Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[jinman]

RON: For netting, there are several grades. I buy the one that is about $65 per 100', but there is an industrial version for $125 per 100' that is much heavier and will keep those deer at bay. Here's an Amazon link to several grades.

Yes, I've had pithy radishes that were too big or grew too fast. I like the small ones just larger than a quarter in diameter. They are full of flavor and some are hot like horseradish. I just can't use many because I'm the only one in the house who will eat them.

I'm still planning a very small garden. I hope to use any spare time this spring to get my shop project going. My gardens have a way of taking over my life and using every spare minute.

 

[Bird]

Sounds as if she had an interesting life growing up, Ron. I've never had any experience with commercial potato farming, but I think just about everyone in our part of the country raised potatoes for their own use. Dad made a frame with 2 x 4s and attached a wire mesh (hardware cloth) to it to keep potatoes off the dirt floor of the cellar, so we'd spread the potatoes on that and sprinkle them with lime to keep them from rotting. So at least we had potatoes for a matter of months, although certainly not all year.

 

[jinman]

I forgot to mention it in my earlier post, but yes, Ron, we do have potato bugs. They like our weather almost as much as we do. You really have to keep an eye on your plants daily to see the bugs before they do damage, but if you pre-spray or get them when they just appear, you will control them easily. Nothing escapes bugs in Texas.

 

[jinman]

We're putting in the onions and potatoes TODAY.

Now, tht caught me by surprise. Good for you!:thumbsup: South Texas is such a great place to grow veggies as long as you get rain or have good irrigation.

 

[pacerron]

Sounds as if she had an interesting life growing up, Ron.

Yes her grandparents on that side were Hungarian ( he being a "Hussar" mounted cavalry) immagrants. German on the other side so hard work was just a way of life and survival.

 

[pacerron]

We're putting in the onions and potatoes TODAY. According to TAMU ag calendar for our region, our window to put those in extends from December 30-January 29. I am behind in starting my tomatoes from seed. We can put seedlings in the ground in about 6 weeks. Our broccoli and lettuce are doing great.

Ah ha, "TAMU ag calender." That was easy.

I had to talk to FG-19 on the phone to get the "kraut rolling over Polish" one.:thumbsup:

 

[sseelhoff]

Now, tht caught me by surprise. Good for you!:thumbsup: South Texas is such a great place to grow veggies as long as you get rain or have good irrigation.

Got a little carried away at the garden center yesterday. In addition to the onions and potatoes, we bought some peach trees, an avacado tree and a pomegranate tree. So now we have an "orchard" and a garden. :thumbsup::licking:

Today's plan is to limb up some mesquite trees in the paddock. Chainsaws and Tractors. Good day.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Saw peach trees about 1" for $20 at our HEB which is our grocery stores down here.

 

[sseelhoff]

Saw peach trees about 1" for $20 at our HEB which is our grocery stores down here.

They were selling bare root peach trees at our nursery for $9. Multiple varieties. About that same size caliper. I bought some La Felicianas.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I never had any luck with my clay soil on fruit trees.

 

[sseelhoff]

I never had any luck with my clay soil on fruit trees.

Our neighbor had some peach trees. He did warn me that they only lasted 30 years. LOL. That ought to do me just fine.

 

[NativeSon]

Got a little carried away at the garden center yesterday. In addition to the onions and potatoes, we bought some peach trees, an avacado tree and a pomegranate tree. So now we have an "orchard" and a garden. :thumbsup::licking:

Today's plan is to limb up some mesquite trees in the paddock. Chainsaws and Tractors. Good day.

Scott- I'm planning a good day like yours today. About 5 rather large (and tall) and dead Pine trees came down on the road that leads up to my pasture. So I'm looking forward to my day of Chainsaws & Tractors, and my neighbor who's coming over to help and also be my Safety Engineer, so that we'll both be able to enjoy a couple of cold ones when we're done.

Looks like the weather is going to co-operate........73* and a light wind, life is good.

Charlie

 

[Lou66]

Dennis been busy for the last week or so haven't had a chance to read the posts.. Read about your mother and the anxious times,, too she is doing a lot better.. Always enjoy a happy ending.. wishing her the best,, Lou

 

[Western]

Thanks Lou, I thought I saw you on the picket line driving by the Jim Beam plant!

 

[Lou66]

They won't let me walk the line,, I stole out to the Japs,, Now they got a suit to see if the directors got the best price.. But I still have two cases of the good stuff.:laughing:. life is good if the whiskey is free,, Lou

 

[robbyr]

View attachment 356061

Jinman, saw these, thought of you. :cool2:

 

[Western]

40* this morning, high around 50, then 20* Thursday Take half the wind out that we've had and it would be some decent January weather. AM, far cry from yesterdays 73*!

We need some serious rains this Spring, already watering a few trees, area lakes are BAD, Lake Texoma was 8' low Sunday when I went fish'n. Our local lake is over 50% low!!!

 

[blueriver]

40* this morning, high around 50, then 20* Thursday Take half the wind out that we've had and it would be some decent January weather. AM, far cry from yesterdays 73*! We need some serious rains this Spring, already watering a few trees, area lakes are BAD, Lake Texoma was 8' low Sunday when I went fish'n. Our local lake is over 50% low!!!

Oh yes we need rain bad.

 

[jinman]

View attachment 356061

Jinman, saw these, thought of you. :cool2:

I'm not getting the attachment. The link seems to be broken.???

 

[jinman]

I also can't believe how dry we have been. My new ponds have about 3' or slightly more water in them. Trees are dying where the tops meet the trunks and snap off in the wind. Yesterday, my wife and I took a ride around the place, and there is lot's of dead-fall that needs cleaning up everywhere along the trails in the woods. I told her we should name our lake "Sadness" because it looks so bleak. I still cannot launch a boat from my shoreline because the water is too shallow. There are sandbars full of deer tracks where they walk out on them to drink. There's a swampy area of about 3 acres across the little seasonal creek that is full of dying willows because there is just no water for them. The willows have fallen over and are full of vines, Virginia Creeper, poison Ivy, and trumpet vines. I think most of the trumpet vines died this last year because I didn't see many blooms along the creek as is normal.

So, it's not just the ponds and lake that suffer, but also the woods and swampy areas along with the wildlife that depends on the plants and undergrowth (hogs excepted, of course ).