Winter has arrived!!
Posted on 12/28/2012 10:52:10 AM PST by greeneyes
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2-3 weeks ago we had the first freeze so harvested all the tomatoes. As they ripen, into the freezer they go but had some green ones that were starting to look sad before they ripened so tried out a Green Tomato Pie for Christmas. The recipe needs some tweaking but everyone said it worked so the idea is a keeper. I’m thinking maybe a handful of raisins or a bit more spice would do the trick. It’s similar to tomato preserves and mince meat.
Green Tomato Pie - 3 cups green tomatoes, 1 1/2 C sugar, 1 T cider vinegar, all spice, cinnamon, salt and a pie shell.
Needing to get the new tomato and pepper seeds started today!
GREEN HOUSE! I am so very envious.
Thanks again!
Happy New Year!
Winter has arrived!!
The pie sounds good. It’s a little early for starting plants indoors here. However, I do think I might use some milk jugs to get started on the winter sown for some of the seeds.
The patio is in the back and very shaded. However, our house faces due South. Are you thinking some plants in the windows?!
You are welcome. Have a great holiday.
NEWBIE ALERT! I live in the Houston area of Texas and was wondering if it’s too early to start vegetable seeds now or is it too late. I can always get plants at Home Depot or a nursery if it’s too late. I figure to put a raised bed in the back yard and start planting the beginning of February. We should not have much threat of frost by then. Also, any tips on soil. Should we till the ground and then add the good soil? Does anyone have an opinion on the ready made raised garden kits. Any other tips or advise would be appreciated. And please add me to the ping list. Thanks, all.
Thanks for the awesome pictures. However, they do make my feet cold just looking at them. LOL.
Meant I was starting them indoors.
Outdoors, winter has finally hit Texas. No more 80 degree weather for a week or two.... maybe. Still no sign of rain. As if we weren’t already in a two year drought but November 2012 was the driest since 1897. The Highland Lakes’ levels are down 42% (but up from where they were this summer) and yet the legislature decided to continue sending water down to the rice farms in south Texas. Excuse me, but how about planting a crop that will grow without stealing other people’s water? The “little people” upstream are being forced to close their businesses because they don’t have big lobbyists. Stepping off my soapbox now.
You have been added. I am not all that familiar with Texas, but we do have several gardeners from Texas that check in from time to time.
The extension service of public universities almost always has tips online which will be a good resource too. Also, I think that some things vary by location. East Texas vs Central or Southern Texas etc.
If you know the anticipated date of the last average frost date, you can count back about 6 weeks to get the approximate date of when to plant your seeds indoors for the summer season. I have read that every month there is a potential for growing things in Texas.
Also, the spring and fall are somewhat abbreviated, and the summers have been unusually dry (maybe an understatement). Try to catch any rainwater you may be lucky enough to get between now and then. Also, some people have stated that they use their “graywater” for the garden.
As to the raised beds. That is a method that I use. If you google Square Foot Gardening, there is a website that has all kinds of tips to get you started on this.
I think that the prefab garden stuff is pretty, but costly. Hubby built my beds using landscaping materials he bought pretty cheap from Walmart. If I was starting over, I would probably use some conrete blocks and rocks to build on the North, East and West sides with the front facing south.
The rocks will absorb the heat during the day and release it at night, and we have a bunch of rocks that we have collected as we have prepared various beds. Of course, we have colder weather in winter than Texas.
Texas winter crops that do pretty well are: Beets,onions, radishes, lettuce, and asparagus to name a few at least that is what I have read about it.
Good Luck with you endeavors. I think your biggest challenge will be the drought.
The patio is in the back and very shaded. However, our house faces due South. Are you thinking some plants in the windows?!
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Absolutely. I have a southwest facing patio door that is producing a lot of stuff even in the winter. Right now I have a lemon tree that has yielded 6 lemons, and has about 15 marble sized new lemons started as well as a bunch of blossoms which smell great.
I have two pepper plant with 9 sweet bells growing, and some lettuce and spinach sprouting, and some basil. Last year I also grew cherry tomatoes. Some plants will require longer days in the winter, and for those you can use a high intensity grow light for a couple of hours after the sun goes down in the winter.
I am considering adding a garden window over my kitchen sink which faces the same direction. They make windows that can be installed in an existing window, and it is sort of like a mini greenhouse, and would be so convenient at the sink for growing herbs that I use cooking.
Lucky you to have window(s) facing south.
I’ve ordered for the first round, finished up today, and have received about 1/2 with only one backorder so far.
Down to -6 last night, after getting 6” over the last few days. High of 26 today.
Cat is going stir-crazy, but we don’t need a vet bill for frost bitten feet.
The birds are all over the feeders, and they don’t need a cat harassing them, either.
Have a cottontail that is visiting the porch every night, probably because the front door is “warm”. Today, when I came back to the house from feeding the rabbits & chickens (6 eggs from 11 hens!) I brought down a large handful of hay, and a scoop of rabbit pellets for it.
At least with the snow, the garden is now properly mulched until Spring.
I’ve received only one so far. I’m thinking of planting some carrot seeds in one of my molasses pots. I don’t know what else at this moment. I will be putting some of my bulbs in the ground around the garden shed and maybe some of my shasta seeds and some others. It’s in the 30s at night, but heck, next week it may be up to the 70s during the days and down to the 50s at night. One day it’s autumn and the next day it could be summer or winter. Texas! I do have some tomatoe seeds in some styrofoam coolers. See if they do anything. They’re in the garage.
I am interested in Lingenberries. I looked them up and found that they grow in Sweden, Norway, Canada, and the State of Washington. Does anybody here have any experience with them for the home gardener? If planted (instead of boxwood) would you ever get a crop, or would they become deer magnets?
We love questions that get asked twice. It’s helpful for those of us who have faulty memories to read the answers a second time! :)
We love questions that get asked twice. It’s helpful for those of us who have faulty memories to read the answers a second time! :)
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