[greeneyes]

Happy Temps of 45F today in Missouri. However we have grey skys and rain. No school again today as the back roads still have deep snow and are slick.

The rain should help to melt everything. Not much doing with the gardening, since my Grand Daughter came back for another couple of days visit before going back to college. We have focused on cooking and watching the food network programs.

Hope everyone is doing great and enjoying the planning for spring. Have a great weekend, and God Bless.

[greeneyes]

Pinging the List.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

When do you start your garden seeds ?
We have about a day's prep to get our little green house/hot house ready to go.

[Red_Devil 232]

I plan to have my garden soil tested next week, Prepping for spring. Highs will be in the mid 50s to low 60s next week.

[MissMagnolia]

Lovely surprise today (amid downpours & cold temps) .... my mom got an Amaryllis bulb at a party before Christmas. I helped her plant it in the enclosed pot and it’s been sitting in the back room (southern exposure). She brought it to me last week and it had a nice green shoot. Today, she pointed it out and it has two red blooms and two more buds! Wow, did it take off fast once it started growing! It’s a cheery reminder on the window sill that winter won’t last forever.

[Sarajevo]

We have grey skies in the central Hill Country also, but still no rain. It feels like a light drizzle/heavy mist outside at the moment. The rest of the week is supposed to be warm with boringly blue skies.

[hearthwench]

I am going over my seed supplies, planning what I need to reorder. I keep a supply for a few years, rotating the seeds as they are used.

I have my graph paper out, plotting our garden areas down to the inch. Anal-retentive? Maybe. I get a lot out of space.

Once the temps stay above freezing, we cover the low hoops with plastic to spped warming of the soil. The onions, garlic, spinach planted last fall should come up, finishing by June, when we can direct-plant seeds and starts. Any areas that are free of these plants get forked 2’ deep, and compost and nutrients formed into the top 1’ of soil.

This is our 5th year of growing most of our food. It took that long to figure out what grew where best with 4 areas all having their own “climate”. We have everything planted so when one thing is harvested, another plant is coming up near it.

This has kept my canned and dehydrated stuff in constant supply, a good amount goes to our daughter and her family to help them out. It works for us.

Anyone else try to stay off-grid food-wise too?

Debbi

[OftheOhio]

I had a few “sweet slice” cucumber plants this last year that did well. They produced plenty, got to good size without being pithy, and had no evidence of disease or bug problems. I used a tripod trellis and kept them off the ground. I eat these with a little seasoned salt and vinegar.

[Marcella]

Seeds not up under the grow lamp: No peppers are up and I have several kinds, and no celery is up. The rest of the plants are up.

I was looking for a book in one of my bookcases and saw “A Book of Ireland”. This must be the book that tells about how doctors were paid in early days. It is the book unless I bought one and I don’t remember doing that. The Ireland book that describes the doctors was given to me. I’m going through this book to see if I can find the bit about paying doctors if this is the right book.

Some of this book is too sad to read as there are poems throughout of men being killed in battle and their lovers’ sadness about their dying.

[Drayah]

Will you please add me to the ping list? I also have green eyes. Thank you,Dray

[Free Vulcan]

Got some sad news, I lost my garden buddy this week. We had to put our dog Tank down. He was a 1/2 Shepherd, 1/2 Black Lab that was the constant companion for 15 years. He was a dog's dog, always ready to go and right there with you no matter what you were doing, sun up to sun down. Never took a collar, never strayed far, great with kids, guard dog, one of the fastest and smartest dogs I've ever seen, and death do mice, skunks, coons, rabbits, squirrels, and even the occasional fawn.

We've had many good dogs but never one like him. He was just that kind of dog, king of the manor and owned it like he signed and paid the mortgage himself. We are blessed with the time we had as he lived nearly twice as long as dogs his size, but would give nearly anything for just one more walk around the place. He was the best I've ever known and it will never be the same without him. RIP good buddy.

[Jed Eckert]

Here in east central Florida I'll be getting ready to plant some collards and other greens out in the garden today.

Last year I planted lots of stuff in containers as well as in the ground. Despite our 'freeze' (low of 29 F for a couple hours) last week, some of my plants refuse to give up.

My 'Ping Tung' eggplant is still going strong and has quite a few 'fingerlings' almost ready to pick.

Some of the fruit have a few 'scabs' on the skin. Not sure what that's all about since I've never run into that before.

Also was surprised to find a few Radicchio Red Chicory had sprouted up from where I cut off the heads last year. I'm wondering if these sprouts will actually make heads. We'll see.

[Mad Dawgg]

I've been meaning to ask you all when I should start my seeds.

My particulars:

My garden is in 5 gal. Buckets and they are set on wooden carts.

The reason is if I leave them out at night the drunks and pillbillys will tear them up.

I am growing tomatoes, pole beans and cucumbers this year as well as habanero Peppers Jalapeno Peppers and Green peppers. Also some potatoes and garlic and I thinking about carrots and lettuce this year. The carrots and lettuce I am thinking about making long narrow garden boxes and attaching to the side of the carts so I can plant them in a row. My carts hold two 5 gallon buckets each.

Since I bring them in each evening frost should not be much of a concern.

[TEXOKIE]

bfl

[TEXOKIE]

Thanks for thread, greeneyes!

Not much happening here!

I finally put the sprouted onion in a pot. While I was at it, I discovered that a sweet potato which I harvested last fall was also volunteering to sprout! So I potted that one!

I’m a grandparent!!!!!! LOL!