Let me introduce you to our summer heat that starts in May and doesn't let up until October. You don't get much rain either! Crazy Green Thumbs
To Any Future Texans:
Garden Happenings
Corn, onions, with the cucumbers near the remesh trellis. Tomato/mysore/aspargus/bean bed. Unfortunately, I did a little digging online on the mysore raspberries and even though they do well in our heat (regular raspberries do not.) they're supposed to be watery and not very flavorful. They are going crazy out here, though. So, they may be … Continue reading Garden Happenings
DIY Red And White Mushroom Solar Light
These cute glass mushrooms with solar lights built in are so easy and so cheap! Since I haven't had a craft on here in a while, I feel like I'm overdue. I'm super excited to share this idea with you! We're coming up on a year since my husband was able to come home and … Continue reading DIY Red And White Mushroom Solar Light
Another Milestone!
Yayyyy! This was a twelve year odyssey, but boy am I happy! My life is in transition, with my eldest boy going off to college this fall. Always good to have things to celebrate, during the movement towards the empty nest. Thanks to everyone who has been a part of this blog! I am grateful! … Continue reading Another Milestone!
Dumb, Dumb, Beds
So, I had surgery last week and the beginning of this week. I'm not supposed to lift more than twenty pounds for several weeks. But it is the day before Mother's day and that means 100° heat is almost here. Today was in the 80's with showers, and I finally felt good enough to go … Continue reading Dumb, Dumb, Beds
Yippee!
I finally crossed over 4,000 followers! Thank you so much for choosing to spend time with me in the garden! I hit kind of a plateau that lasted from last year (when I started posting daily) until just recently. My subscriber stats slowed down to a crawl over the last year, even though last year … Continue reading Yippee!
Difference In Bananas
This year's April bananas that I successfully saved the lower pseudostem (by cutting them to about hip height and covering them with a plastic tarp and straw.) Last year's April bananas that I had cut to the ground, over winter. This is an amazing difference! I'm hoping this means fruit! The pseudostem from last year … Continue reading Difference In Bananas
Painting Pavers To Look Like Books
I got a call the other day from a neighbor. "I have seven bricks, do you want them?" "Yes! Yes, I do!" I have plans for bricks, and free ones are the best kind! These plans were sparked by regularly spending hours on Pinterest (Can't sleep? It's Pinterest time!) and randomly remembering a few pins … Continue reading Painting Pavers To Look Like Books
My Favorite Hummingbird Feeders
Because of our heat, and the fact that our main hummingbird variety will not share with other birds: I use really small feeders and place them all over my yard. On the way out the door with fresh hummingbird food. I usually have five out at a time. In our feel like 112° heat, they … Continue reading My Favorite Hummingbird Feeders
Pomegranate: Texas Style
I have a pomegranate thicket. I figured out this year that this plant was grafted when I put it in ten or eleven years ago. The majority of this monstrosity is rootstock. I almost never get fruit off of the back of this plant's mess. I'm usually very busy all year long because I have … Continue reading Pomegranate: Texas Style
Please Don’t Rock Your Yard!
While we were in Colorado there was a trend to rip out anything that was growing and replace it with a gravel landscape. Every time I saw someone ripping out their grass to do this: I wanted to throttle them. Here is why: rock is not low maintenance. I understand those who don't garden are … Continue reading Please Don’t Rock Your Yard!
Don’t Wait To Get Rid Of Soil Borne Insects.
Instructions on use. We're coming up on the last few weeks to get beneficial nematodes in before the summer heat. I buy nematodes every year. Sometimes I add them in fall, sometimes in spring. But no matter which season you choose, heat is your enemy. Full list of target insects and the variety of nematodes … Continue reading Don’t Wait To Get Rid Of Soil Borne Insects.
In The Garden
If you are my age (in my 50's), you might remember the music at the bottom of this post. It's music we don't hear anymore. But in the past: I always heard it at grandma's. I remember eating cereal in the morning at grandma's house. The radio would be on, first came the farm report: … Continue reading In The Garden
Watch Your Grafted Plants
In the spring trees and bushes send out new growth. If you have grafted plants (a lot of fruit trees are like this. The roots belong to a different plant than the top. The top has the fruit you want.) In the spring: trees send out growth below graft unions. Roots prefer themselves, to what … Continue reading Watch Your Grafted Plants
Finishing The Vegetable Beds
Soil has been added to my vegetable beds. The bananas have been fertilized. Bird baths have been scrubbed. I added water crystals to the beds this year because the bags of composted manure have a ton of sand in them and water runs right out of the beds, without something to absorb it. Pvc marking … Continue reading Finishing The Vegetable Beds
Naners In The Spring
How big my bananas got last year Last year I decided to try something new. I did not cut the bananas to the ground like I usually do. This has created some new experiences. I cut them lower but not at ground level. These look shorter than they are because there's straw stuffed everywhere. You … Continue reading Naners In The Spring
Beginning Gardener: Class 3-Walking You Through What You Need To Know
This is the third part of a four part online course. It’s free and if you would like to know more go to the top of this page and click on the Gardening Basics tab. Or you can get the first and second parts of this course here: Beginning Gardener (part 1) and Beginning Gardener … Continue reading Beginning Gardener: Class 3-Walking You Through What You Need To Know
Beginning Gardener: Class 2-Walking You Through What You Need To Know
Learning to garden takes time. It's also helpful to have a seasoned gardener show you how to garden in your area. If you don't have someone on hand: you now have me! I may not live where you do (and it makes a huge difference if you are growing in a different area) but I … Continue reading Beginning Gardener: Class 2-Walking You Through What You Need To Know
Beginner Gardener: Class 1 Walking You Through What You Need To Know
Spring is on the way! It's time to brush up on your gardening skills and learn about new gardening ideas. This year I thought I'd get back to basics and start publishing pieces of my gardening advice from my page: Gardening Basics. For the novice gardener: read on and stay tuned! This is pretty much … Continue reading Beginner Gardener: Class 1 Walking You Through What You Need To Know
Moroccan Sweet Potato Fritters with Ras El Hanout Yogurt Sauce
Sweet potatoes, beet roots (These are chiogga beets. White, yellow or striped beets have a milder flavor than solid red beets), beet greens and spring onions This is my recipe for using up spring veggies before the heat of summer ends their season. I grew all the veggies except the sweet potatoes (which were not … Continue reading Moroccan Sweet Potato Fritters with Ras El Hanout Yogurt Sauce
Crazy Green Thumbs 