The night the lights went out in Texas...

Grow lights going out that is... I cut out ALL the grow lights today and set everything outside. All the peppers and tomatos and watermelon and even the pumpkins I am not supposed to plant for several more months... Craigslist says we will be in the mid-40's to mid-50's as low's for the next 10 days. The frozen-solid banana trees started putting out green leaves, the bradford pears are even growing leaves. Even that dried-stick-in-a-bag that someone called a rasberry plant is growing green leaves out of it. It's almost like the plants know whats going on before the weatherman does. I am very excited because this is the first real spring I am starting "as a gardener"... Good luck to all~

Woohoo!! It is such an exciting time in the garden, isn't it?

WhooHoo!

Very recent photo of Nebraska garden.
For perspective, fence is 48" tall.

Wish I was in South Texas...warmth & Blue Bonnets!

Whoohooo! Ratfood I think you hit it on the head. I'm seeing some greening here and there amongst the brown. Buds on my trees are fattening up. The days are noticeably longer. I've had several days of sun and the plants are appreciative. I really hope Mother Nature is finished playing games for awhile. She ought to be worn out from all the mischief she's been up to.

You poor folks in NE have my sympathies but I know you'll be getting even in July and August when not even the weeds are happy here.

Ratfood, you are making me very jealous! I've just turned my grow lights on, with some onion seeds being the only thing I've started so far. However, considering where I live... Our high temps have been hitting 40, and the snow is going away fast! I just hope this doesn't mean that next month, when it actually should be like this, we'll be back in the deep freeze and get buried in more of the white stuff!

Congratulations Ratfood! Starting the garden is the best feeling!

Negarden, it's raining again as I type. Our first rain! The snow melted fast the last couple of days. Hopefully your's will too.

Weedwhacker, I'll be starting the pepper plants in a week or two.

Weedwhacker, that got me to thinking. I had to move all my notebooks from my kitchen when I got a computer, so I just went and found all my notes. I put March 13th down last year for peppers and eggplant. They had a cold summer, so they weren't any farther ahead on producing. We are putting in a new driveway this spring, so the dirt and grass have to go in part of the garden. I'm not sure what I'll have room for, but I do know it will be a lot of spinich, if anything.

I brought in my little seed starter and potting soil, so I can sow when it's time.

negarden999, that was my garden up to a week ago. but Ma Nature finally turned up the thermostat in Lincoln (up to 60 on Saturday YAY!!!!) and now I've got crocus leaves, the first pokings of tulips and daffodils and even a snowdrop (!!!!!) in the exposed beds, maybe even some of last year's spinach in the garden putting out a leaf or two.

Cybrczch, I looked for crocus yesterday, but nothing here yet. Did you plant fall spinich, or did you just have seeds grow?

ratfood - can't wait till we see some pics of your early garden

Here's to a successful 2010 garden RATFOOD! I'm excited that it is all coming together as you planned after the rough year last year! On to bigger and better this year - lol. We are having so much rain here that I think Phoenix might float away - never seen this much rain. Our average annual rainfall is 7". We got more than that in one 3-day storm this winter!

Good luck to you RATFOOD!

I just posted on another thread that it started to hail here. Not a lot, just small sized hail, but enought to do damage. All my seedlings ready to be outside are hardening off on the screen porch. Phewwww!

I sing everytime I read the title :o)

Ahhh, spring begins.

billyporter

I had fall spinach and lettuce, the lettuce is slimy smears but there are little green leaves from the spinach crowns. Maybe I can get some early stuff before it goes to seed.

Saw first pepper sprout in my seed tray yay!

OK thanks for all the good luck folks. Some of my seedlings were looking a little funny so I went ahead and dropped them in the dirt. I put a bunch of omaters in the hay bales too. I'm gonna have to get some more Serrano's but besides that things are looking up! HERBIE, I can't take pictures because the old lady has the camera and we aren't really on speaking terms right now! Terri, keep your hail away from here ok, thanks!

Ever hear the phrase "if Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy"?

Cybrczch, I can't believe you had lettuce sprout even if it is slimy. I've heard you can fall plant spinich, but I've never tried. I'm learning how different just an A or B in a zone is. I'm more 5a.

Ratfood, you better make up with her quick!

Msrobin, ain't it true ain't it true!

Sally :o)

First outdoor sprouts 2010!
Radish & leaf lettuce, also spinich
Don't tell Al Gore...heated coldframe....lol

RATFOOD, still trudging thru snow, to get to main garden.
Don't see being unplugged, in near future.

I have radish seedlings coming up from the seeds I planted last week! I'm sure the rains and the warm temps we've been having lately have helped.

YEAH!

Negarden, wow, a heated coldframe. Now that is a neat idea! Healthy little greens too!

Stephanietx, I can see them without even opening the picture!

I could almost put out peas, but it's too wet.

billyporter, didn't have lettuce sprout, it was the slimy remains of the fall 2009 lettuce crop. But fall 2009 spinach is putting out little green leaves... maybe some early spring 2010 spinach????

Ahhh, remains! Early spinach would be great! Planting itself even better :o)