@pirl. So is our weather like this Arlene? If so congrats. Ours is actually pretty nice not too cold not rainy etch. Roads are pretty slippery and the sides of the roads are decorated with some really impressive 'ditch diver' tracks. Some prove the multiple car pileups we have had. I just tip toe around and watch the other drivers like a hawk. Almost T-boned a fellow who slowed down and put on his turn indicator to turn down the street I was about to leave and as I slowly crept out waiting to see if he was going to change his mind. -- HE DID! Right in front of me. Fortunately he swerved and I could stop on the spot. But I was really grumpy at him. lol

I will take snow and ice-free, thank you anyway.

Our weather is fabulous and after a coolish weekend (mid 40's - still good with me) we'll have more temp's in the 50's to 60 next week. I can't believe how far ahead I am for spring! Jack's job for Sunday was to take down the last remaining tomato plant, which was in the rose garden. Look what he got!



We still have many we picked in November that are ripening on the counter and an eggplant!

We also got three more butternut squash!

I do not envy you the icy roads and close calls, Mary. Unless I'm forced to go out, I won't drive under those conditions.

I can't believe you still are harvesting tomatoes. I pulled all my plants out a month ago. They were basically doing nothing but taking up space.

If we had left the one in the rose garden we might have gotten a few more. It's a nice warm wall.

"Almost T-boned a fellow who slowed down and put on his turn indicator to turn down the street I was about to leave and as I slowly crept out waiting to see if he was going to change his mind. -- HE DID! Right in front of me. Fortunately he swerved and I could stop on the spot."

That sounds a lot like the way people drive around here!

You ought to live in a college town. We have so many international students (and it seems they all learned to drive after relocating here) and those addicted to the cell phone (the vast majority for sure). I spend far more time watching there they are going than where I am going.

My tomatoes were pulled up months ago also.

But yup, because of this warm weather and especially because of this fabulously warm December I am now today finished up with my chores in the garden for the year. I have about 95% of what I usually do in the spring done now.

Because I was so organized I was able to spread compost in all of all the veggie areas and then put on the fall leaves as I usually do. Usually the leaves go on but the compost gets done in the spring. I am so happy to have it under the leaves this year. Means I will be ready to plant with far less work next spring.

I finished today for the year as the last two days been putting in thee green coated metal fence posts that I use to hold up trellis netting for my vertical gardening. Also put in the ones that mark the tomato rows. I will Florida weave those particular rows I put in. It should all work out really well.

We are so lucky to have this time to prepare for next spring.

David and I planted presprouted winter wheat and rye today for Matt. He forgot to plant it so I put in in plug trays on Wed. and it was big enough today to plant outside. Had to get it done before the cold weather comes.

Then we finished putting newspaper and straw on two rows. We had put the compost down on Monday. We won't have time to get any more rows done until after the first of the year but I am happy with what we have gotten done so far. I will also have to weed the comfrey and strawberries later. I debated transplanting some strawberries today but decided against it. I did see more in bloom today.

I started sorting my seeds and entering into my spreadsheet. I am trying to figure out what seeds I will be able to take to our garden club seed swap. And I have to do a presentation at the next meeting on how I start my seeds. I will have to wing that since I will not have time to prepare. I pretty much know what I will talk about and demonstrate though: vermiculite sowing, APS units (self watering), soil blocks and some directly in 6 packs. There will be two other presenters so that will take some of the pressure off.

It has really been great to have so much extra time to do the yard and garden chores!

Yes, it truly sounds like many of us are far ahead of where we might be most years on the garden work!! Great job to us all.

Almost time for winter gardens. Wild fall weather has pushed the cauliflower and broccoli to early maturity. The cauliflower will finish this weekand the broccoli got ahead of me. Some heads opened up. nothing but side shoots from here on. Napa cabbage is starting to head, winter radishes doing well as are pak choi, turnips and mustard. Carrots are waiting for winter. English peas a couple of inches tall and the onions have settled in nicely.

farmerdill said:Almost time for winter gardens. Wild fall weather has pushed the cauliflower and broccoli to early maturity. The cauliflower will finish this weekand the broccoli got ahead of me. Some heads opened up. nothing but side shoots from here on. Napa cabbage is starting to head, winter radishes doing well as are pak choi, turnips and mustard. Carrots are waiting for winter. English peas a couple of inches tall and the onions have settled in nicely.

It all sounds really good.

Oh well. I am hopeless. I ordered tomato seeds again. I found a place called J&L Gardens and they have the most fabulous stuff. Tomatoes that are really, really unique and many that they hybridized themselves.

http://jandlgardens.com/catalo...

I only got 6 but it sure was difficult to whittle it down as I started out with 4 times as many in my first try at the shopping cart.

Don't ask where I am going to put all these tomato plants that I want to starts seeds of.

The ones I bought are-
Golden Tiger
Jan's
Green Honey
Cal Red and Green
Amy's Sugar Gem
Ambrosia Giant

We need to set up a tomato seed swap. I also end up having far more than I can possibly use and end up throwing away perfectly good seeds every year. And not just tomato seeds..........all kinds of vegetable seeds.

Rita - I'm sure you could buy a great shed for you and Lily. Then have the house demolished to make room for more tomatoes.

pirl said:Rita - I'm sure you could buy a great shed for you and Lily. Then have the house demolished to make room for more tomatoes.

Hey, it would be too cold in that shed in the winter. Neither Lily nor I can stand the cold!!!

I fantasize winning the lottery - so I could buy the lot next door. They have more sunny space than I do!

And a south-facing wall that overlooks a macadam (asphalt) driveway. That would be GREAT for a lor hoop house that would collect a lot of heat.

(These are tiny "lots" in a Manufactured Home park.)

Rita - I meant a heated shed, with a crock pot, a mini kitchen and a bathroom!

Kind of like an old Holiday Inn, Rita.