Texas Spring/Summer Thread

[Bird]

NWS says it's 37 degrees with a wind chill of 25 with winds at 28 mph, gusting to 36. It does feel chilly outside and a grass fire would not be good.

 

[jinman]

Yes, and most of my garden is already in the ground and looking REALLY good. I need a LOT more rain, but certainly could do without a freeze.

Farmgirl, aren't the Parker County peach trees already in full bloom? I heard somebody say that a freeze could actually do self-thinning of fruit, but I suspect growers would rather do that themselves. I DO NOT want my Parker County peaches damaged. It's become an annual event to come down there and buy a bushel of delicious peaches every year. Last year, Wise County peaches were scrawny and lousy, but still selling at ridiculous prices. We went to Weatherford and bought big delicious peaches for less. The savings paid for our gas and we got better peaches.

We live in a house where all the ceilings are cathedral style. The relentless wind blew all night last night and is whistled around our bedroom and every nook and cranny in our metal roof. I awoke several times, but went back to sleep quickly. This cool snap is really late. I have been holding off on putting out tomatoes, peppers, and any frost damaged garden crop. I'll get them in at the end of this next week. I've learned that the date for Wise County that works best is the last week in March instead of the middle. I've got onions and sugar snap peas growing nicely, but a little freeze should not hurt them. My asparagus is just going bonkers. I can't keep up with it. I sent 40 spears to my MIL/FIL last week when my wife went there to help them. I need to get out and cut more today if it isn't too wet.

The rain dropped a full 1" of rain here. We were lucky to be under one of the heaviest bands in these last storms. After a good rain like that, my spirit and attitude just soars. I love springtime even if I struggle with allergies. Seeing things green up after the winter doldrums is a thrill to me. I'm sorry everyone else did not see the great rain totals, but thrilled to have it here.

 

[Lou66]

Guess I will hang my tarps this afternoon,, over my garden,, going to get down to 32f.:shocked:. just got everything planted last week end.. all my pepper and tomatoe plants are about 3 inches high.:thumbsup:. this is my small garden 8 x 40 ft.. haven't planted the big garden yet 80 x 150.. do it when I get back from Vegas the first of April.:cool2:. Lou

 

[farmgirl19]

Most of the peaches are in bloom. Prices will likely be high, if the freeze gets part of the crop. I bought several bushels last year, and ate all that I could, while freezing the rest. Just bought 1/2 a bushel at a time, and bought the next 2 days later, until there were no more peaches. Took a package out last week and just ate them as they defrosted. At least it gave me a taste of summer, in this winter that I am sick of! :licking:

Your asparagus is like my Swiss chard, the more I harvest, the better it produces! I gave 5 T-shirt bags full of greens to friend last week! I'll harvest another 3 bags this week, and share a couple of bags, and cook a bag for me and the dogs. Yes, I home cook for them too. I like to know what goes into their food isn't all chemicals and cr*p. I grow organically here, but am sure not every farmer locally does. At least I know I am not buying GMO, and you can be sure the pet food companies, as well as human pre-processed food makeers are.

 

[txdon]

I have buckets on some of the plants I planted yesterday. The corn will have to fend for itself.

I got an original WeedPopper today. I put it right in the same category as a weed eater, garage door opener, or microwave. I don't understand why I have not owned one before now? It is wonderful. I was popping out dandelions and putting them in a bag at a rate of 1 every 5 seconds - without bending over. I must have been living a sheltered life.:lightbulb:

 

[Western]

28* on my porch, dont now what the wind chill is. Blew like crazy yesterday, hope it dies down before work tonight:laughing: Try to sleep all day, so I can go be miserable all night!

 

[texasjohn]

33.4 outside according to my wireless Ambient weather station. Mesquites budded out 3 days ago...they were right.. No freeze!

 

[Bartcephus]

32 Degrees in Bowie County. Have to head down to Cass County in a bit. Chilly. I haven't put any seed outside yet. But I do have a garden full of turnips. TXDon has Asparagus already? Mine haven't even sprouted up.... hmmmm. I have a green house full of onions, tomatoes, peppers and some other things in starter containers. Having to wait on getting the garden ready because I'M GETTING A NEW HOME NEXT WEEK. A house and ten acres.... Now I can have a big garden at the house and I won't have to go to the "lease" for my big garden. YEA! I know it sounds crazy to be so excited about a piece of dirt with a house on it, but I am.... Wife and I went out this last weekend to look at progress the sellers have done. (The house is not new...there was some work we agreed upon to close. House has been vacant awhile. Only yard near house has been mowed for about the last year. Having to get a new roof put on house and a new air conditioner heat pump (outside unit). Seller Bank has been pretty good to deal with. Should be closing this week. I can hardly wait to get the tractor out there and bush hog those darn poplar, sumac, or whatever trees those are that pop up everywhere, get a garden area busted up and some seeds in the dirt. I'll need to get a metal building. I'm thinking about doing it myself but I keep looking at those carport type framed ones with two garage doors. (There is an existing concrete pad out there.) I'm wondering how they compare to just going to the metal shop (like Muller's or similar) and just getting the metal and building myself. Anybody have any suggestions?



Bartcephus

 

[Bird]

NWS forecast a low of 30, but shows the current temperature to be 28. Now they're forecasting 28 again tonight.

 

[jinman]

The Bowie airport reports 28 F this morning, but we always seem to be a few degrees colder down here in Sunset. My thermometer said 24 F a few minutes ago and now is dipping down to 23.8 F as the sun peeks up. I'm so glad I don't have tomatoes and peppers in my garden yet, especially since it's too muddy to be out covering them after the rain. I hope my small sugar snap peas aren't hurt. I think they can take some cold. We'll see. . .