I left a message on the other thread and forgot there was a new one. The last day of September they are going to be launching a sale at GREENSTALK. Depending on what I do next weekend in Lubbock, I might buy another one. My son chokes are over 10 feet tall and still growing blooming beautifully. I put a video up on Instagram and YouTube. I took my tripod and stretched out as far as it would go so that I could get it above the Top. I think I will always have to grow those now that I’ve grown one. I don’t know if the size of the plant indicates how much food you are going to get like with other plants, but I am looking forward to digging it up later and finding out. It rained a lot today and I want to dig sweet potatoes before I leave for West Texas. But I do not think that is going to happen. It’s also supposed to rain Tuesday and Wednesday and I am leaving early Thursday morning, so not much window of opportunity. It’s so cool here I had to turn my air conditioner off. I was absolutely freezing. Jennifer, your garden sounds in my mind a lot like dawns. The most whimsical thing at Dawns was her garden gate and I continue looking for one similar. It was a screen door I believe with the scroll work and it just added to the whimsy of the place. That is how I imagine your garden. Just whimsical and a little here and little there. Mine is getting to be like that, but I fear Gomphrena will completely take over next year. There are seeds everywhere and I had fully intended on cleaning them up before it rained, but I had no clue it was gonna rain today. Even while it was raining and storming, it was saying we had a 0% chance. After an hour and a half they finally popped up and said oh yeah it’s gonna rain today. I don’t wanna get up early tomorrow, but I do have to take the car in at 10 o’clock to get my tie rods fixed. And then I’m going to take it for an alignment. If I have to, we will see. I need to get my brake pad and rotors on also but one thing at a time and then the next step will be two new tires and then I will be good to go another hundred thousand miles. I think I’m gonna place an order with Mary’s heirloom seeds. I really like a lot of her stuff because I know that I can save seed from it And a lot of her seed is grown here in Texas. That’s all I know for now back to bed.

See I knew I’d forget something. Once that little grand boy starts coming to spend the night it’s all over. Those are my favorite times.

Kim, I am jealous that you have gomphrena - I have tried for 3 years to grow it. I used to have it at our old house and it reseeded every year. I have even purchased plants and can’t keep them alive. On the whole I have very good luck with most plants but for now it’s eluding me. My grandmother used to have the crimson/ purple ones in her front yard. I got my original start from her.

My nemesis is clove basil. I love the plant and the smell but it will take over your entire property if you don’t keep it thinned or completely pulled out. I swear one plant goes to seed and next year you have 60 plants in a radius of 50’. It grows in all conditions, even my gravel walkways in the garden.

I still haven’t cleaned my garden up from last weeks storm, I need to just clean it all out for Fall and let it go, but I tend to hang on and give it one more shot. I know the damaged plants are going to be even more susceptible to virus and problems. I have grasshoppers 4” long devouring what little is left - peppers, okra, and sweet potato vines. Sweet potato vines look like deer have been eating on them but it’s grasshoppers. They aren’t eating the pea vines, but eating the peas.

I told my husband I’m working out there today and we are having sandwiches for lunch - he said pile it up and he’d haul it off with the tractor. The chickens and the cows will appreciate the cleanings, and truth be told I’m ready for a break from the garden. I’m going to take the baby chickens after my daughter ends the pumpkin patch so need to sell most of the old hens and clean out the chicken house. I’ll put that on the garden. I still have zillions of zinnia seedlings that I will leave and hope for a little color before frost.

Jennifer, my youngest grandchildren are 22 and 26. The oldest is 35. My oldest great granddaughter started 10th grade this year. My point is enjoy and treasure every moment with that baby because you are going to turn around and he will be grown.

I understand your feelings about Oregon and spending time with your daughter and baby - I have trouble turning loose and letting them go. Have a grandson in Australia right now that I lose sleep over.

I’ll report back and tell you if I actually accomplish anything today.

This is the color I have

I could send you seeds. as soon as they dry out again I am going to gather them all up.

Kim that’s exactly what my Grandmother had. I used to raise them and also a red variety. I will gladly send you postage for a few seeds. Any chance you need some clove basil seeds?

I had nice surprise in garden this week - my sweet potatoes have a few blooms! I’ve never had that before but the bees are loving it. It’s a bloom like a morning glory.

Glenda, all of my sweet potatoes have bloomed, I don't recall ever not having sweet potatoes bloom, but the only ones that have bloomed well were the ornamental potatoes, but they never produced anything worthwhile. I use to grow a purple sweet potato that bloomed well, but they seemed to grow deeper into the ground, and were harder to dig, plus they did not seem to keep as well as the Covington.

Thank you but postage is definitely not necessary. I love sharing seeds and especially ones that I received in a seed swap. Larry, I have had sweet potatoes that bloom and I’ve had sweet potatoes that don’t bloom. They have all been really prolific, but I don’t always get blooms. I am not sure what the difference is but I get potatoes. That’s what I care about.

Hi Everyone. Work has kept me really busy. I had an hour in the garden last night and made a video but my phone has reached the age that it won't load to FB. I'm going to try to clean out some stuff when I have time.

I had no time in the garden today. It was dark when I got in. Sure need to water because the rain has missed us lately. I'll do that tomorrow night hopefully.

I might work tomorrow. I might not. I'm fine with either. There's a lot to do around here if they don't need me.

I read all the posts. Good stuff.

You have been busy. Thankfully we got rain twice because I am too busy to water.

I would like to have some rain, Larry. It's cloudy and windy here.

I didn't work today....and could have gone to me regular job but decided to stay home. There's plenty to do at both places. I'm sorta glad I'm home. I was able to clean up Ethan's room a little--not that it's dirty as it's rarely used--and set up the pack and play for when the baby stays with us Friday night. Figured out that I can get the room pretty dark.

I have a headache too. Happy not to make the drive to and from Edmond in rush hour. The house I've been working on is in Edmond. It's ready, tho. The sale is this weekend.

I just realized that I'm still in PJs. lol While I was waiting to hear back if I was working or not....I held off on dressing until I knew if I needed to dress for office, new-job clothes or garden/home.

I'm going to water today, but it's very windy so the sprinkler wouldn't be ideal.

Two nights ago, while I was making a video of the kitchen garden, I found a dead butterfly in the garden pathway. Picked it up and brought it in and sort of arranged it on a white plastic plate because I have this dream of pinning a butterfly to frame...but time is an issue and I've failed that project in the past. ANYWAY, Tom asked if I was 'trying to bring it back to life' as I was arranging it. What an odd thing to say. So, I just replied...'I don't have that ability'. We laughed.

Put it in my office to add to my jar of butterflies and butterfly wings. Went to office the next morning to check on the seedlings under the grow light and saw the butterfly. It was ALIVE!

What?! Anyway, I put it on the lantana and it was happy.

So odd.

Has anyone had good luck overwintering a bay laurel indoors during the winter?

How did your pear processing go, Kim?

I'm going to move the lettuce seedlings to the hoop house and find some insect netting as soon as I get out of my PJs.

We went to the Pizza Barn for lunch with some of my senior class, we had a great time.

I picked 3.2 lbs of okra a while ago. I have about 30' okra row, it is producing okay now, but very late.

Glenda, here is a picture of a runner on my sweet potatoes. This runner is about 4 or 5 feet from the plant. If you look close it has a stem at about every leaf node with buds on it. I don't know if they ever produce seeds, but I have a plant growing from an area where I never planted a sweet potato, I will watch it and dig around it about frost time.

Glenda, it you have never tried an electric fence around your garden, it may be something you want to look into. The wire shown has not been turned on in a few weeks. It appears as tho if a deer gets into the fence a time or two, they find somewhere else to eat.

Here is a picture of some blooms on a runner about 8 to 10 feet from the nearest sweet potato plant, that was planted on 7-1-25. This runner has grown across 2 rows of pepper plants.

Jennifer, that’s pretty cool that butterfly came back to life. I just watched a documentary on the monarch butterflies and sometimes when they get too cold, they fall on the ground and appear dead and then when they are revived to warm air they are healthy as they can be. Those sweet potato vines look gorgeous. With the blooms I did a video today with my sweet potato vines and focused on those blooms cause they are pretty. My Roselle is blooming and it is absolutely my favorite. I am a little nervous about leaving for a week. But it can’t be helped and I just hope and pray that the garden gets watered decently while I’m gone.

Kim, my roselle just started blooming today (or yesterday).

Larry and Glenda, here are my sweet potatoes and a bloom. i have 2 mineral tubs of them. and the hoop house bed .

Jennifer, those look nice. It seems as though you said that if got 24 potatoes that you would be happy. I expect that you will be more than happy this year.

I want to start digging mine as soon as the weather drys some. Someone posted on Facebook that they got 6.3 " of rain about 3 miles north of me. I don't know how much rain we got, but it was plenty.

In front of the mineral tubs, is a horseradish. It's not supposed to be there. lol

Kim, I was surprised about the butterfly. It wasn't a monarch, tho, and it wasn't cold outside. Think it is a fritillary. But, I did see the same thing about monarchs when they get cold. Super interesting.

I think my video from Monday finally uploaded to FB. I like to have those in memories. I used to make many videos each season for FB memories, but have struggled with wanting to make them over the past couple of years. IT's fun to look back. .

I only watered today in the garden. Ended up sleeping for nearly 2 hours this afternoon and woke up feeling SO much better. Glad I stayed home today. I didn't get a ton accomplished, but I feel better. Oh, I did move the lettuce/kale/chard/arugula try to the hoop house and covered with insect netting. But didn't get the spinach started yet.

I took myself to the fair today. It had been awhile and I wanted to see the livestock exhibits, the 4H exhibits, and the weird food. The pickle pizza was pretty good. The garden produce presented for judging was really interesting, at least what there was of it. Of course, they have to deliver their items for judging a week or so before the fair starts, and I don’t think they store things well. Several things were starting to go soft and moldy. Same with the baked goods. Someday I’ll enter some cookies and bread. I also managed to not smuggle one of the newborn goats out of the fair in my bag. They were just hours old, and too cute.

My sweet potatoes are blooming too. We got about 3” of rain in the past week, is that ok this close to harvest? I guess I don’t have a choice, lol. I’m still harvesting green beans, tomatoes, and okra. Really need to start ripping out stuff thats done for the year.

I'm jealous of your rain, Rebecca. We've not had much lately. Cleveland Co is now "yellow" on the map which just means it's dry. I'm sure the rain will come back right when I want to dig sweet potatoes. lol

You should totally enter your cookies, Rebecca! They're SO good. Magically good.

After work I did a bit more watering. Got the sprinkler on the Kitchen Garden as it was quite dry. Ran out of time to get everything watered, tho.

Did start spinach seed and winter lettuces tonight.

Pretty sure I've got the house ready for the baby staying the night. I love him so much. I'll be going to Edmond in the morning to sit with him and after his nap, we'll head home.

I won't spend time in the garden tomorrow, but I'm sure hoping to spend lots of time out there on Saturday once we get baby boy back to his parents.

I had a good day at work. Sometimes after a hard time when you're around people who make you feel less than....being around people who are supportive and encouraging makes all the difference. Especially when you figured new things out. Tech. lol

Anyway...hope you all have a good weekend.

I hope that Y'all had more fun than I did this morning. I had a colonoscopy, I spent very little time the past 24 hours laughing.

I did come home and check the garden. Madge wont let me do anything, but I did take a few pictures.

Here is a picture of the last row of sweet potatoes I planted, which was on 7-16-25. These potatoes will have enough growing time to get 90 growing days in, I doubt that they will get the 120 days growing time that I like for them to get, but at 90 days they will be worth harvesting.

Here is a picture of two of the 40 plants I have in a row in the north garden. These plants are past 90 days, they may be near 120 days, I am not sure. I plan on remembering when, and where I plant forever, but I can turn around three time, and not even remember where I am. I need to do better in that area. But, at any rate I expect to get 100+ pounds of potatoes from the north garden.

We have a lot of appointments between now and Thanksgiving, but I am planning on having all of my sweet potatoes dug, and cured by then.

One thing that I hope to do differently next year is fertilize everything a little. My neighbor fertilizes heavily, and has a lot better production than I do.

I'm sure we ALL had more fun than you did, Larry. That doesn't sound like an enjoyable way to spend the morning, but it's good that you got it done.

The baby just left a half hour ago. He did very well and we had a lot of fun. But, I haven't had much of a chance to look at anything garden related, other than turning the sprinkler on.

We're going to mow the chicken yard in awhile. It got missed last time we mowed. The ragweed is tall. Probably why we're all coughing and/or congested and/or snotty.

Sorta wondering how I'm going to get everything done before we leave Thursday morning. Tomorrow is packed. Oh well, it will get figured out.

I am going to take the new spinach and winter lettuce seedlings to my mom to care for. We can put them on her potting bench on her patio and they should be fine.

Just checking in. Heading out to feed everyone, water, and mow.

Covington descendant of Larry’s

Kim, those are beautiful potatoes, and I would bet that they have not spent most of their life in wet, heavy soil. Your soil looks beautiful. I am glad that you have a nice harvest.