April 16, 2015

Good morning, every year that I have been gardening in Far West Texas has been different. I think that there would not be very many folks that would argue with me that this year is off the charts different.

It really is quite amusing to me that when I planned my garden successions last fall that I had planned for a bed of tomatoes that would go in right behind the sugar pod peas. This might happen yet. Peas are really an allusive crop for Far west Texas. Far West Texas “usually” is not a very good pea growing climate. Peas “usually” are also not a very good crop for spring. Usually our springs are very short lived before all “H E double tooth picks” breaks loose with the first course meal being wind and then progresses to the delicacies of heat and low humidity. Are we sure that this is Far West Texas?

I have learned to plant peas in late fall when the soils cool enough to get better germination. Late August and early September the soil temps are in the upper 80's and 90's, a bad temperature to germinate peas. This all changes by mid October. I grow them through the winter as small seedlings (a stage that peas are very cold hardy). Then about mid February as the soil warms? up, the peas “usually” then make rapid growth and bloom to provide peas through March before it begins to get to hot?. What a difference a year makes. The warming didn't come until the middle of March and the peas didn't start coming on until the end of the month. April is rainy and cool and the peas are as happy as clams at high tide. Like with the cool damp weather and late season peas, these are all unexpected gifts and I will relish all three while they last.

All the moisture has slowed the progress of finishing the spring planting. I have toms to go in that infamous pea bed, I'll just have to put them else where. Else where is too wet to turn so we may have to for go with tilling and just plant and mulch. These are the ways innovations are made and could be the new way of doing things. This same bed has some Asian greens that I want to save seed from. The seed pods are big and fat but a little bit of sun and warm is all that is needed to ripen the seed for harvest. OHHH patience!!!!

I need to mention that Earth Day (April 25) will be celebrated on Murphy Street again this year. Preparations by the Sul Ross ConBio club are progressing quite nicely. There will be events all day starting with the farmers market and ending at 4 PM.

Also on the 25^th the wonderful folks from the YT Ranch (Alice and Rob) will be selling state inspected grass fed beef. Deb and I had a roast that was really quite fine.

First blooms on the beans, Zukes and crooknecks have the vestiges of blossoms, chili's have set, toms are blooming, potatoes are 12 to 18 inches tall, those infamous peas are peaing right along, another of those little mysteries the spinach is still doing it's thing.

Sun chokes are done along with the beets, but a new beet sowing is close to being mature. I am almost finished with an older planting of carrots and a new planting is getting close. I have never been able to provide enough green onions, so I am trying something a little different. Because onions will regrow from their centers fairly easily, I am hoping, by cutting the tops off below grade and letting the tops regrow from the roots I might be able to have a regular harvest of green onions. It is easier for a plant to sprout a leaf as opposed to growing a whole new plant from a seed. We can always hope that this will work!!! Won't know until we try.

Because of various crops that are finished and the delay of new crops, there is a chance that I will not be able to completely fill orders. I will only bill for the portion I do. Mother Nature has the last say in this stuff. Thank you for your patience!!!!