Winter Sowing

At our last Garden Club meeting, a member mentioned, “Winter Sowing” and briefly explained the milk jug concept. Then she said, “Do a Google!” Oh my. When life allowed a few days later I did just that!

Of the various YouTube channels I watched, one highly recommended using oil-based Sharpie pens to note the type of seeds and when sowed. She claims they will not rub off the plastic! Last year I used “regular” Sharpies and made - what I thought were cute - plant labels from cutting up milk jugs. After a few times of getting wet (from the little rain we received) the writing simply disappeared! I’ll try the oil based Sharpies (I had never heard of them before!) and hopefully they will stay!

Another creator shared how she uses string tied to the milk jug’s handle. She annotates in her journal one string = a certain type of seed, two strings another, and so on. I’m not excited with that labeling method!

I found the Juicing Gardner on YouTube and she shares numerous tips using all sorts of jugs, and also about in-ground planting using all sorts of containers for domes!

Last month I began requesting FREE seed catalogs from companies! The most impressive catalog came from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds! It’s more like a book - 146 pages worth! I HIGHLY recommend this one!!!

 Their website is amazing! Of course one can order directly from their website, but there is another level of contentment sitting in a comfortable chair, holding the catalog in your hands, going through it page by page! It’s what I love to do on a cold winter day! 

I’ve seen The Whole Seed Catalog on the shelf at Walmart, but never looked at it closely to know it is also from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds until I saw it on their website!

I received the FREE catalog in the mail several weeks before Jessica of Roots and Refuge Farms shared on YouTube a 3 part series touring their place!

           
Simply amazing!

This makes me excited to do winter sowing! And now I must make the decisions... oh which ones to sow!

What would you grow?

Dairy Goats?

While visiting the Heritage Homestead over in Waco I sampled fresh Goat Cheese with a hint of orange and ginger. It was amazing! I didn’t think I liked anything goat. I’ve reached out for anyone local selling homemade cheese to no avail.

The Homestead Craft Village is such a lovely place Momma & I will visit again - by ourselves - when it’s not a cold rainy windy day.

For a few days I silently pondered adding a dairy goat to the mix. I considered different things like where could I graze her/him, and the resulting babies. How much space would they need, what breed would be best, what type of structure would be needed, etc. Then I decided to watch some YouTube videos on how to milk a goat.

It’s not often I say to myself, You are just too old to start raising dairy goats! This is certainly one of those times!

But... I had already joined some Facebook groups. I’ve learned a lot... like the mini breeds, and came across this sweet face at Rural Space Ranch (not too far from here either)!

Tugging my heart!

We’ll see... it’s not over.

Maybe when I hit 70!

Life after the Artic Blast

We had an arctic blast to come through last week. It arrived earlier than the last five years and stayed much longer. Although I covered some of the plants, it was not good enough. Lessons learned and next year will be much different coverage.

After a brief walk through yesterday, I found it very interesting as to what survived. I’m not a bit surprised of the plants that bit the dust.

The oregano is thriving, whereas the green bell peppers are history.

Still growing strong are the dill plants next to the spent tomatoes.

The 24 and 26 degrees didn’t seem to phase the mums and asparagus. And, of course, the collards loved the cold snap!

As last week went, this week is another busy time so the garden is on hold.

I’m anxious, however, to get it cleaned up. Maybe Friday I can get out there and chop things into little pieces, dig a trench, then place the goodies down to compost in place. The collards have proven lasagna style gardening works amazingly well.

After checking the 10-day forecast, I so wish I could tend to the garden today... high expected to be 80 and sunny! Oh well. It is what it is. Friday’s predicted high is only 56 degrees with a 30% chance of rain.

But it is Texas so who knows until the weather actually happens!

Confession

I have a confession. I’ll fess up. I couldn’t wait for winter like I planned. Yes! I’ve already started researching the ins and outs of raising meat rabbits! It happened basically as soon as I published the article Top 2 Things to Study this Winter! 

The next time I went into town, I visited the Tractor Supply Store and bought Bob Bennett’s book Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits, 5th Edition. I’m almost finished reading it from cover to cover!

Facebook has several closed rabbit groups I’ve joined, three are specific to Texas! Bucket loads of information! Like, I never knew the difference between GAW and GBW wiring! Thanks to the members, I now know I need to spend the extra monies for GAW wire when building hutches. Galvanized AFTER Wielding. Apparently rabbit’s urine will ruin the “Before” (hence the GBW) in a year!  

I’ve watched many a youtube video during the wee morning hours while waiting for the sun to come up. It’s then chores begin in the garden and visiting / caring for the chickens. I thought, Why not watch and learn while waiting?!

I found the best channel... an ongoing series of raising meat rabbits! I absolutely appreciate the videos by Melissa at Good Simply Living and Homesteading. She explains each step (birth to grow out) simply and beautifully. I laughed along with the other viewers (based on the comments) when she explained the “fall off” a buck experiences.

That’s my confession! It’s not too bad. I am being productive!

Now, to figure out the best place to locate the hutches!

Two Lady Gardeners I highly Recommend!

I don’t remember now how I stumbled upon Jill McSheehy, but I’m thrilled I did! Her website, The Beginner’s Garden, is packed full with information! I signed up for her emails and always find worthwhile, timely, and useful tips in growing the garden.

I’m just now getting into podcasts ~ I’m always late to the party! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed listening to her explain the information she shares. Sometimes I enjoy working an online jigsaw puzzle while listening instead of reading all the time! Yes. I listen to the podcasts from my laptop, not cell phone.

Today’s email had a link to a free .pdf book (28 pages) “15 Mistakes First Time Gardeners Make.” Although I didn’t make all 15, I did make a few!

I highly recommend taking a look at Jill’s website!

A few weeks ago I mentioned taking an online Organic Garden Workshop with Melissa K. Norris. She too has a podcast!  

Because I’m seriously considering having more raised beds for the Spring 2020 garden, both ladies have several articles/podcasts on the topic. I’m spending the time now researching the pros and cons and the mistakes people make using them. Because the ground soil is not all that great, maybe raised beds is the way to go. It’s something to study while the fall garden plays out.

Over on Lanetta’s Creations blog I mentioned the book, All New Square Foot Gardening. It’s all about growing veggies in raised beds. I did do one made with cinder blocks and it has done pretty well with lemon balm, bell peppers, and oregano. Oh, and onions! The onions have been totally harvested out, but everything else is still producing. Maybe I should start collecting more blocks! Just a thought!

Thank You Sweet Jesus for the blessed rain we've received!

Top 2 Things to Study this Winter

What do you do in the winter when it's too cold to work the ground? Fortunately in this part of Texas our winters don't last very long... maybe 2 months. But, it's still "down" time. So these are my top 2 things to study this winter. As a perpetual student, a life long learner, I may come across other areas of research I will do but for now....

First

All Things Bees!

My cousin had bee hives... for a while. From what I recall, he got stung one too many times so they moved on to another hobby.

A couple of friends of mine recently went to a Beekeeper Workshop for several days as she’s always wanted to keep bees. She was very excited about the learning process. I haven’t spoken with him yet, but I bet he’s right there with her sharing the experience!

Right now I am not interested in all out full blown “keeping bees” but would like to know more about how to better attract them to the garden. Other than destroying spider webs when I see them (so not to catch a bee), I want to learn more as what to plant and maybe build a “pollinator house” this winter.

I didn’t know until I read this on a download factsheet: “Bees’ favorite colors are BLUE and YELLOW. Native bees are also particularly attracted to WHITE.”

I love this 65 Pollinator-Friendly Plants Bees Love list of plants I found on Backyard Beekeeping. It will be a great resource to have when I’m out plant shopping next spring!

Quite by accident I found the website Crown Bees The Native Bee Experts and quickly concluded I needed to stop reading, save the link, and get back to it this winter!

Secondly, 

I would like to learn about raising meat rabbits. Yes. You read that correctly! Rabbits!

For a while now I have wanted to add some type of small animal. Since we have a grass lease for cattle going on, I cannot use any other part of the land other than our 2 acres actual homestead site. (Been there, done that with our own cattle.)

But what? I don’t like anything goat. No goat meat, goat cheese, milk or what have you.

I’m currently participating in an online Organic Garden Workshop hosted by Melissa K. Norris. On Day 1 she also had a guest speaker. That’s when/how I discovered Marjory Wildcraft (Red Rock, Texas) and her The Grow Network and raising rabbits!

I then did a quick search through YouTube and found The Cog Hill Family Farm (Alabama). I’ve enjoyed watching the few videos I viewed today! Love his humor! I will continue watching in the winter!

Until then, it’s time to water the garden!

Pray for rain!

Thanks for stopping by!

Seeds are Coming!

Imagine my excitement when I read about sowing seeds in the fall for spring blooms! I knew about planting bulbs in the fall like tulips and daffodils, but not seeds! I’m beyond thrilled!

Just one of the articles I read was found on The Herb Cottage website. Since I successfully grew Cotton from seed, I thought, Why not! 

Saturday I got back to the herb garden, out in the area I call the “West Yard Project” that went by the wayside. I decided the later part of January I needed something closer, just outside the house. That’s when/where the vegetable garden developed in the front yard.

But it’s never been forgotten.

My heart soared with the thought of flowers and wildflowers mixed with herbs in the garden. Albeit a garden far away from the house. That’s okay. Once the dead rosemary is cut away, I will be able to see it from the house.

I ordered these seeds from Botanical Interest. Seeds are coming! Any day!

Blue and Breezy Flax Seeds
Bring Home the Butterflies Flower Mix Seeds
Lavender Hyssop Seeds
Pixie Delight Lupine Seeds
American Legion Corn Poppy Seeds
Black-Eyed Susan Seeds

I'm trying to decide to sow the seeds types separately, or mix all together and see what happens! From the photos I've seen I like both looks. Like the old English Garden style.

Because I need to build the soil in the veggie garden I also bought some Common Buckwheat Cover Crop Seeds! The write up about it peaked my interest:

Buckwheat has been used for centuries to improve soil health and smother common weeds. It grows better than most cover crops in poor soils and is better at retrieving phosphorus, a macro-nutrient that contributes to later crops' root, flower, and fruit growth. Buckwheat not only grows quickly, it also breaks down quickly in the soil, allowing for planting in the same area just 3 to 4 weeks after incorporating it into the soil. It can also be used as mulch on the soil surface. If allowed, white flowers will form about 35 days after sowing and are loved by beneficial insects and even make pretty filler in bouquets! Turn buckwheat into soil before seeds begin forming. Because buckwheat is cold sensitive, it is grown spring to fall frost, except in mild climates that may be warm enough to grow into fall and possibly winter.

Seeds are wonderful hope for the future.

Pray for rain!

9 Lessons Learned

Not long after the garden began growing I started making a list of what I need to do (or not do) next time. I know I didn’t get to pen/paper in time on occasion because I was in the process of watering the garden. Each time I thought, Oh, I will remember this!- nope. I have a nagging, What was it?

If important enough, someday it will come to me.

A few lessons learned after a bit of tidying up and planting the fall garden:

1.  Newspapers actually killed the grass & weeds. The dirt is nice and crumbly albeit not very deep. Maybe I didn’t put down enough layers of cardboard because underneath it the grass only lost its green but it’s still there, ready, waiting for the sun again!

2.  The repurposed black tubs used for “raised beds” did keep the armadillos at bay! In the future, however, I will add drain holes around the sides close to the bottom instead of the actual bottom. I had to place the tubs on rock to allow for drainage - those few times we got a gully washer. It doesn’t seem like it right now, but we will get rain again - someday.

3.  I will never EVER again plant a vine to travel across the ground... like cantaloupe or cucumber. It uses way too much footprint. I am planning to use cattle panels and build trellises/arches like Roots and Refuge Farm. See Jess explain perfectly...

I’m already collecting mesh bags (such as repurposed onion bags) to help support the fruit so its weight will not be an issue. I also found on Amazon what they call “melon hammocks” that I would rather make than purchase. It would be a nice winter project!

4.  Document Document Document! I failed to keep records of what I planted, when they were planted, and where I planted! Starting with the fall garden, I now have a book at least documenting what/when. I’m taking more pictures of where I planted!

5.  I tried several methods when planting INDETERMINATE tomatoes. The first was adding a banana peel and two aspirins in the hole before the tomatoes were planted. They produced very well. I then heard about placing an egg in the hole and barely cracking it before planting the tomato plant. The three plants with an egg are growing very nicely and have a lot of blooms! Time will tell if they produce nicely.

6.  I made the mistake on 3 tomato plants whereas it’s difficult to get behind the plants to check for hornworms or grasshoppers or to simply stake them better. This won’t happen again.

7.  Also when planting tomatoes, I will continue to add dill, basil, and marigolds in the same area. Just a lot more!

8.  Never again will I allow a spider to form its web anywhere near the garden. I was heartbroken when I discovered 3 honey bees trapped.

9.  A better watering system needs to be created. I’m gathering the pieces and parts to make a modular irrigation system like Texas Prepper 2 explains here:

Although every day I will continue to carefully examine each plant for unwanted critters because it’s my most favorite time out in the garden! I’m just tired of dragging a hose around! Not too mention I'm wasting precious water!

I still can’t remember what it was I was going to write down...

Pray for rain!

Making Dirt

Yes. I am grateful. I know I'm blessed! This 2019 season’s garden turned out amazingly well despite the poor soil conditions. It’s horribly compacted. It looks and feels dead.

I plan to expand the 2020 garden so I need to start adding amendments now. But then I need mulch to protect it from the sun’s bleaching effect.

I would also love to get rid of the layer of rock 6" to 8" below the surface. Short of using dynamite it’s not going to happen. It is what it is. Someday I may find where the rock ends and plant a peach tree, but not any time soon!

I brought home 3 additional plants the other day - Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower and Collards - to add in the fall garden with the tomatoes and herbs. I hope they will enjoy the raised planters and store-bought dirt mixed with a bit of the old dirt.

I need to do much more of what/how Morag explains here:



One tub at a time...

Taking her advice ~ in part ~ this is what I did:

In the tall tub I grew pumpkin (got one tiny pumpkin and that’s it!) the old tired dirt was so hard and compacted I had to use the turning fork just to pierce it! I ended up scooping out half of the dirt into a wheelbarrow. I then took our container of small chunks of kitchen scraps and put down a layer. I watered the layer. Next I put the used coffee grounds and filters I’ve been saving. I watered that layer. Then I put the dirt back in and planted three “extra” veggie plants. I covered the surface with several layers of newspaper. I used rocks to hold the paper in place and to also make it uncomfortable for the cats. They have a tendency of laying on the wet cool newspaper/dirt after I water, crushing the plants.

We’ll see what happens, how well the plants grow (or not)!

Here is to someday digging in the dirt in my bare feet!

Pray for rain!

True Beginnings

A traditional front yard lawn...

Boring. Wasteful.

We had to have "Mr. Mesquite" trimmed back to stumps in 2017.

Over the years I dabbled here and there, but 2019 saw the first real garden!

The planning started in January.

A friend dropped off the barrels - thinking of using as rain catchers

A layout began in March...

Our friend also gave us SEVERAL of his black tubs!

I used pvc pipe to layout where I cannot dig due to underground cables

Almost a month to the day, the asparagus appeared! The pumpkin is coming along nicely as well!

Then in August...

I did a walkabout a couple of weeks ago...


Now I'm working on the fall garden!

PRAY FOR RAIN!