I’ve been working a lot, except when it snowed. I tweaked my back trying to clear my driveway and had to stay home sitting on ice packs for a few days. Its still bugging me, but I’m back at work. I need to get to the chiropractor before planting season starts.

I’ve started a couple things inside. Bunching onions, hardy hibiscus, beets, and columbine. Has anyone started peppers inside yet? I’ve got about a dozen winter sowing containers out too. Barely started those, just some perennials so far.

Good to see you, Rebecca. I'm sorry about your back. I hope it heals quickly.

Normally I'll start peppers around March 1.

It's hard to believe it's already February.

It was a beautiful day today. I got to go to work and found out that they had ran out of propane to heat my greenhouses so it got down below 40 and could see some damage on the tomato plants. I put a min max thermometer in there.. It showed low of 39 high of 127. I’m pretty sure the high was more damaging than the low. That’s all I have for now. I hope y’all are doing well. Staying warm and dry.

I agree, Kim. The 127 was more damaging! Does the greenhouse not have the auto vents? But, it's hard on living things to go through those extreme swings in temperatures.

I'm going to have a day at home tomorrow (yay!) so plan on starting some seed.

Looks like we're going to have some nice mild weather for the next week. I just saw that around the 13th could be more snow and colder weather.

I really wish I could find time to clean up the coops. That needs to be done soon. It's making me crazy. I do scoop the dropping boards every morning, but there's just a funk at this time of year and I want it cleaned up. Honestly, it might be April before the coop spring clean happens. We'll see.

I'm excited about this gardening year. It will be downsized, but I have a great feeling about it.

Jennifer, I agree. Those temperature swings are crazy. I’m working on getting the electrician over to the small greenhouse because there is no automatic vent or fan that works. I can manually turn on the big exhaust fans at the end of the unit, but they don’t come on Like they’re supposed to and they definitely need to. There are no ceiling automatic vents like in the big greenhouse. Some people really do think that the warmer the better so why is it a big deal. I went through this when I was in Lubbock. They ended up putting in a swamp cooler. I did not stay long enough to find out how that worked. They are willing to do whatever it is that I need so we may be looking at installing some automatic ceiling vents. They have shade cloth on both greenhouses that cannot be removed. It is bolted every 18 inches All the way around. They did not know that I need that off there during the winter, but it’s OK we work with what we have. I do have grow lights in the big greenhouse that come on between 5 o’clock and 10 o’clock every day. And I believe they are helping. I put my seed trays directly under those lights and it might be why I’m getting such great germination.

Kim, honestly I've just been leaving the shade cloth on the hoop house all year. My situation is smaller and different, tho.

The cabbage and spinach seed were started this morning. Hopefully after Pilates I'll be able to start lettuce, arugula, kale and flowers. Or at least of of them.

As of this morning, the grow lights are plugged in and ready to go.

I sure wish I was ready to bring in wood chips this week. It would be nice to get that task done. There's plenty of cardboard in the shop. All the pathways need to be covered with fresh cardboard and chips. Fresh soil and compost needs to be brought in to top the raised beds too. Tom will have a hernia repair later this month so he will be out of awhile. Bags of those things might be the way to go this year, although it's not my favorite because it's more expensive and all the plastic. BUT, I can get the cart and move the bags without having to shovel it out of the truck alone. I can do it, but it takes me a long time. Rick, Tom, and I would all work on it together and it would go fast.

I still haven't cut down the asparagus. Maybe if the weather is decent on Saturday afternoon, I can squeeze that in.

HJ, are your peppers started that late ready to plant out by mid-april or so? Weather depending? My house is fairly cool (67) so I thought I should start earlier. I am going to winter sow tomatoes this week

Rebecca, usually the peppers go into the garden a little later than the tomatoes. They just do not like cool nights. If I can get them in by around May 1, that's a win for me. They do seem to take a longer time to germinate.

Vertical space is always an issue for me. That's really the reason I wait until later to start tomatoes and peppers. I've had giant "seedlings" on the years I've started sooner. But, it's just a preference really...and individual situations.

It's really, really good that the grow lights are back in the utility room. This will make it so much easier to carry plants out to "sun". And even move them back and forth between the hoop house and light shelf if necessary (late frost).

I don't like t start plants too early either, mainly because of so much work carrying the plants in and out of the house. I would love to have a greenhouse, but it is too late in the game to worry about that. The first week in May is what I often refer as my safe week, it is often that I can get frost the last half of April. I like to get my sweet potatoes planted in May and June.

I did get out and drive around the gardens, but it is a slushy mess everywhere. The areas that I have worked the ground is pretty well clear of snow, shady areas still have snow even though the temps have been up into the 50's.

Larry, glad you were able to get out and get some fresh air.

I'm home again today. Good and bad, but mostly good. I'm keeping it quiet, tho. LOL. As soon as someone knows I'm home they'll want me to do something.

I was able to start seed this morning. Here's the list:

Flowers and herbs: snapdragons, calendula, valerian, coleus, bee balm, borage, eucalyptus, parsley, common mint, English thyme, sage and marjoram.

Greens and lettuce: Rainbow Lacinato kale, arugula, Muir, Meschun, Crawford Bibb, Red Salad Bowl, Red sails, Simpson Elite, Parris Island Cos, Sweet Valentin.

Just finished up. Not sure what I'm going to do with the remainder of the day. It's a little chilly outside right now. But, there's lots of things to do inside. Maybe cleaning out my herb cabinet would be a good thing. There's lots of old herbs that probably need to be tossed.

What are y'all up to today?

This is my update in the greenhouse. I think I’m gonna do more greenstalks this year. I will get someone to help me set them up and then they will be easier to maintain. I don’t expect to have a rough year, but I feel the need to simplify my life as much as possible right now and that is definitely one way to do it. I can plant a large variety of things in one tower so it will make it easier.

Here is list so far

I up potted 80 seedlings today, built a seed tray shelf, moved a load of dirt, watered, and buried a little bird that died next to greenhouse. I guess it flew into the side too fast : (

Aw...poor little bird.

You were super busy, Kim.

I "babysat" my grandson in Edmond and then brought him home after his nap so his parents could do an early Valentine dinner. We'll have him next Friday too because daddy is going out of town and my daughter has a Galentine thing.

It was beautiful this afternoon and it would have been a great time to do outdoor work.

All of that to say that I didn't do anything garden related today. I did notice the cabbage has sprouted.

I am planting onions today. Better late than never. I might winter sow a couple things. There is a seed swap today I might go check out.

Let us know about the seed swap, Kim.

I'm not planting onions until around March 1.

Most of the lettuce varieties have popped up. And kale and arugula.

The sweet peas are up and some of the herbs. And, the cabbage that I've already mentioned. Off to a good start.

I'll probably be sore tomorrow. The two asparagus beds are now cleaned out. That is a job. And worse than normal because those beds weren't cared for properly.

Everything just feels so weird this year, tho.

Jennifer, my sweet peas got killed in the freeze so I have to replant those
I have some growing in the greenhouse at work. They’re about 4 inches tall not sure how they’re gonna do once it ramps up in here. I need to sit down and spend about three hours making lists of what I need to do when I need to do it instead of just running as hard and fast as I can. Today I can’t run at all. I’m sitting and sewing seeds. I got at the seed swap . I got Hollyhock and Texas star hibiscus tons of zinnia’s and cosmos, celeriac. There’s a bunch more but I can’t remember right now. I’m trying to build a shelf to put my seed trays on and I did something wrong and so now I have to take it apart and start over. Or I have to wait for someone to cut me a board and that could take weeks.
I don’t mind. I just don’t feel like standing up and moving heavy lumber right now.

Not a bad view

Is today the day to start seeds ?

I think I have all the seeds that I'm going to start indoors for the cooler season done. And flowers and herbs. A lot has popped up. All the lettuces and kale and argulua except Red Salad Bowl.

The spinach finally showed up too.

I had a hour of free time so took my planner outside to check my sketch of the garden and it looks like my plans will work. There's actually a couple of empty spots that I'll have for overflow.

Kim, sorry about your sweet peas, but glad you have backups.

We had a kids retreat this weekend so I've been busy with that.

I signed up for a seed swap on garden.org and meant to pull out when I realized the start date was the same date as the retreat, but since I forgot I'm committed to doing it now.

I'm thinking of sticking with a container garden this year. Then if we do end up selling it's all ready to pack up. Though I'm not sure how I feel about trying to haul a bunch of plants down the highway again. But after 2 summers of trying to garden for the next owner, I'm not sure i have it in me to try that again.

A container garden would be nice, Jen. You'll probably be a little sad if you don't grow something.

That one large-ish bed that you have behind your house--could you put in some cowpea and/or melon seeds? Low maintenance stuff.

Does anyone know who brought last year (or the year before) attractive mineral tubs to the SF? I have a cream colored one that is almost ornamental. I would LOVE to get my hands on a couple more of those.

My blue ones are beginning to break down a little. I have a white one from Larry (2 years ago) and this really pretty one that was probably from last year. Last year was such a blur regarding the garden. My memories are cloudy. I feel clearer headed this year. Rick's illness and death were shocking. We still have his stuff in the shop. His family doesn't want his propane camp stove or canners or canning supplies. Or tiller. Would you sell those things if you were me?

I really do enjoy growing sweet potatoes in those blue ones.

I would love to have as many of the pretty ones as I could get. They would be lovely filled with herbs for teas and all.

That is a goal of mine--growing more tea ingredients.

Advice. Do you think it would be rude to ask my neighbor if I could dry a few things in her freeze dryer. I would pay her of course. She has one because she has money for such things and tends to get bored and wants to try things. She is currently freeze drying food and then eating it in a couple of days. Things like oatmeal which makes no sense to me. But....no judgement. Maybe she's just seeing how it tastes. I would love to dry goji berries and a few other things for my teas. The goji berries are sticky when jarred up after air drying (even for a long time).

Anyway, would that be rude to ask her? And what would you offer to pay?

It's supposed to be beautiful outside, but I'm stuck indoors at work. I hope y'all are able to get out and enjoy it.

Jennifer I would ask her. Maybe you could trade produce if she doesn’t grow her own. I want a freeze dryer so badly. It would be so good to do my herbs in. I think it was Larry’s tubs you got when we went out east two years ago. I don’t remember anyone bringing them last year. I would be selling whatever it is you don’t use. I am a minimalist at heart. Larry it is good to get things in order and take care of your family.

Kim, she does grow a pretty decent garden. It's an odd situation. She used to can everything. She's a "rebel canner". But, her husband doesn't really eat the food she grows and it seems like they don't cook much either. I'm always confused by them.

She tries to get people to come pick her produce when she's canned all she wants. Often, I'll take her up on it to supplement my own produce.

She will can meatloaf and them eat it a few days later for her lunch. Just stuff like that.

Like with the oatmeal. Anyway....I'll ask her about drying a few herbs for me. All she can do is say no.

Herbs and fruit are exactly why I want a freeze dryer.

Larry, I picked up one of the Purina tubs from you 2 years ago. I'm not sure where I got the pretty one. I'm thinking it might have been Regina. Seems like someone had a few. And I took one. Someone else took the others. Since the SF was at her house and she has large livestock, it makes sense that it was from her. Maybe I can ask her. We want to buy some meat from her anyways. And I would love to see her propety again when it's not flooded.

Yesterday, I enjoyed a few minutes walking around outside and had decided to walk the dog after work. Stomach started hurting, but I pushed through and did all the stuff. But started throwing up right before bed. Now, I have a fever but had to come to work because there was no one to open and close the office today. People out on trips. At least I'm mostly alone so I'm not infecting anyone. I have a mask if someone comes in, although I'm not coughing or sneezing. Just incredibly tired like I could fall asleep sitting at my desk. I might go home, get everyone fed and then go to bed after work.

Most of my seedlings are popping up on the light shelf. Just a few that are not.

Bless your heart Jennifer. I don’t like working sick. I’ve had fever since Friday night and yesterday at work in the greenhouse I sweated it out. I was soaking wet. Pictures of the greenhouse. I built a shelf from scrap lumber left over from the beds. 2x10s are pretty stout.

HJ, those tubs were from Regina. I got 2 of them myself.

I don’t remember much about last year, but I do remember the year before for some reason. Does anybody have any idea where we’re gonna have it this year?

Are you feeling better, Kim? I am. I was able to eat some eggs tonight.

The past two years had lots of rain.

Your shelf and flowers look great.

Jen, I sorta have a memory of those tubs being brought around towards the front porch and people taking them.

I have two great gray tubs from Regina, HJ, if those are what youre talking about. Theyre still stuck together from last year lol. Im going to have to find someone to help me pry them apart this year.

Kim, theres a thread started in the Facebook group to discuss Spring Fling stuff.

Finished wintersowing tomatoes Sunday, in Dawns honor. I have more perennials I want to do, but Im not sure if I’ll get enough chill hours for them. Might just wait. Start on the annuals.

Saturday was going to be my day to work outside, but apparently thats the day its decided to rain. I do need to go buy my onions and potatoes, so I’ll probably just do that. Sunday we have ballet tickets.

If I dont manage to kill them between now and then, I may have a few hardy hibiscus plants for SF.