I don't know about those specific people, but there's a lot of folks who don't visit the forum much in the fall or early winter but then come back when late winter and spring planting time approaches. It happens every year.

Jeanie, I was wondering the same thing but was afraid to ask. Thanks for asking.

Yeah, me too. I miss Chandra and several others. But like Dawn says it happens every year.

I check the board most days but don't have much to post about this time of year. They are probably like me.

I think Chandra has been on a research trip, but I don't know why I think that. LOL

Susan will probably show up in time for flowers, butterflies, and hummers.

Diane (owiebrain) asked me to tell everyone "HI". She is having some computer problems and when she logs into GardenWeb, it logs her right back off. I'm sure she will get it figured out and be posting again soon. Carol

I had that exact same problem a few weeks ago but can't remember what fixed it.

Scot, How is your pecan crop this year?

Jeanie, I'm around, and Dawn and Carol are correct. I'm still busy with my DD and GDs right now, too, altho I am making plans for the spring garden. I got seeds the other day from EmmaGrace, the Japanese Morning Glory guru, and may try to plant a couple of seeds for winter growing under lights. They are purported do well in the indoor garden, too.

I also got a few native seed packets from Prairie Moon that I am going to direct sow outside. A lot of people will be starting seeds next month - CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? - for their veggie gardens. I'll be interested to see what they'll be growing. Was glad to see you got the Jing Orange Okra seeds, Dawn. They were hard to find last year; wonder if they will go so quickly this year again.

I am praying for a good garden year in 2012!

Susan

I remember now that I had changed the date on my computer to get past a virus and the incorrect date make me not able to log in to gardenweb.

My pecan crop was 0 this year. I have a lot in cold storage from last year if anyone in the Tulsa area wants to buy some in the $8-$9 range depending on quantity. They are very good. Prices this year are crazy high. Twelve to thirteen dollars per pound for good ones. Just crazy! Normally I would have sold mine during the summer markets but we stopped going at the end of June because of the veggy crop failures.

It's impossible to keep squirrels and insects from getting our first 5000 lbs of pecans each year, and this year there wasn't much more than that to start with. On the good side, the weather was perfect for getting a great crop next year except for the ones on poorer soil that ran out of water and dropped their leaves. I am hoping for over 20,000 lbs in-shell next year.

Susan, I hope your DD's health is improving. I know she's been going through a lot and hope the GDs are doing well also.

I can believe it. (grinning) I am really looking forward to seed-starting time. That is especially true since we have had adequate fall moisture. I hope the rains continue to fall this winter so we at least have a shot at having a good garden in spring and early summer before the heat cranks up. At this time of year, the other thing I look forward to in addition to seed sowing is the winter solstice. Once it arrives, the daylight hours start lengthening which, to me, says that spring and planting time both are on their way.

I think I've had the urge to plant tomato seeds inside since November or even October, but didn't let myself do it because I knew the plants would be too big too early. It really is hard for me to find time to do anything until the holidays are over. With all the holiday activities, time seems to evaporate and I find myself wondering where it has gone.

Normally I grow one of the red okras, but never got around to planting any of them last year. My new variety for last year was Beck's Big Buck, and for this year it is Jing Orange. Last year's shortage is why I ordered early this year! To me, there's no difference in the flavor of the red or orange okras compared to the green okras, but I do like the more colorful appearance of the plants.

Carol, I'd wondered where Diane was. I did have trouble logging in on and off this fall, but also was having trouble with my laptop so didn't know if it was 'them' or 'me'. I have a new laptop now and haven't had trouble logging on since I got it, but that might be a coincidence.

Dawn

I drop in, pretty much daily. But it's been slow, so many times I don't post.

George
Tahlequah, OK

George - I've inadvertently discovered how to make things a little more lively in here, but will refrain to keep this thread from going off the rails! Just kidding. :)

Pallida - I am glad you posted about this, I'd wondered the same thing! Especially Chandra, cuz he always posts such extensive photos and details! I have to dig up an old post of his showing his greenhouse set up. And Dawn - nearly time to start seeds already?! Ack! Where does the time go?

Mia, are there mountain lions reproducing in your community-wide bamboo garden?

LOL

Well Scot, that should make for a lively discussion. (imagine smirk on my face)

Ha ha! Maybe. Can't say. :)

Dawn, there is so much I just didn't plant last year. In retrospect, I can say now I'm glad, both due to the drought and the time that was diverted to DD and GDs. Some times things just happen for a reason. Hopefully, I can narrow down a few things (other than butterfly plants) for next year. I think the orange Okra will be beautiful in your garden. Even the green Okra is pretty IMHO.

I did grow Swiss Chard. I just tossed a few seeds in the garden and Voila! Must be an easy plant. Until a couple days ago, it looked beautiful and healthy. Now their poor little circulatory systems have been subjected to cryogenics and they don't look so good. I had the red, bright yellow, and regular green. Some got downright huge.

Susan

Mia,
Since you are in OKC, go out to Alligator Alley on NW 10th street and check out their hardy bamboo, palms, cacti and exotic animals. I am sure they could answer any questions you have about bamboo, or Google their website. They are open til 6:00 PM, closed on Sundays.

Jeanie

Mia, I start seeds early because I can plant a bit earlier down here in southern OK most years. For me, planting season (as in planting in the ground, not starting seeds inside under lights) arrives in mid-Feb. and usually starts with onion-planting. It's almost mid-December now, so mid-February really isn't all that far away. I usually start tomato and pepper seeds on Super Bowl weekend. I want to start them earlier every year, but know that if I do that they really will outgrow the light shelves much too early, so I try to restrain myself.

My first tomato plants go into containers in mid-Feb. too, but those are from plants purchased in Dallas as soon as they arrive in stores there, which is either the first or second week of Feb. most years. For the last two years, the first tomato plants arrived in stores in Dallas about the time the February snowstorms arrived, and most stores left the tomato plants outside (!) and they froze. My goal this year is to find the early tomato plants as soon as they arrive in the stores and before they have time to freeze. To raise plants the same size by mid-Feb. as the stores' Feb. plants, I'd have to start seeds in early to mid-November and that's too early even for me because I am always so busy then with holiday stuff and I'm sure I'd neglect the seedlings or forget they were there in the guest room or something.

Scott, If the mountain lions were there, wouldn't they blend in with the bamboo's winter color?

Susan, I think okra plants are beautiful too, and have been known to sneak them into mixed flower borders every now and then. That worked better in our deer-free location in Texas than it does here in our deer habitat. Here, the deer will find them no matter how many tallish flowers I have surrounding them. I think deer would rather eat okra than anything else I grow, except maybe for hollyhocks. I've had some success keeping deer away from okra by planting a heavy stand of lion's tail around it. Maybe the deer are afraid of the lion's tail. : )

Swiss Chard seems easy to grow to me. It loves our clay soil, doesn't mind the heat, etc. I think it is gorgeous. You can grow a beautiful tropical-looking border with little else in it besides okra plants (greens and reds mixed together) and tons of chard. Mine often freezes to the ground at this time of year, but puts out new growth after a couple of warm days. I've had some live around 18 months or so. I never get tired of looking at it, especially in the cold season when there's not a lot of vivid color. The 2012 Catalog from Seed Savers Exchange features a big red-stemmed chard plant front and center with some kale plants in the background and it is beautiful.

Dawn