I have not heard of Purple Tree Collards but it looks interesting! I had to look it up. I weeded around my carrots this morning since the weather was nice. The cabbage and carrots both survived the snow we had so happy to have something in the garden right now. I have some cherry tomato plants I started inside in December that are coming along good. Will see about transplanting those in early March if possible. Started seeds for muncher cucumbers and some dill too recently. I want to make several batches of homemade pickles later.

Welcome Promise! Nice to meet you 🤗

Good morning! I will make a .pdf of the addresses if y'all would send your address and email to me.

This weekend got past me and I didn't get as much done as I had planned in my head. Does that ever happen to you?

Hope everyone has a great week!

Wow, it's so good to have members we haven't heard from in a while checking in.

Nikki, glad you're doing okay and still gardening. I hope the recent fires in California didn't affect you.

Jeanne ( sandlapper_rose ) is in charge of FOTESS, so you might check in with her. She is also hosting next month's swap. I don't know if her swap theme will involve seeds, but I'm sure we'd love to have you join in.

Not sure what happened with OBF, but it stopped being posted.

Participation in the swaps just isn't like it used to be.

Hi Ruth,

No Im not anywhere near the fires thankfully. I am a couple hours away.

I went and bought some sugar snap peas, and tomato seeds this afternoon. And I have some sweet pepper seeds I have been removing and saving. My granddaughter and I are going to start them tomorrow. Now just got to find some strawberries for her.

Between all the price rises especially postage I can understand the swaps not being as full as they used to. I was wondering if postage is an issue with plants and bulbs now?

I have a friend who lives closer to the fires and he wants to send me some of the stuff he has, I keep telling him that they would survive the trip and that I used to participate in swaps but he doesnt believe me.

Promise is your email address the same as it was way back when??? I found it in my email....around 2015.

Cinnie0, long time since you have been with us. I hope all is well with you.

Welcome back Promise and Cinnie0!

Amy, your envie is headed out tomorrow (Tuesday).

Ruth, I don't know what happened with OBF and Shirley. Shirley (britneysgran) check in and let us know how you are doing..

Happy Tuesday!!

Welcome Back Nikki and Promise!

Nicole, your envelope went out today!

Got mail from Ruth...

Unable to post from my computer, so posting from me cell.

Seeds...love in a puff, chocolate covered cherry cloves, love in a mist and chocolate morning glory....very lovey and sweet selection of seeds. Chocolate and Love...it certainly does not get any better than that.

And 2 tea selections, chai spice and chai green.

Thanks so much Ruth.

Happy Valentine's Day

❤️💖💘

Today is also

National Donor Day

By donating organs, you create a legacy of your generosity with the ultimate gift of love.

Happy V day to everyone!! May you create moments or remember moments with those you hold close to your heart!!

Did you all know on 2/17 is National Random Kindness Day? I didn't until someone mention to me just like I didn't know today was National Donor Day. Thank you Ruth for letting us know.

Take care everyone!!

Nicole you planned it perfect! I got your envie today on Valentine's day 😍 thank you for the fun filled envie of stickers, seeds and goodies inside!

Ahhh ur welcome, sorry it took so long but glad it came on time. Was the postage okay?

Yes postage was perfect! Thank you 😊

Hope everyone is enjoying their day today! I baked a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting today to celebrate.

Happy Valentines Day....happy love, happy food, happy champagne, Enjoy!!

Happy Valentine's Day!! 💘

Happy Valentine's Day! (Especially to Ruth. As you saw last time I posted I was sick and am still sick so my card to Ruth will be delayed until I feel a bit better. I'm in bed all night and most of the day every day. Went to the doctor last week and it will just take time to get over this.)

Obviously nothing special going on with me for Valentine's Day. However, the sun was out today and we've mostly had cold and rain so it was nice to see the sun.

What a nice surprise to see Promise and cinnie0. I believe both of you were in OBF but no problem with you joining FOTESS. Please send me your full name, full address, email contact, user name with Houzz, and month and date for your birthday so I can add it to my list. Hopefully you can receive and send Houzz messages. I don't like to post personal information online where anyone can see it.

Promise, I'm fine with you gathering the addresses and other information and providing them to those in the group. Tomorrow I'll try to send you the list of who were members the last time we pulled the list together. As most know I moved in December so with the holidays, etc. I am still in the process and it's very sad it is taking so long to complete all of this and now I am totally slowed down from being sick. I have done little to check email or even regular mail since the beginning of February. I think I'm feeling a little bit better today so hopefully that's the case and I'll start to feel much better.

Good to hear you are starting to feel better Jeanne! If you feel up to it, check your mail for my envie. There's a rooted plant inside that may need some water lol

Ahhhh Amy!!! thank you for spoiling me with so many goodies!! from the cute duckie card with the cosmos velouette, zinnia scabiosa, poblano pepper, carrots,, cute dish cloths, and the butterfly clip. thank you for making my Valentine a great one!!!

Nicole, I am glad you like your goodies!

Jeanne and Ruth, Hope you feel better!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Update, please let me know if I missed anything.

Jeanne has sent me several emails and I told not her not to worry about sending until she's better.

bluee19 – Nicole………..sends to Sharon (Southern Louisiana) - Sharon - sent & received

canyonwind – Annie………..sends to Amy - sent & received

sandlapper_rose – Jeanne…………..sends to ruthz – Ruth

Amy – Amy………… sends to bluee19 – Nicole - sent & received

Sharon (Southern Louisiana) – Sharon……….. sandlapper_rose – Jeanne - sent

ruthz – Ruth…………sends to canyonwind – Annie - sent & received

36 degrees and we are building this spinach and lettuce bed. I am hopeful I am not wasting my time! I read 4-6 inches is enough root depth for spinach, which is my favorite. I happen to have these 2x4's left from another project. I would love to hear about projects y'all are working on and planning!

Happy Sunday!!!

Promise 🌷

Promise, good luck with your spinach bed.

And I just attempted to email you my mailing address so you could update our FOTESS membership. The email I have is not good....it was returned.

I sent most of the old membership list to Promise so maybe she will be able to reach some of you by email to check on your current information. I left off people who said they no longer wanted to be on the list or if they hadn't swapped (to the best of my memory) since the end of 2023. If someone who got left off the list wants to rejoin and has time for it now, send me a message.

Promise, I, too, love spinach. With the limitations for me now with my very shady balcony and indoor only gardening I don't know how this year will go, but we'll see.

If you have trouble reaching Promise and want to send recent information to me, I think everyone on the list has my email (however, please don't post it here) or members can send me a message. I seem to get all of the messages although sometimes it's by email pony express. I can share with Promise if needed.

The sun finally came out today but the winds are really bad and the ground is saturated from all the rain we've gotten.

Everyone should have received an email from me with the updated FOTESS address list.

Amybabyboy3 your email is full and kicked my email back to me.

Y'all please take a moment to look at the list and make sure it is correct. Thank you.

Promise

Promise, My email has changed. The part that changed is @gmail.com now instead of netzero.

Happy gardening!

Happy random kindness day!!

promise - thanks for the updated addresses. my info is correct.

have a great day everyone!

Promise, I did NOT receive the updated FOTESS address list.

Annie I have messaged you on houzz and tried to email you at hotmail.

Promise, thank you for taking on this address task. I sent you an email. Good luck with your spinach and lettuce bed. I love growing greens.

Jeanne, is there any community gardens that rent spaces in your area? We used to have one close by that was a church. You paid for a raised bed space and donated a portion of the food grown to the church (if you were using it for food).

Nikki, I sent the old info I have for you to Promise for our address update. If it's changed, can you please send the correct one to me, Jeanne or Promise. Hope to see you in our next swap. I'm sure we can send you enough seeds to get your garden going. Happy to see that your granddaughter is interested. I always tried to get my grandsons involved, but they are grown now and show no interest in gardening.

Nicole thank you for sharing that it's Happy random kindness day.

We went to a plant nursery and a farmers market today. It did seem people were especially kind and friendly today. We bought Summer Breeze Cherry Blossom Strawberry plants (6 pk.) and a hanging Jasmine plant. It was 25% off today only. Had to put them in the garage as it's an extremely cold week here. Every night is freezing temps. Next week will be in the seventies again.

Have a good evening everyone.

Annie and I are having trouble emailing each other. I uploaded the FOTESS CONTACT LIST as a .pdf to her in our message in houzz. I did that with a few of you this morning, but I am running out of time and need to get ready for work. I will make sure everyone gets a copy later. Hopefully everything is, as it should be. Let me know if there are corrections.

Today is suppose to be cold! Stay warm and enjoy your Tuesday! Has anyone started seeds indoors? How is that going?

Promise :)

I got it Promise and thank you! My info is correct 👍

I started seeds for lemon Bee balm this week. Trying to decide where to put it after as I understand it likes to spread. Hope it brings some pollinators to the garden 😁

Promise, I got it also and my info is correct. Thank you.

Nikki, received your info and Promise has added it to the list. So sorry you've been sick.

The pepper seeds I started are still outside so not coming up yet. I need to bring inside.

Annie, Thank you so much for the beautiful Valentines day card and wonderful selection of seeds. So many new tomatoes to try and I am also excited to try corn salad!

Take care, Amy

Ptomise, Thank you for the new address list, much appreciated!

Nikki, Hope you feel better!

Annie, I just received this gift! I love this sogn so much. I actually had it on my Amazon wishlist! Thank you so much!!! It is such a true statement!

Amy, bought the sign for me and bought the sign for you!! Enjoy!!

Good Saturday morning to all.

I think last night was the last of our below 32 degree temps. At least for a while.

Maybe I can get some seeds planted next week. I just ordered more seeds yesterday. Pinetree is having a 30% off sale.

Do any of you grow asparagus? Would love to hear about it, if you do.

I used to have a small bed, but it doesn't come up any more. Probably with help from the dogs.

I'd like to start more this year with Purple Passion asparagus. Millennium would be my second choice. I haven't grown either.

Did you know?

Peas don't like too much water.

Potatoes do not like tomatoes. Potatoes don't like cucumbers.

Potatoes and cabbage are friends.

Do not plant beans with onions or beets.

Beans love carrots.

Beets love onion, cabbage, potatoes.

Tomatoes love carrots, peas.

Cabbage does not like radishes.

Beans and cucumbers do not like each other.

Carrots and onions do well together

Ruth, thanks for all the interesting information you have posted this month. Good news, I packed up your card and "goodies" and will be heading out to mail it today. At least it's still February. What a month I have had. I went to glue the inside part to your card and the glue I usually use that results in a smooth finish was either empty or dried out so I think those puckers from the other glue will still show once it gets there. Some glues dry nicely, some don't!

As for community gardens, yes there are some where you can rent space. I know myself well enough that I wouldn't go frequently enough in the hot weather to keep up with it. As far as I know all of them require you to use a watering can or hose to water the plants. Maybe I'll look into it later in the year. There are some raised beds here at Searstone but I still haven't found the rules for how you get one and I suspect they are all taken for now.

Sharon, I'll watch for mail from you. I checked the mail here at Searstone yesterday and there was no mail from you here. I was at my house before the snowstorm and collected the mail that was in the box. All pretty much just junk mail. Heading back there today so we'll see what happens. Mail is supposed to be forwarded from there to here. How long they continue to do it, I'm not sure. You may have even used the Searstone address. Between me being sick and the bad weather, I don't know what to think but it may still show up.

Okay, I'd better head out with the mail! I'm hostess for March. Hope many of you can join in. There will be a Fairy Garden - Fairy Princess theme.

Thanks for the update Jeanne! I have been experiencing delayed "slow" mail myself lately. Not sure why either. Hope you get it soon!

ruthz I have tried to grow some Mary Washington asparagus from seed but it mostly looks like asparagus fern in my yard. I didn't give it a proper bed that I could maintain. Asparagus is one of the things I wanted to try again. Pinetree does have a nice selection. The Purple Passion was my first pick too.

Jeanne I am excited to participate in the March Fotess Swap!

My brassicas have all germinated, now I need to rush them to maturity before it gets to warm outside for them! In my winter sowing jugs, I notice Joe Pye Weed and Black Eyed Susans have started to grow! So excited for spring! 😍

Hope y'all have a great Monday!

Promise 🌷

Good Morning. Im back. Still trying to get back to normal.

We planted some strawberry roots, - I hope they grow, and a couple of cherry tomato, bell pepper, sweet pepper seeds over the weekend. Still need to get cucumber, and zucchini and some other stuff. I also bought a pack of asparagus roots(mary washington-I know nothing about growing asparagus) to plant, but need more soil for a container. I need to learn to compost.

International I Hate Coriander/Cilantro Day is celebrated on February 24 each year and is a chance for haters of this herb to unite and have a good old coriander bashing session with the kindred spirits they can find.

Apparently, over 10% of the world hates coriander because it tastes like soap to them, according to members of the group, and some scientific research leads us to believe that this could be caused by a particular gene, called OR6A2, which affects the olfactory receptors. The study was conducted in 2012, with a sample size of 50,000 people, by a genetic testing company called 23andMe. Interestingly enough, the majority of people who hate coriander are of European ethnicity, and the very name comes from the Greek word ‘koris’ meaning ‘stink bug.’

I am not one of those people. My favorite taco's are soft corn tortillas, carnitas meat, chopped onion, cilantro and lime juice. However trying to grow cilantro is iffy for me. Some years it does good and sometimes not. I just ordered the narrow leafed Papalo seeds from Baker Creek. Papalo is likened to cilantro in taste, but I've grown the larger rounded leaf one and personally did not think it tasted like cilantro. Last year I tried culantro seeds with no luck. This year I plan to buy the plant at a local nursery that carries it.

Jeanne, glad your feeling better. Will post when I receive the card. I would try for a Searstone space. It's the perfect time of year to get a garden going.

Promise, I've never tried asparagus from seed, but it will probably eventually mature.

Nikki, Good luck with your stawberries. I'm planting a couple of kinds this year. I plan to keep them in pots. I've had pepper planted for a few weeks now and nothing yet. I'm planting two more varieties tomorrow.

There is always lots of tomato plants at our Euless April plant swap.

I'm not always good at composting but I do always use coffee grounds, tea bags, eggshells and banana peels in the garden.

My daffodils are budded and should be blooming soon.

Totally the case for me, Ruth - cilantro tastes like soap. I can even taste the tiniest little bit in food if it's in there. Of course, I don't ever add it to anything.

Sharon, I checked my mail at both places today and nothing arrived. I sure will keep watching and don't feel bad because it's so slow - sometimes that just happens.

I have a daffodil in bloom at my house. Maybe I'll remember to take a picture. I put out the trash there today so I need to go back there tomorrow to roll the carts back off the road and up next to the garage. The very incredible blooms I can report on are on my azalea. I moved it from my house since it was still in a container and it's blooming in my bathroom shower where it is sharing space with a palm, a tropical plant (forget the name) and a tangerine tree. I just leave the shower light on all day everyday and they are happy as can be. All of my African violets are doing great too under the cabinets (which have countertop lighting) and they are in the kitchen. Surprised me they are doing fine and no window lights for them. The ones in the shower will go out on my balcony once we have warm enough temperatures. The tangerine tree in particular doesn't like cold.

Hi Everyone!

I dont have much luck with cilantro because it bolts too fast in the heat here but I do like the taste.

I did have aspargus growing at my old house but it takes awhile from the tubers to grow a good amount. First i had the fern like plant and then they would start shooting up a aspargus or two. If i planted again, i would plant a lot more. I grew this in a garden bed inside a greenhouse in rich composted soil.

I posted the March FOTESS Swap. Barely one day left in February. Hope to see some of you join in for March. I always feel shortchanged when February ends so early. We can all use a few extra days in our month I think.

Jeanne, got your package today. Thank you. I love everything. And yes, I appreciate you waiting until I don’t have to worry about germs. No telling how long Covid germs last.
We’re getting ready to take our telescope over to an empty parking lot to see if we can see the 🪐.

Thanks for posting that it arrived, Ruth!

Hope you get to see the planets. I think they said right after sunset is best but I never think to look until it's beyond that time.

Ruth, thank you for another wonderful month.

I have been gone for 8 days so I am catching up on reading your posts. I continue to be amazed about the coriander and soap connection. Over the last few years I have met enough people who despise coriander because it tastes like soap.

And I fail miserably when it comes to growing cilantro. But I keep trying.....

Jeanne I checked and I had mailed to the Searstone address so you know where my envie is headed to. Hope it arrives soon! It's been over 20 days since I mailed it. That's crazy!

I keep watching. I will certainly let you know when it gets here. Hope everyone had a good weekend. I have been so tired. Most nights my dog wants to go out around 3-5 am so it's not as restful a night's sleep as it should be. Hopefully we can get her on a different schedule.

I certainly thought I had posted here. Maybe I did it under March. I received my card and goodies from Sharon. Thank you so much. Can't understand why it took so long and no indication of damage or problem with the address. Guess it just took its time.