedling from the first sowing, I'll be putting more of that seed into the mix. Does anyone with more of an idea of what you are growing want to start a "what are you growing" thread?

Steve

I'll do it, Steve!

I love reading all you all's updates... and Steve, those sprouts are so cute! Treebarb said it well: "Seedlings are cheerful things!"

Busy, busy ...

How about you??

Steve

Peppers are starting to sprout here! Yesterday we had two Baby Yellow Bells, and this morning I got one Anaheim and two Gypsy Sweet. I expect there will be more peeping out when I get home this evening!

I wasn't sure about my Anaheim ... until yesterday! There are now a few venturing out to join the others.

And, how is this for inspiring?

David52 recommended Apple Green eggplant for me, years ago. I was a fairly dedicated Apple Green grower but neglected to save fresh seed for 2017. ONE plant started very late, struggling some and I saved one Apple Green fruit on the plant until frost. Saved seed.

All 7 seeds sprouted before anything else in the cookie box!

Steve

Finally got around to wrapping my seedling grow shelf

Read to wrap a mylar blanket refective side in, it would reflect the light around the plants for more even growth. See if it works. Need sunglasses to look in!

Looks awesome, Billie! I bet they love it!

What are the little green bulbs in your pots? Some kind of water/fertilizer release system?

They are plastic water balls like the glass ones you can buy now. I picked them up at Target many years ago. I like them for my house plants because I don't have to try to guess a watering I just fill them with water and the plants water themselves. The green thing in the photo is it a standard size 12 count egg carton

The fill tube gets clogged with dirt Once in awhile and I just use an old Chopstick to poke through

Interesting!

Two SunSugar sprouts showed up!

Wow. I sure had to wait a long time for those ...

Stevie

who sowed more Sungold tomato seed while he was waiting.

Don't feel bad, I'm still waiting on peppers. Going to start another set this weekend, if I don't get to it before. Patience is a virtue that I do not possess.

Billie

I didn't get very good pepper germination this year, either. I've got one variety that didn't surprise me at 0% (from a trade), but the rest of them did really well last year and horribly this year.

Sounds like it's not just me.

It took FOREVER but my herbs finally sprouted! I have genovese basil, curly parsley and dill. They are usually under a light, but I took the moutside for a bit today. They were in the tray with the tomotoes.

~Cat

Yay! They're so cute, catnohat!

After their first night in the hoop house here are some of my tomatoes.

It seemed that Henrietta Thermometer was claiming that it was 42°f in the hoop house, all night! I hadn't intended for them to be plunged into such cool overnight temperatures from the 60° greenhouse but they look fine. The furthest "tomatoes" aren't tomatoes - they are marigolds (& there are some zinnias among them). Anyway, nothing frost-hardy and the little heater chugged away all night. Smaller tomatoes and such are still being coddled in the greenhouse.

There was frost on the lawn as I drug the garbage can out to the curb at 6am. Frost on the west slope of the neighborhood roofs at 8am. I had a hoopy out on the lawn, with frost-questionable plants, covered with a couple of tarps over the plastic film and hoops.

A very sunny, nice day! More frost will have to wait awhile, I think. Here's Hoping the weather doesn't deteriorate into next week - the tractor guy is committed for garden tilling then and I'm expecting him to git tuit!

Steve