January 2009

I pour hot water over the bottom of the pan to help melt the ice loose & then on the top if doesn't fall out already. I rarely lose a pan to ice. Those oil pans last for years.

We haven't had water at all since yesterday morning. The plumber is here now. Kyle thinks it is either bad wiring going to the pump or the pump wore out.

GOD bless & keep each of you.

Hi fellow DGers,
Is it ever warm today, local weather on TV says 68 degrees! I don't really have much outside to do today, but I've been out some today and it is windy too! Regardless, it is a mild day for January.
I look forward to Spring! I have much planting to do. I have a Forsythia that i'd like to get planted before it flowers yellow in the pot again in middle March or so. Its not really a small plant, I got it about 4 years ago in one of those glossy tube-like things you see at Lowes and other big box stores. I think its ready to finally come out of the 3 gallon black plastic pot that its been in for 3 years. It may be considered a non-native plant (from Asia) by some, but it is such a reliable and nice indicator that Spring has finally arrived.
I'm also looking forward to working on Elephant Ears when it gets warmer.
I hope your injury heals up nice, Leaflady.
Will

Yes...gorgeous weather to sit outside and watch the pumpkins play...and dream of Spring blooms around the corner!

Well, It really Mild Day! today... It was 63* and less windy at 3 pm... Oh is so to be good some air in my home and sure it like to be fresh spring coming up sooner... 48 more days to Spring Time (oh please, hurry up!) lol...

I just got my 2 greenhouse shelfs and put together and get ready for seeds starting (paper egg cartons and alot of empty cans)... I have to get some supplies for my greenhouse light hook up to hold the light...

Rusty got all muddy his feets!

I just got new bird feeder pole on my back deck corner... And I have to find my hummingbird feeder somewhere in my garden shed...

I will be starting seeds towards the end of next month. I finally got my light yesterday so I can start setting up for it.

New calendar page today. Hooray. Winter is another month gone!!!!!!!!!!!

I made new fourm February 2009...

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/948230/

Hey I haven't posted in awhile so I thought I better get back into the mode. I bought me my first smoker. It is a electric one and I love it! I smoke a pork lion and a thing called Bacon Explosion. You can find the recipe online for the bacon deal. It was OK but I needed to add more cooked bacon and BBQ sauce and less sausage. Well I can't wait to start some winter sowing. I am going to keep it small and this year I am going to use milk jugs instead of grow lights. I am planning on building a raised garden bed since I have limited space and buried power lines and I don't want to lose my yard. I am going to get a inside corner plant from Lowes any Suggestions?

Allanme~ Have fun wintersowing...I have 30 milkjugs outside right now and need to do at least 30 more.... I love wintersowing, as it gives me more bang for the buck! What kind of indoor lighting do you receive from the sun in your desired location?

not much it is a shouth faceing sunroom but with the roof eves only limited light comes in. So I will leave the jugs outside during the day and if it gets really cold pull them in at night.

Allanme~ I misunderstood, I thought you were seeking sugggestions for indoor plants....for wintersowing..you leave the jugs outside. It's the alternating freeze-thaw cycle that helps the seeds to germinate. Now is the time to sow hardy perennials and biennials. Next month, you can sow hardy annuals and in April sow annuals, and vegetables.. You can sow some perennials in late Dec and in Jan , especially those that require a long period of cold stratification. Some perennials and biennials will bloom the first year if started early. Check out the wintersowing forum...the sticky for additional info, prep and of course for any additional questions you want answered. If you want to wintersow, LMK and I'll send you some seed. LMK! :0)

It took me 4 hours to get into DG tonight. I kept getting "page cannot be displayed" with explorer and "server not found" with mozilla. It was so frustrating!
We still have way too much ice on the ground and it has been over a week. I am really tired of slipping and sliding while trying to carry in wood. I would love a good rain to get rid of it.
Phil saw his shadow today so 6 more weeks. Wish they would just leave that poor thing snuggled down in his hole where he is warm. He never looks happy to get out. LOL

Kathy, please be careful on that ice. I'm still recovering from a broken wrist (Dec. 1)& can tell you it is no fun. It just happens so fast. I had one more bad fall on ice in Jan the day after I got the brace & would have rebroken the wrist if it had not been protected by the brace.

I understand how frustrating it is to get those notices trying to get into DG. It really doesn't pay to bother before about 10 p.m. The server is overloaded & can't seem to handle anymore people. At least that is what my sons & others tell me is the problem. I sometimes go all day during weekends & some holidays & can't get on.

I really put no stock whatsoever in that groundhog. Like you, I wish they would just leave the animal alone & stop being so foolish.

My FDD Brenda told me today that she definately plans on raising some garden out here this summer. I hope so. They need to do something to get more veggies into their diets & cut their grocery bill. She said that she didn't raise gardens before because she had 8 people at the house to take care of. I will have to remind her that I had 7 at home, worked a full time job or had a small herd of cattle & a 5 day a week milk & egg route & still raised a large garden every year. She does help butcher deer when we get some & I share with her. We plan to buy a hog in a month or so when my wrist & hand are up to the pulling, etc. of skinning, deboneing, and the other heavy hand work needed to do the job. I've found a farmer not far from here who ground raises his hogs & will let us kill and bleed out the hog over there & then help put it into the back of the van.

GOD bless & keep each of you.

Thank you for the words of caution. I am definitely careful. I do not carry as large an armload as normal and I walk very slowly.
I am going to plant a larger garden this year than I have the last few years. Since the kids have grown and gone I have not planted as much. Grocery prices have gotten so bad that I am not eating properly and that is just wrong considering I could be growing veggies and putting them up like I used to so this year it is back to basics!

hi all
this should be about the last cold spell
it will be about 20 at night and 45 or so in the day i hope
dave is making a list of what we are going to grow this year
elle

I am hoping that you are right about it being the last cold spell. Now if we could just get rid of this white stuff on the ground!

I started anew thread for February. See everyone there.

Garden 6 I was asking for a few sugggestions for a indoor plant. I need something that will be of medium height and light. I prefer something that the puppy can't reach IE fern.

Allanme~ my mistake.....check this site out http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/houseplants/types_medium.cfm
Hope this helps.