box.net

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box.net

If you haven’t yet noticed the little green box in the lower right hand corner, now would be a great time to check it out.  Into this box, I will upload various files that I think will be helpful to your gardening efforts.  Hope you enjoy!

Spring Planting Dates

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spring planting dates

The following article is taken from theeagle.com, a publication from Bryan-College Station, Texas. They are in roughly the same zone as those of us here along the eastern portion of the Gulf Coast, so it’s always a good idea to see what are neighbors to the west are doing.

Soil temperatures are now about 50 degrees, and that is suitable for all of the following cool-season crops. Cool-season vegetable crops may be planted until the following dates:

* Asparagus — March 15

* Beets — March 5

* Broccoli — March 5

* Brussels sprouts — too late

* Cabbage — March 5

* Carrots — March 5

* Cauliflower — March 29

* Chard, Swiss — April 20

* Collard — March 31

* Garlic — March 15

* Kale — March 10

* Kohlrabi — March 10

* Lettuce — March 20

* Mustard — April 15

* Onions, bulb –too late

* Peas, edible pod — March 5

* Peas, English — Feb. 20

* Potatoes, Irish — March 5

* Radishes — May 5

* Spinach –Feb. 20

* Turnips — April 20

Valentine’s Day is the traditional time to set Irish potatoes in the garden. They could be set on the ground or only 2 inches deep, 1 foot apart and rows 1 foot apart in a raised bed. When planting is shallow and the plants are 8 inches tall, apply “hilling” by covering the bottom half of the plants with soil or organic matter several times as it grows. New potatoes will develop within the hill. Compost is easier to keep moist than soil. Harvesting is easy by digging the potatoes out of the hill. A 1-pound potato is the largest one that I have grown in my garden.

Warm-season vegetables

Now is an excellent time to apply several inches of organic matter (decayed leaves, grass clippings or other plant materials) over the entire area for all warm-season crops. The soil should be friable (crumbly, with space for air and water) for easy root development. Hot-soil temperatures break down some organic matter every summer.

If you are not sure about the fertility of your garden soil, you should have a sample tested (www.soiltesting.tamu.edu) before starting the crops. Garden soils may not need any more phosphorus, and do not apply too much nitrogen for beans, cucumbers, melons, okra, peppers, squash, tomatoes, etc. Too much nitrogen will force excessive plant growth with late and less fruit production than normal.

Suggestion

To learn more about vegetables, try a new variety each season.

* Write to Elmer Krehbiel, Master Gardener, c/o Brazos County Office, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, 2619 Texas 21 W., Bryan, Texas 77803. His e-mail address is elmer.krehbiel@theeagle.com.

Where are the fava beans?

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fava beans, gardening

They are blooming beautifully but aren’t producing any fruit.  I had read that the greens on these plants are edible, so may be trying that soon.  The flowers do smell lovely and I saw a honey bee buzzing around them today.  Maybe we’ll get some beans soon!

Seed List/Available for trades!

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gardening, seeds, trading, victory gardening

Please excuse the crazy looking list.  I spent a looong time working on it in Microsoft Excel (bad move, as I know nothing of the vagaries of excel) and then couldn’t figure out how to get my beautiful list to here!!

Seed	amount	Year	Originator	Heirloom/OP/Commercial/?
FLOWERS
Forget me nots	much	2006	??	commercial package
sm dutchman’s pipevine	much	2008	becca	OP–home
swamp hibiscus	much	2008	jeanette sowell	OP–friend
White datura–thorn apple	much	2007	becca	OP–home
pyrethrum	small	2007	bountiful gardens	op–commercial
marigold	variable	2008	becca/gardens	??
snapdragons	variable	2006-2008	variety	OP
zinnias	large	2008	hollis baker	OP
milkweed	medium	2007	becca	OP
mystery hibiscus	medium	2007	trade??	OP
gloxinia	medium	2007	becca	OP
cranberry hibiscus	medium	2007	becca	OP
strawflower	medium	2008	trade??	OP
cleome	small	2008	trade??	??
larkspur	large	2008	hollis baker	OP
double purple datura	large	2009	becca	OP
VEGETABLES
banana squash	large	2008	becca	OP
speckled limas	large	2008	becca	OP–from commercial seed plants
purple top turnips	medium	2008	Pensacola seed	commercial
cocodrin rice	medium	2007	bountiful gardens	OP
white egg turnips	small	2008	Pensacola seed	commercial
broccoli	small	2008	Pensacola seed	commercial
mystery miniature winter squash	large	2008	becca	OP
green bell pepper	large	2007-2008	becca/commercial	OP and commercial
cantaloupe	huge	2008	becca/hollis/barrett	OP/??
tomato varieties	medium	2008	??	??
cushaw	small	2008	charlie barrett	trade
regular okra	large	2008	hollis baker	OP
Texas longhorn okra	very small	2008	hollis baker	OP
lemon cucumber	small	2008	trade	??
HERBS
lettuce leaved basil	small	2008	??	??
fennel	large	2008	home	OP
shiso	small	2007	trade	??
sage	small	2007	bountiful gardens	OP
echinacea	large	2009	becca	OP
MISCELLANEOUS
bushel gourd	large	2008	becca	OP
goose egg gourd	small	2008	charlie barrett	??
atlas cotton	large	2008	becca	OP
broomcorn	large	2008	becca	OP
dale sorghum	small	2008	bountiful gardens	OP
pocket melon	very small	2008	charlie barrett	OP
egyptian onions	on hold	2009	becca	OP

Signs of Spring 2009

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florida buckeye, robins, spring

Here along the Gulf Coast, we get our signs of spring a bit earlier than the rest of the country.  This Wednesday, February 18th, the migrating Robins came through.  They are always so wonderful to see and it seems like I always manage to write something about them.  Last year, I took photos of the enormous flock in our back yard and in the empty lot across the street.  This year, I was in the throes of a fever and so wasn’t able to do much more than acknowledge James when he mentioned they were here.

Another sign of spring is the budding out of our little Florida Buckeye.  It’s the sweetest little tree and the hummingbirds always love it.  I’ll take some photos and upload them.  Right now, the buds look like grape hyacinth (but pink) surrounded by deep purplish maroon leaves.  Very lovely.

Seed Swap/Round Robin

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seed swap

As part of the 2008-2009 Seed Swap Round Robin hosted by Howling Hill, I received seeds in the mail on February 7th from Grace of Give Me Grace. I took several types of seeds for our spring garden:

• large red kidney beans
• blue lake green beans
• egyptian onions
• red slim peppers
• cinderella pumpkin
• sweet meat squash
• yellow crookneck squash

In return, I added several types of seeds gathered from our own garden and from other seed swaps.  They were:

• red bell peppers
• fava beans
• banana squash
• sweet fennel
• bushel gourd
• speckled lima beans
• small dutchman’s pipevine
• white moonflower (datura)
• swamp hibiscus
• blanket flower
• white fordhook lima beans
• texas longhorn okra
• broomcorn

On February 9th, I mailed all the seeds out to Jena Becker of Becker Farms.  Hope everyone has a wonderful harvest!