Here in N. Texas we always get a January thaw. About the middle of January, after we've had some hard freezes, the weather swings back to sunny and 70's (which by the way is why you really need to plant your tulips in December...not wait until January). This week is just such a week. The last couple of days have been beautiful with warm spring like temps. Which means its a great time to get out and start planting again.

A few things you'll want to get in the ground here soon will be your potatoes, rhubarb, asparagus and horseradish. Transplants of Swiss chard, lettuces, spinach can be planted now. Cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts, etc.) should be hitting garden centers next week. Cool season color like Iceland Poppies, violas, pansies, toadflax, gerbera daisies can be planted now. It's also the perfect time to select and plant fruit trees! Also, flowering trees like weeping cherries and dogwoods will be available now. Plant now so you get to enjoy their blooms this spring

Some of you may have read a while back that I had food allergy/sensitivity testing done. And there are about a million things I can't eat anymore, including tomatoes, garlic, lentils and all sorts of other good stuff. So, for the last couple of months I've cut out all my "red" and "yellow" offenders. But didn't start my prescribed super strict rotational diet, or L.E.A.P (lifestyle eating and performance) diet until this past Monday.

Now, having to cut out many of the foods I love was traumatic enough. But now, due to this restrictive diet, I've also had to start eating fish in order to get enough protein. I've been a vegetarian for 20 years, so this is no easy task for me. But, I can be really stubborn and shrivel away to a string bean, or I can eat some fish for 6 weeks. So, there ya go.

What I've discovered about this diet is that I'm going to have to end up getting really, really creative in the kitchen. So I figured I might as well blog about it...and maybe you folks and help me out! Who knows, maybe I'll come up with some really good recipes.

Here is what I'm allowed to eat, on a rotating system for at least 6 weeks, but should try to continue longer. I eat what's on day 1 list, then day 2, then day 3, then I can go back to day one...and repeat. There is no deviation from the list. If it's not on the list, I can't eat it. Period. No processed foods.

Day 1: Egg, Garbanzo bean, pinto bean, sole,amaranth, tapioca, oat, buckwheat, asparagus, peas, lima beans, onions, bananas, olives, papaya, raspberry, strawberry, American cheese, cottage cheese, cheddar cheese, bows milk, whey, yogurt, cashew, olive oil, sesame seed, Ginger, honey, leek, turmeric, vanilla

Day: 2 Tilapia, barley, kamut, spelt, weat, carrot, celery, mushroom, zucchini, avocado, blueberry, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pear, cocoa, goat's milk, hazelnut, pecan, walnut, cane sugar, cumin, maple, parsley

Day 3: Salmon, tuna, crab, quinoa, rice, white potato, eggplant, lettuce spinach, apricot, cranberry, grapefruit, peach, coffee, tea, almond, sunflower seed, basil lemon, mint, mustard, paprika

Day one is definitely the best! But you start to look forward to the one or two things you really like on the other days. For dinner on Monday I had a big bowl of oatmeal with some milk, honey and lots of fresh bananas and strawberries. Mmmmmm. Yesterday, I bought some goat's milk and some raw cocoa (cant' have any additional ingredients, like soy lecithin or sweeteners, etc.). Made myself a cup of hot chocolate. It was actually really good.

Last night, I made tilapia for the first time (remember folks...it's been 20 years!). Using the ingredients I'm allowed to eat, I made a blended marinade/sauce from some goat's milk, cumin, salt, a piece of cantaloupe and some parsley. Covered the fillets with the sauce and bake/steamed it with Julienned carrots, zucchini and mushrooms. Because I can have hazelnuts, I found hazelnut oil to use. Which is very tasty! Also cooked some barley pearls and served the fish and veggies over that. The husband liked it...It was ok for me. It's going to take me a while to get used to this fish thing! But the tilapia is not toO "fishy" so that's good.

Today I made light tuna with lemon juice, basil, green peppers, and a little mustard. Served with lettuce and spinach. I went looking for sunflower oil to use as a salad dressing, but haven't been able to find it yet. Anyone know of a good local source?

That's my challenge now...how to make decent salad dressings and mayo...Wish me luck!

Hi folks, I got word that a friend of mine is in foster possession of a wayward Barred Rock Hen that got loose this past weekend in Dallas. The hen was found this past Saturday by a pet sitter at a home near Park Lane and Hollow Way in Preston Hollow. The sitter took care of the bird through Sunday. It was hungry and thirsty, but once caught was pretty docile. I'm sure her mommy or daddy would really like her back! So if you know of someone who's lost their Barred Rock, from that area, please comment or email me through my about me page. Thanks!

 

Just because it’s January…and chilly…and rainy…doesn’t mean you can put off starting those tomato seeds! I'm just going to give a basic run-down of what seeds you can start indoors now. If you're local, you can attend a seed starting class at NHG tomorrow, Sunday 1/17^th at 1pm. You can also refer to my Spring Veg Planting Date ChartSpring This handout covers only outdoor planting times.

Indoors:

Cole crops: You can start your last succession of cool season crops indoors now. Broccoli, cabbage, kale, chard, collard greens, kohlrabi, cauliflower and more.. Seeds need supplemental light so make sure to use a good setup. After 5 or 6 weeks you can transplant these seedlings outdoors, in February.

Warm season crops: Start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant inside starting now through. These crops take a bit longer to get to transplant size, about 8-9 weeks. In the DFW area, tomatoes can be planted outside mid-March through the end of March for a June harvest. You can continue planting peppers and eggplant through April. If you want to start a second fall crop of tomatoes from seed, you’ll do that indoors in May.

Herbs: Start seeds indoors of warm season herbs such as basil, oregano, sage, thyme, chives etc.

Salad greens: You can still start salad greens both indoors and by direct seeding outside right now through February. Remember that lettuce seeds need light to germinate, so don't cover their seeds with soil when you plant them. Simply press them into the surface of the soil and keep moist until germination.

Seed starting equipment: I use the Jump Start system from Hydrofarm because the lighting is perfect for seeds, the lamp can be adjusted to different heights, and it's a good for small spaces. You can use small trays with a seed starting soil mix, or the little compressed pellets from say Jiffy. I use those a lot and they work great. Make sure you have a humidity dome (plastic cover) for your tray. If you're using posts or pellets, make sure you have a water tight seed tray to set them in so you can cover them with the dome. The picture at left is only one example of the many different options available. Sometime you just have to experiment to find the option that works best for you. Also, a seed starting heat mat is necessary once you get into fall and winter, and you're starting seeds for spring planting.

(updated Jan.'24)

I've always been pretty busy during the spring season, so it never seems I can spend as much time in my garden as I would need or like! But I'm a sucker for a big flowery ephemeral display. To pull this off, there are a few key things I do in winter to ensure my spring garden can still put on a great show...even with my neglect

One planting method I love to use is naturalizing bulbs in my lawn. I'm a bit of a bulb fanatic and there's never enough room left in my garden beds for all the bulb I want to plant. So why not go into the bits of lawn I have left?

Naturalizing Bulbs in Turf

Clustering bulbs such as crocus, daffodils and other perennial bulbs in your lawn creates a natural woodland look in the spring garden.

If you haven’t yet gotten your hands on some spring-flowering bulbs, there’s still time, at least here in Texas and similar climates. You can continue planting certain perennial bulbs through January and early February. Some local garden centers and many online plant vendors will still have a selection of bulbs available for sale.

Now, what does "naturalizing" mean? It means planting species or varieties of bulbs that will not only perennialize (come back each year) but also reproduce and spread -or increase in clump size). Basically, letting the plants do the additional plantings for you!

The key to naturalizing bulbs in turfgrass, or lawns, is to choose tough, easy to grow bulbs that require minimal care in the garden. Often these will be species that are native to your area, or may be highly adapted.

Be aware that some hybrid bulb cultivars may not be as vigorous long-term, or may not be as good at naturalizing as some of the species or naturally occurring varieties. I encourage you to look for heirloom bulbs when you're looking to naturalize bulbs, not just perennialize them.

Some of My Favorite Bulbs for Naturalizing

Daffodils: (Narcissus spp.) are as tough as they come and look best when clustered in groups around the base of trees. Species and varieties will be better naturalizers (spreaders).

Good Heirloom Daffodils for naturalizing:

• Jonquil hybrids such as ‘Carlton’, ‘Texas Star’, ‘Twin Sisters’, ‘Butter & Eggs’, ‘Grand Primo’, Campernelle, ‘Double Roman’
• Triandrus daffodils, also called Angel's Tears. My favorite is 'Thalia', which is a late white blooming variety.

Grape Hyacinth: Muscari armeniacum, Muscari neglectum The grape hyacinth imported from Holland are usually forms of Muscari armeniacum. This species has showier, larger blooms. Than other muscari. Muscari neglectum is a good species to naturalize in Texas. M. botryoides, is also available but it may not be as reliable a perennial or naturalizer.

Rain Lillies: Zephyranthes grandiflora has large pink blooms, adaptable to many soils. Giant Prairie Lily, Zephranthes drummondii, Large white blooms midsummer into fall. Drought tolerant & fragrant.

Texas Copper Lily: Habranthus tubispathus var. Texensis is ommon along roadsides and prairies. Foliage appears in spring, followed by copper colored summer blooms. Perfect for naturalizing in lawns.

Blue Starflower- Ipheion uniflorum This genus has about twenty species that are native to South America. Flowers may emerge as early as January and can continue through April. Ipheion can be planted directly into the turf and tolerate almost any soil.

Crocus: Crocus spp. There are several types of spring blooming crocus available. While they don’t require a chilling period to bloom, they do benefit from one., so if we have a warmer than usual winter here in Texas they may not bloom as well. Crocus look best when planted directly into turf, groundcover, or natural areas. Most will return an bloom the following year.

A couple more bigger bulbs...These will be a bit taller than the other types, but if you have the space can still work in lawns.

Red Spider Lily and Surprise lilies: The heirloom strain of Lycoris radiata imported to North America in the late eighteenth century is distinct from the imported types that are currently imported from Japan, so try and shop for the heirloom type if you can. This species sends up foliage and blooms in autumn. Foliage is dormant in summer. There are other species of Lycoris and hybrids available but you'll find that L. radiata is usually the most reliable naturalizer.

Summer Snowflake: Leucojum aestivum - this species is often confused with “Snowdrops” (Galanthus), which do not perform as well in our hot climate. Leucojum aestivum Flowers March-May; full sun to partial shade. note that Leucojum vernum is not reliable in the South.

How to Plant Bulbs in Your Lawn

For larger bulbs such as daffodils, you’ll either want to use a round bulb planter to slice out “plugs” of turf, then drop the bulb in the hole and replace the plug. Or, dig out an 8” deep hole to accommodate multiple bulbs. Be careful to retain the section of turf, place bulbs in the hole and then replace soil and pat the turf down on top.

Small bulbs, such as crocus and grape hyacinth, can simply be pressed into the soil, about 3” deep. If your soil is dry or hard, you may want to go ahead and use a bulb planter to remove a plug of soil and turf - or do what I do and just us the spikes of my garden fork to pierce small holes in the lawn then drop in the bulbs.

It’s best to plant a cluster of bulbs together so the planting looks more natural. Generally a grouping of approximately 8 to 12 bulbs looks best, especially with daffodils. But, plant them however you'd like to get the look you want...more natural and spread out, or in "woodland" like clumps. You do you!

Most of these bulbs will be up and blooming before your lawn begins to actively grow, so you normally won’t be mowing at the same time. But at some point you'll either need to let your lawn go fluffy for a while in spring, or only mow/trim around the clusters of bulbs. You'll need to let the bulb foliage yellow and start to die down naturally in late spring/early summer before you mow off the old foliage. This will ensure they have enough time to store food for next year’s growth and blooms.

All of these bulbs are also good for interplanting in other common groundcovers, not just turfgrass!

But Wait, Shouldn't You Rip Out Your Lawn?

SIDE NOTE on LAWNS: The main lawn area I have is a large easement adjacent to my property...I have to maintain it per city code, but I can't really landscape it, in case they need to rip up water pipes, etc., which - with my luck - is exactly what would happen if I decided to plant a bunch of things there!

I know there is a big "rip out your lawn" rhetoric going around social media right now, BUT you need to think critically about what is really the most sustainable solution in any given space. Legally, I'm not supposed to plant trees/shrubs or any other larger landscaping in this easement. Tearing out all the turfgrass and putting in gravel or hardscape is NOT a better more sustainable solution in my urban environment. Especially on my lot which is a a high point in my neighborhood and takes on huge amounts of runoff in our torrential downpours (erosion and runoff is a big issue). I live in a HOT climate in a huge city (Dallas) and the urban head index is getting to be a much bigger problem. We need more plants planted, with more permeable surfaces, to mitigate heat, control runoff and erosion, and improve air quality, etc.

Now, the issue is, are you maintaining turf in a responsible way...or not? Me? I barely EVER water (or fertilize) this turf- and rarely mow it, with a battery powered mower. I only water it a few times through summer when it really needs it, or I've thrown out some seed to fill in bare patches and control erosion. It's a jumble mix of grasses and other green weeds (they are GREEN so I don't care!) There are some wildflowers out there too (but I'm also not allowed to have anything growing over a certain height, which makes a mass wildflower/prairie type planting something that will get code called on me all the time.) Now, I may decide to fight that battle at some point, but as it stands, it's better to leave the existing grass and native weeds. Dropping in tough bulb species, however, is an easy and cost effective way to pretty up that space, without the threat of wasting tons of money and labor on plantings that could just get torn up by the city (which is their legal right in any city easement).

 
So, if you want to come learn about veggie gardening you can attend my class this Thursday at North Haven Gardens from 11am-1pm. I know two hours seems long, but honestly, that's keeping it short for me! It will probably run longer just with Q&A. Any of you who've attended any of my programs know how I can go on. BUT, this is the time to get going on the veggie garden! Bring your lunch or snacks or whatever you'd like. We'll put out something warm to drink for you. Oh, and did I mention it's FREE? Seriously folks...I must love you if I do these things for free...LOL.

Ok folks, it's time to plant your onion sets and slips if you're in Texas! Now, I'm not a fan of onions, so I'm just going to let you guys go on and do that. No need to share your harvest with me! Here are a few tips if you're a fan:

• Plant pencil-sized slips(transplants) or sets (bulblets) in Januarythrough mid-February. Onions from seed should be started in October. Do notplant transplants in fall, or seeds in spring.
  
  
• Onions require good drainage. Raised mounds or raised beds are best. Setplants out approximately one inch deep with a four inch spacing.
  
  
• The first fertilizer application should be about three weeks afterplanting and then continue with applications every 2 to 3 weeks. High Nitrogenfertilizer is best.
  
  
• Stop feeding once the neck feels soft. Harvest about 4 weeks after youstop feeding.

I'm so proud of my girls! This is a first...a five egg day. All five girls laid an egg on the same day. In 16 degree weather no less!