Hey, TEXOKIE, I've likely screwed up more than anyone on this thread. I knew nothing beginning in about March, 2013, managed to pretty much kill all food plants - every tomato plant died because I didn't plant them correctly. Bugs/critters in the ground killed plants planted in the ground so I dumped growing in the ground and went to container growing. Then, I had to learn about container growing. Also had to learn how to get seeds to sprout.
No, we can't stop planting even with cold weather here. Eden Brothers, a seed company, sent this email to me yesterday: “Real Gardeners Plant in the Fall: Huge Savings Today on 12 Fall Favorites!” These 12 favorites are various flowers, but here is their link to veggie seed:
http://www.edenbrothers.com/store/vegetable_seeds.html
So, rats :o( to be a “real gardener" we have to plant in the fall. I'm going to plant a few Cherry Punch tomato seed and try to keep them alive and producing inside the house, putting them outside for sun when it's not too cold outside.
I always read your posts and you do great gardening. Do you preserve by dehydrating food? Now that I'm in north Texas, I'm going to get a dehydrator and learn to preserve food that way.
We learn what to do, what not to do, and, importantly, WHY, which makes it easier to remember. If the teacher has made many errors, she can educate the students to get around those errors. That’s why I like computer-assisted learning devices and programs. If you get a question wrong, you immediately learn what was wrong and why. Maybe that’s only my learning style, but I think it’s the best.
Myself, I like the cheap organic veggies that I grow, and I know for certain there's no pesticide or other stuff wrong with it. I like the independence and self sufficiency, and I like knowing that I can grow all the food we need for a completely nutritious diet.
You've done very well in your short time with gardening, and I think we have all enjoyed your posts, and sharing your progress.
Hmmmm. I had a lovely post to you all written out but somehow was disconnected from FR and I lost it.
I do so appreciate your kind and encouraging words! I’m a fan of your posts! I have laughed with you about BOTH of our screw-ups!
I’m quite familiar with north Texas, and I think you will love it there!
Thanks so much for the link to edenbrothers. I’ll have to talk with Darlin’ about the possibility of a fall planting.
Like you, I have resisted the idea about a fall garden, and can identify easily with being crestfallen to learn that “REAL” gardeners plant in the fall! (LOL! You know that’s a marketing ploy, right??) But nevertheless, in our efforts to learn, we probably do need to suck it up and soldier on.
Perhaps this is the time to dust off my celery and romaine rooting experiments and see if I can grow some and keep them alive! I know I can get them rooted but never was able to keep them alive. I realize now that I had not known that they are cool weather creatures. And I was asking them to survive 100 degree temps! Plus the small matter of phosphate poisoning was an issue in one instance!
But I don’t know... if I read the eden catalog and get inspired....