First one!

I picked my first ripe tomato from my "winter" garden last week. I planted them around mid-Sept.--I think. I also managed to harvest a small handful of peas. I munched down the peas right away (sugar snaps, so I could eat them pod and all). Boy, I'd forgotten how sweet fresh peas were. And the vine-ripened tomato...OOOOOOOOOOHHHHH YEEEEESSSS! It was an organic experience (think Clairol Herbal Essence shampoo commercial--heh, heh!). It's been a year since I've had a home grown, organic, vine-ripened tomato. I've got more on the way, too :) No frosts or cold snaps have gotten them yet--knock on wood. Course I've had my 'maters under blankets quite a number of times so far this winter.

Butterfly, do you grow those Snap peas from seed or peas? (lol) I'm serious really, I love sugar snap peas, never had any fresh in my whole life. Is it too late to start planting them down here in Lauderdale do ya think? How long til the plants make peas?

Molly

Y'all better be careful - the frozen northerners will be heating up the tar pot to tar and feather you if you keep talkin' like that :)

(Enjoy that mater for all of us for whom biting into a homegrown tomato is still several months away....)

sorry Terry, What can you tell me about growing sugar snap peas?

Molly, I promise I'm not following you this morning! (*grin*) What can I tell you about growing peas? Not much, considering how different our climates are. When I've grown snow and snap peas (in zone 7), I sowed them directly very early (for us), as soon as the ground could be worked. Of course, I'd be planting them about the time you'd be harvesting. One thing I did buy and use was inoculant, and I would recommend doing that regardless of your location.

Here are some fact sheets from Florida that might help you:
Snap peas: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_MV109
Snow peas: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_MV110

Thank's for that great article Terry. Looks like I still have time to get some seeds in. Tell me, are the peas the seeds? If so, then I can get them in the produce department? :^)
Molly

The peas are the seeds, but the ones you get in the produce dept are inmature and won't germinate. Peas have to be well passed their edible stage to be viable as seeds.

Look on line and there are several good places to order...heck, they've already put out some seed bins at Wal-mart. You should be able to go to the garden dept and get packages ready for planting. Good luck!

Yep, Mel's right - I was loitering around the seedracks at our WalMart a week ago. Which was pretty silly, considering I should be hanging around my mailbox waiting for my mailman to deliver several padded envelopes stuffed with seeds :)

LOL, OKay ladies, I'm on my way to the seed rack. Thanks so much. (Now where am I going to plant them, I have a spare trellis and maybe over there..................Back yard gardening, so many things to plant, so little space!

Containers and a trellis Molly,should do very well!

Butterfly Grdnr: I got a late start this year,but I have 23 plants, most with tomatoes(green) and all with buds. So far it looks to be a very good year.I am so sick of eating the store bought except for the GRAPE toms which are grown here(Homestead)about 30 miles south. All my plants are a different variety. Makes for a great salad plate. By the way, it's true what they advertise about EARTHBOX. They are weeks ahead of my container plants and Very easy to maintain. No weeding and no additional fertilizing and no overwatering. Eventually, I will use only EARTHBOXES.

sorry I'm just now getting back around to looking at my posts and responding...

Pulled #2 off the vine yesterday (I have to pick when they are still only partly ripe or the birds and squirrels take a bite out of it and then the fruit flys get into it...ish!) There were 3 others that ripened while the maters were under the blankets. Something chewed them and they were rotten (likely the big cat I found on one of the blankets and still haven't ID'ed--it was most definitely not a tomato hornworm)

Molly, I buy the pea seeds, which is the pea. I imagine if the peas were way overripe in the produce section and hadn't been previously frozen or highly chilled, they just might germinate. Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, etc. around here all have the seed packets out. You might be able to eek out a crop yet before it gets hot. Up here I think Sept. is a little too early to get them started, but now they are starting to grow. I think I may have some sort of fungal disease going in the peas. I need to take some pictures to post to see if anyone can ID the problem.