Texas Fall/Winter thread!

[MossRoad]

We don't usually start our seeds until Good Friday, which is end of March/start of April. Last freeze is usually April 15 and last frost May 15, although it's pretty unpredictable. In the 24 years we've lived in our current house, I've had exactly 3 years where the grapes didn't freeze or frost. Early thaws then late frosts. Grrrr...

 

[lostcreekranch]

Thanks Muhammad. We change to our spring/summer thread in 20 days. Hopefully it will get back to talking about rainfall or lack there of.
hugs, Brandi

First day of spring .. we just leave, lock the agitators inside, and listen to them whine to themselves .. in 100° heat.

The TEXAS Fall / Winter thread .. is NOT air conditioned.

 

[Buppies]

American Models say Spring has sprung Euro models not so fast. Only time will tell

 

[txdon]

American Models say Spring has sprung Euro models not so fast. Only time will tell

So, how accurate are the Euro models? I have onions and potatoes that are wanting to go in the warm ground.

 

[Buppies]

Don European this year not as good as in the past GFS aweful. Different models within the subset do different things. These are two weeks to 30 days out. The Euro models showed your cold air blitz about two weeks or so in advance but they blew it for the east coast

 

[oldballs]

Here in my part of Kansas, I wait for Saint Patrick to bless my potatoes..i.e. March 17th.. peas and onions too.
The garden is waiting and ready

 

[Buppies]

Nice looking garden oldballs

 

[txdon]

Here in my part of Kansas, I wait for Saint Patrick to bless my potatoes..i.e. March 17th.. peas and onions too.
The garden is waiting and ready.

The central Texas potato planting day is President's Day. This year PD was a tad early and the day after was zero. However the next week the temp was 80˚F. My cut potatoes are still hardening after a dusting of sulphur. I usually keep a bale of alfalfa hay by the garden and cover them if frost is imminent after they sprout.

 

[two_bit_score]

Okay that's enough for the political side of this topic. I'd rather not have to hack up or close this thread after 8k replies.

A certain forum moderator fueled the political controversy as he has in other threads in the past. He is the only moderator i have ever observed who does so. Other members have mentioned his antics also. Most members have been very restrained regarding the inherent politics of this topic here in this thread.

 

[lostcreekranch]

Today .. we celebrate Texas Independence Day.

Texas declares independence | March 2, 1836 | HISTORY

During the Texas Revolution, a convention of American Texans meets at Washington-on-the-Brazos and declares the indep...

www.history.com

 

[Muhammad]

A certain forum moderator fueled the political controversy as he has in other threads in the past. He is the only moderator i have ever observed who does so. Other members have mentioned his antics also. Most members have been very restrained regarding the inherent politics of this topic here in this thread.

If you think a post is political, report it. Usually there's one post that starts the political tone and then the replies are all taken out along with that. Normally I would remove them all but it looks like the thread is back on track.

 

[Western]

Next few days are going to be super nice, 60's-low 70's, hopefully I can get into my bee hives and see what winter has left me to work with this year.

 

[bindian]

Next few days are going to be super nice, 60's-low 70's, hopefully I can get into my bee hives and see what winter has left me to work with this year.

Dennis,
How many hives do you have?
hugs, Brandi

 

[cqaigy2]

Here in my part of Kansas, I wait for Saint Patrick to bless my potatoes..i.e. March 17th.. peas and onions too.
The garden is waiting and readyView attachment 688346

Nice looking garden. I'm assuming deer are in the area?

 

[oldballs]

Nice looking garden. I'm assuming deer are in the area?

Thanks,
The deer fence has been up several years. However, as the suburban development is surrounding me, I see fewer deer.....but there are still enough to leave the fence installed. It also prevents squirrels, rabbits and slows down the opossums and raccoons ..
Sometimes I trap those invaders and sometimes not...

Guess I better get those potato seed cut and seared. So much to do and so little time....i.e. working so slow nowadays

Cheers,
Mike

 

[Western]

Dennis,
How many hives do you have?
hugs, Brandi

Hey Brandi, had 13 before the big chill, down to 7 now.

 

[Bird]

Yep, Dennis, some nice weather. So yesterday I got the oil & filter changed in the car and got the annual safety inspection done

Next few days are going to be super nice, 60's-low 70's, hopefully I can get into my bee hives and see what winter has left me to work with this year.

Aah yes, many, many years ago I had to help Dad cut down a tree, split it, find the queen and move those bees into a hive. Then Dad bought several more hives, so I got all the experience I ever wanted with bees and have no intention of ever trying to take the honey away from a bee again.

And yes, nice weather today . . . So . . . I mowed, edged, trimmed and bagged the clippings today for the first time of this year; 2 big contractor bags packed as full as I could get them. And one tired, worn out old man.

 

[oldballs]

But............You will sleep good.

 

[Western]

Bird, you got more done than I did! lol I went thru 3 hives and will finish tomorrow.
When I was a kid, our family sold honey to stores in the Arkansas, Tenn, Okla and Missouri area. I didn't get to fool much with bees then, just had to work every day building frames, that's what us under 10 got to do, yeah! Older kids got to build the box's. I also had to put on jar labels, which really sucked when you knew the fish where biting.

A lot has changed in Beekeeping with all the introduced threats, so a steep learning curve, another reason I wish grandad was still here.

I'm not sure when I'll get to mow, looks like that last super freeze put the cork in my St Augustine, glad my yard is dinky now. Weeds looked to be doing great!

 

[cqaigy2]

Bird, you got more done than I did! lol I went thru 3 hives and will finish tomorrow.
When I was a kid, our family sold honey to stores in the Arkansas, Tenn, Okla and Missouri area. I didn't get to fool much with bees then, just had to work every day building frames, that's what us under 10 got to do, yeah! Older kids got to build the box's. I also had to put on jar labels, which really sucked when you knew the fish where biting.

A lot has changed in Beekeeping with all the introduced threats, so a steep learning curve, another reason I wish grandad was still here.

I'm not sure when I'll get to mow, looks like that last super freeze put the cork in my St Augustine, glad my yard is dinky now. Weeds looked to be doing great!

I'm thinking of getting back in to bees. Had some many years ago, just as varroa mites were coming on to the scene. I tried to keep it to half a dozen. Used deep supers w/10 frames. Built the supers and frames, still have the jig for frames and extractor. Only i'm thinking of building some deep long hives and see how that goes. I've been trying to get up to speed on the new threats too.