Those showed up 4-5 years ago and haven't left since they found the peafowl & cat food. They had a bunch of kids then killed them 8 months later. They're very territorial about the tank. They chase off herons three times their size. I found an article in the chronicle about how they are developing a large flock in the Houston area, it had a lot of information about them.

Our garden is done. Tomato's had made a huge comeback. Got home from work yesterday, and the tarp used to cover them was flapping like parachute, due to the high winds. Called it quits. Freezing temp's. Picked over 75 green one's. Finger's crossed some will ripen.

Make some chow-chow aka green tomato relish with about a half dozen of your greenest tomatoes. It's easy and does not require a hot bath. Chop tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and jalapeños in your food processor. Add salt and sugar. Pour in a pan and cover with vinegar. Bring it to a boil, dip out with a slotted spoon, and into pint jars. They all will click. You should end with about half your volume.

Wife and I pulled all our cherry tomatoes (about a gallon bucket) and jalapenos (about a quart bucket) last night before the freeze settled in. I hadn't checked the jalapeno plant in over a month since it had the fungus looking stuff about half way up the main stem, I was shocked at how many peppers were on it.

Watermelon area is getting fenced in. Need to remove the garlic and some limbs in spring.

I should've posted here instead in the main DIY thread.


How many here make their own compost?

I'm going to start making some this year.
The only "know-how" I have are some youtube videos, however none of them are done in SE Texas.
As yall know, SE Texas is humid and we can go several weeks with rain, and several weeks dry.

The only thing I've done so far is drill 1" holes all over an old plastic 45 gallon trash bin.
Then loaded it with mulched leaves, grass clippings, and about 1 gallon of left over gardening soil.
To mix it around, I've been using a small shovel.

I've been doing for years. Mulch leaves from riding lawnmower dump in numerous sites let set for a year or more. Dig up beautiful soil.

So I should be good?

Got some cherry and almond trees planted, new lower/mid chill varieties, not known to grow well in Texas but if I get a little flowering my bees will enjoy them.

The heavy late summer rains sure put growth on my other fruit trees, will be a lot of pruning going on next month here.

I pruned my peach and plum trees Dec. 31 and this crazy little peach tree is already putting on leafs and threatening buds. This is the same one I've posted about the last several years that is normally in full bloom by mid/late January. Sam Houston and has some of the best tasting peaches I've ever eaten. I also trimmed back my asparagus beds and hope they do better this year than last (although we neglected them last year).

Time to put in your onion sets.

Not worried about the freeze?

Onions can handle some cold and light freezes, but a few weeks early yet for up here (NCTEX)

Payne. I have a friend starting a larger garden. It's overrun by grass. Last year I saw you post a picture of some type of garden tarp you used to block out the grass. Which one did you use and did you like the results?

I used the preen landscape fabric for years. https://www.samsclub.com/sams/preen-contractor-s-grade-landscape-fabric-4ft-x-225ft/193953.ip

I couldn't find it last year so I picked up some from Home Depot that was more expensive. It works for me, my garden is surrounded by pastures and I get all kinds of weed seed blown in to the garden. If I didn't have the fabric I would be hoeing everyday.

I'd tell your buddy to look for the Preen if he can find it up there or online, it was a better product then the fabric I found at Home Depot although it did work well enough.


I'll probably go with this if I can't find the Preen

https://www.amazon.com/SCOTTS-Fabri...&hvtargid=pla-318198564946&psc=1

Excellent. His garden will be surrounded by pasture too. That's why I thought of you. Thanks for the info!

You’re welcome

I found some porters in a six pack at a feed store last year. I bought them since I read your posts over there, they didn’t produce as well as my standards but were tasty. I’d plant them again.

I've done Porters the last 2-3 years with really good success. This year I'm not growing them. This year I'm only doing determinates. I want to try some smaller bushes. The seeds I've got so far are Chico III, Baxter's and Viva Italia. We'll see how they do.

Burpees has a bush I tried a few years back that worked well for me. I can’t remember the name right now but it was an exclusive for them.

I just got their catalog and burgess’ yesterday. I’ll take a look and see if they still have them.

Overhauled the garden this round. Got tired of fighting nut grass. Laid down some typar fabric. Ran a test on it for a couple of months last year and nut grass didn't grow through it. We'll see. Still have a couple of raised beds to add.

Looks great

Looks good. I've got a small yard and 1 3x8 raised bed. Got more lumber today to build another so I can have a little more room. Weed fabric worked good for me too.

Put #2 bed in today. Better if I didn't tie it to the fence so I could walk around it but it'll do.

I grew up on a cotton farm in Arkansas. There was always a big celebration with the first bale of cotton.

I still celebrate my first ripe tomatoes. I've cut way back. I'm only putting in a half dozen celebrities this year. I plan to give them a try after this coming cold front. I can cover them or even dig them up with another freeze warning..

Want to have a contest on first ripe tomatoes?