I was feeling so behind in all our gardening endeavors and now I’m wondering what I was so worried about-such is the way of gardening. I’m sure I’ll feel behind again come time to plant the less hardy plants of summer.
We have Black Seeded Simpson Lettuce from Sow True Seed , Sparkler Radishes from Sow True Seed, and onion buttons from walmart up and growing.
We’ve also planted a bed of Detroit Dark Red Beets from Sow True Seed, but they’re not showing their little faces yet-beets seem to take forever to germinate.
In the greenhouse we have four varieties of tomatoes started: Black Cherry, Mountain Princess, and Cherokee Purple from Sow True Seed and Cream and Sausage from my own seeds. We also have two Sow True Seed Pepper varieties started: Marconi Red and Sweet Banana.
Over the weekend I planted three additional type of lettuces in an effort to help out Sow True Seed. I’m going to report how the varieties did in my neck of the woods as will other lettuce testers. The collected information will help Sow True Seed know more about the lettuce and where it grows best.
I’ve only grown leaf lettuce so I’m excited to see how the Buttercrunch and Parris Island Romaine does for me. I’m also interested in seeing if Jericho holds up and continues to produce once hot weather arrives.
Don’t think I’ve left you Reporters @ Large out of the fun. Sow True Seed has decided to let us do our Annual Blind Pig and The Acorn Reporting project for the fall garden. I’ll let you know when I receive more details about the project.
Tipper
Ron-thank you for all the great comments! Yes the girls have been bitten by the gardening bug too : ) They both enjoy growing their own things and helping us as well. I love to talk to other gardeners and see how they do things. I wish I could visit every Blind Pig readers garden!
In reference to the picture of the tiller, anyone who has ever operated one in our rocky mountain soil will tell you that looking at the backside of a mule is preferable. The only advantage to using a tiller is that when you shut it off it just sits there til you need it again. You have to feed the mule year ’round. Actually the mule, if he is under 30 years old, might wake up when you need him. He might not do what you ask but at least he will be awake. A 30 year old tiller is, if it is lucky, will be a dozen cans containing pinto beans on some store shelf somewhere.
I have plowed with a front tine tiller, as that one appears too be, and a rear tine one like I have now. Both seemed to be designed to beat the poop out of me. I once paid $600.00 for a Honda mid-tine tiller which had the engine directly over the tines. It was a dream to operate! I wore it out! When I went to look for a replacement (at any cost) they didn’t make them anymore.
I don’t know whose face those arms are connected to but whoever he is, I have a world of respect for him. Those are the arms of an Appalachian Mountain Man. Rock On!
Tipper,
We have bib lettuce, radishes, spinach, and white Asian turnips up and growing…We also have a long row of onions from last year that are making and we ate four with supper last night.
The raised beds have been laden with new nourishment. Just waiting until it is dryer to till it all together…
The better halves onion slips arrived from Texas the other day…he has used this company for years.
Will get them In soon!
He came in from the Green House (not ours) with his favorite Giant Marconi plants but only bought a few this year…We wait until warm weather on the Gypsys peppers…
Supposed to have a chance of frost later this week, storms tomorrow…
April twentieth is our frost free date for our zone 7…
You gardening is well on it’s way….we want some Black Cherry tomatoes too….grew some last year and loved them.
Thanks Tipper,
I have parsley and lettuce that came up from last year. The parsley wasn’t much of a surprise, but the lettuce sure was.
Not sure what we’re going to plant other than herbs next to the house because the farmer behind us often uses herbicide on his fields several weeks before planting, and if we have anything planted, it affects our garden, so we may just do without or plant something closer to the house.
God bless.
RB
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My garden is still fallow. I tried to crank my $900.00 fancy smancy rear tine tiller a couple of weeks ago and it wouldn’t. The warranty has just run out so I am trying to fix it myownself. I am waiting on some carburetor gaskets.
I will have a garden this year or die trying!
Hi Tipper! I am trying a new method of seed starting this year. I’ve saved toilet paper tubes and paper towel tubes for a while – going to cut the TP tubes in half, and set them in rows in trays, fill ’em with soil, and put seeds in ’em. They are biodegradable – I just hope that watering my little seedlings doesn’t biodegrade ’em before I can put ’em in the ground, hehe. We’ll see.
I don’t get the early start that you enjoy, Tipper. However, I have a maze of plants growing on the porch, on the window sill, and under lights. I grow the tomatoes low in styrofoam cups, and as they grow I pinch off leaves and add dirt. This is a lot of work, but This makes a hardy tomato plant with lots of roots. I suppose all gardeners have their ways that work.
I love hearing about the successes of gardening, and I get a form of spring fever every year when you start posting pictures. As I look at mountains with wild sarvis and red buds blooming in the spring, I feel so blessed to enjoy four season country and your blog.
Since putting in re-bar trellises to support tall as well as climbing plants, I’m trying miniature huglekulture mounds for my garden this year. Life keeps getting in the way of life so, for central Texas, I’m very late getting my garden going. I do have a nice crop of leaf lettuce and broccoli growing in molasses tubs on the porch – maybe the porch roof and the live oak tree on the south will help keep them going longer than if they were in the garden. As of last night’s forecast, we’re already predicted to hit 90 degrees today!!!!
Tipper,
All this talk of Spring Planting makes me Jealous, but we got a Cold Spell coming. Dogwood Winter makes it soon, then Blackberry Winter, then Whippoorwill Winter, which takes us into May. But some may be lucky and not get stuff killed with a Frost.
My TARHEELS won the Championship last night, ’bout gave me a Spasm. But as I was talking to my oldest daughter, she had her husband, Steve (who works for the EPA and is in Liverpool, England for a speech) on the computer and we all talked about Charles Barkley guaranteeing that the Tarheels would lose. Ellie popped her head out of the cover and said “Yeah, and he should apologize with that Hoodie on!” (Evidently she watches the commercials too.) …Ken
I’m excited about hill country red okra from sow true seed. I had never ever heard of it.
I’m excited about hill country red okra from sow true seed. I had never ever heard of it.
I’m excited about hill country red okra from sow true seed. I had never ever heard of it.
I’m excited about hill country red okra from sow true seed. I had never ever heard of it.
Yes, gardening gets in the blood I reckon. Fresh green lettuce is such a cheering sight in the garden.
Did Chitter or Chatter get bit by the bug? Do you want to stop and talk to other gardeners when you travel?
If I were ever to go to Israel, I would want to see what crops they grow where and their tree plantings restoring forests. I think I could easily occupy a 7 or 10 day trip and not make it to the tourist hot spots.
Tipper: I do believe you got it covered when it come it comes to keeping up with all those seeds.
The only thing we have growing to eat are strawberries in a 30 sq.ft. strawberry patch ,at our back door! This patch has spread from a couple of plants that we planted a few years ago. It is small but we get about a quart of nice berries each year. We eat them as they ripen!
There are lots of critters that love strawberries. But we usually ‘out-smart’ most of them.
HAPPY PLANTING!
Eva Nell
I am trying again to test and see what it says to me when I try to comment. our squirrels eat anything we plant.. we have to use buckets, no space to plant.
Tip, I don’t even have a garden and I still get excited when you talk about the spring planting. It is a new beginning for the garden. It’s spring, a new beginning for everything. All those lettuces sound good and I notice you didn’t forget the radishes. You and I share that love for the bite of spring radishes!