That's our location on the globe! On the western side of the Texas Hill Country, just on the edge of the high desert further to the west. So not as humid as 90 miles to the east, in Austin, but not quite desert dry. But, like everywhere in Texas right now, we're being affected by the La Nina in the Pacific Ocean: milder winter weather and no rain. Mother Nature isn't being kind in the rainfall category.
The last 2 weeks have been anything but mild. There was a 72-hour period where we didn't get above freezing and on the last day, snow fell. Then, after a nice weekend, we sank back into the deep freeze and yesterday had freezing rain, sleet, then snow again. The snow was just a dusting, and my outdoor thermometer got above freezing during the afternoon so most of the white stuff melted away.
The 72-hour storm created some problems for the gardening side of my life, besides causing a bad case of cabin fever. My little plastic covered greenhouse took a hit from all the things flying around when it blew in on 60 mph wind gusts. In fact, I found the stick that hit the side of the greenhouse which opened a hole and by first light the next morning, put all the seedlings and young transplants in big jeopardy of freezing. The tomato and pepper seedlings survived the storm because they were directly under the grow lights but the amaryllis and arrowhead ivys took a hit before I could get them in the house. I had hoped to have the amaryllis blooming by Valentine's Day but the cold has set them back...they'll be lovely in a week or so because after today, we're going to be warming up. I got the greenhouse fixed so everybody is going back to their warm home this weekend! I heard one of the weathermen in Austin say on last night's news that last night should be the last "frigid" night for this Winter...we can only hope!
So, it's time to get busy. I'm going to looking for 10 brave souls who want to participate in my first Harper Harvest subscription service. The plan is to offer a 4-month subscription for $50/month, starting April through July. The subscription will include regular deliveries of whatever is coming in, including blooming annuals and perennials, herbs, and of course, produce. The harvest will change as the growing season progresses, starting with 10-15 onions, spinach, brussell sprouts, kale, swiss chard, amaryllis, ground-cover sedums, and a wonderful salad mix that includes endive, arugala, and various long-leaf lettuces. Next up will be the tomatoes (Big Beefs, yellow and red pears, and a yellow grape), peppers (bell, jalepeno, serrano, poblano), peas (early blondies then blackeyes), beans (green, black, purple, limas), radishes (red & white), slicing cucumbers, yellow crookneck squash, and 3 varieties of onion (red, yellow, white). I love growing herbs too, so chives, parsley, cilantro, dill, and a delicious bulb garlic (there are so many ways to use this mild garlic). I'm planting some fun new grasses for landscaping, and a black coleus that is very striking and would look great in a flowerbed. And if all goes well, I'm very excited about the possibility of fresh bi-color corn (!) ,sweet potatoes and horseradish before fall! There's fresh eggs (not my chickens!) and other veggies that will be coming in from Harper neighbors and as the season progresses, we'll be prepping and canning so there will all kinds of wonderful things coming from the ground. So much to look forward to, sharing with the harvests with a group of friends. How nice.
The new garden extension is looking good and I'm about ready to make the rows and cover with black plastic to warm it up. The posts are up, the gate's in place, and the fencing material is ready to go...there is a white-tail deer herd that would love nothing better than to get into it so before the plants go in, the fence goes up! Here's hoping the weather improves and warms...the sun is certainly climbing so it won't be long!
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