*appears for some catch-up and a semi-urgent plea for advice and asks for indulgence for my brevity* I've really been enjoying reading through this post at all y'all's updates!!

Right now I'm at wits' end and am emotionally preparing myself to dig the graveyard for my plants. ...
The weather has been really beautiful lately, so I've been putting the plants out. But there is quite a barrage of bad news... 90% of my tomatoes wilted and shriveled up. I think it's because of the over-exposure to the intense sun. I have no idea what to do but see if they mend and re-plant seedlings.

On the brighter side, the peppers are just doing /beautifully/. The jalapeno and the cayenne, especially. The leaves are really lovely and big, and the plants themselves are really strong. One or two of my heirlooms is just coming along fabulously. The middle leaves have gotten rather big, and it's showing promise...
I've also started some watermelon plants, and one of them is doing really well.

Today I started some tomatoes (I know it's late, but ... agh. I'm not sure. If all hope dies, I might have to order late plants from the site... ) and some dill and fenugreek. I also put some black-eyed-peas and cilantro into some pots. I saw this somewhere on the internet and was wondering: is it true that peas/beans don't like being transplanted into the ground?

/however/ tonight after moaning over the mostly-dead Romas and Alicantes, I was adjusting some soil and stuff when a large, black, slimy slug came onto my thumb. Then I saw an ant creeping around one Roma.
So I decided to put them in the garage, lest any other pests make their abode in our house... Hence why I'm worrying I'll find them all dead tomorrow morning or otherwise affected. I think we've planned to make a little home-made greenhouse to put them in until we prepare a patch to transplant them in.

-- from page 13.

Thank-you so, so, so much for your responses to my many questions, Digs and Fantasia!

Well Brandywines (at least the ones I've gotten) are insanely large (I've had one that was almost the size of a football!), and don't get incredibly red.

Thanks for the description, I'll keep that in mind.
:O would you have a picture of aforementioned tomato?

Thank-you for assuring that the soil I used for transplanting is okay, Fantasia!! And, ooh, I'm so excited that there are indeed Brandywines in the heirloom pack!! I hope I planted one. Thanks for telling me!

I think it's because of the over-exposure to the intense sun

That'll do it every time. Those little seedlings haven't had the opportunity to put down good roots yet. There's nothing wrong with sitting them out in the sun for short periods of time, but always water them afterwords or they're going to shrivel up and die.

If you do need to replant, it's not the end of the world because it's still very early.

is it true that peas/beans don't like being transplanted into the ground?

I don't know, but I would think not. Peas are notoriously tender plants. Breathe on them too hard and they'll keel over. One way to overcome this that I found out in my garden book is this:

Next time you eat an orange or a melon or something like that, save the rind. Fill the rind with soil and plant your seeds in it. As the rind decays, and releases its juices, it'll fertilize the developing plants. Once you're ready to transplant them into the ground, just bury the whole rind. You're not technically transplanting the seedling because you're keeping it in it's pot, but the pot will rot away within weeks leaving you a happy plant and a healthy batch of fertilizer. You might try that!

would you have a picture of aforementioned tomato?

Nope. . . he was promptly consumed on hamburgers

My experience with gardening is largely confined to planting stuff in pots and leaving them on a patio. Thus this past week I sallied forth and procured a big bag of Miracle-Gro, a few window planter containers, two small terracotta pots for my herbs, and began planting my seeds. Most of the vegetable seed packets informed me that for best results I should start 4-6 weeks by planting them inside.

Fie! My body shall only consume those vegetables strong enough to grow with my method. The ones which do not grow are non-hackers and are unfit to be digested by me and my family. In this way I partake of only the mightiest of tomatoes and snap peas and bell peppers! *grunts in manly fashion*

ahem

I put down two pots of cherry tomatoes, one of oregano, one of sweet basil, one of Roma tomatoes (I'm thinking homemade spaghetti sauce here ), one of snap peas, one of bell peppers and the last of summer squash. The latter two I had gotten seeds from vegetables that people grew themselves and I pried the little things out with a sharp knife and put em' in a ziploc bag. The bell pepper I got from a few peppers I bought at the grocery store, so who knows if they'll grow. But it's worth a shot, and if all else fails and nothing comes up in a month I'll just put some flowers in the pots.

one of snap peas

Just make sure they have something to climb. It can quite honestly be a bunch of sticks stuck into the pot, but the plants get to be about four feet tall.

The bell pepper I got from a few peppers I bought at the grocery store, so who knows if they'll grow. But it's worth a shot, and if all else fails and nothing comes up in a month I'll just put some flowers in the pots.

Or you could just go to your local gardening store, and buy some plants that have already been sprouted, and are already blooming. The ones at my local garden store cost about 60 cents each. . . so they're very reasonable.

FK, any advice on what types of radishes I should buy?

None whatsoever. I'm not a radish connoisseur as far as flavor goes (they all taste the same to me ) and every type I've ever planted grows like weeds.

But there is quite a barrage of bad news... 90% of my tomatoes wilted and shriveled up. I think it's because of the over-exposure to the intense sun.

Did they recover? Tomatoes are tough plants and can rebound, but other plants are far less forgiving.
If you plant things indoors and keep them indoors, you have to break them in to the outdoors slowly or that's what happens. Most websites say start with one hour for a couple days, and then add on an hour or two a day until they're outside most of the time.
I can get away with skipping this step because my greenhouse gets so hot the plants are already used to the heat when they sprout. But I've killed broccoli and cauliflower in the past trying to get them used to outdoor temps.

Fie! My body shall only consume those vegetables strong enough to grow with my method.

See how YOU like being left outside overnight in freezing temperatures. No, seriously, it's been a warm enough spring (I'm assuming where you live as well) that you'll probably be able to get away with it. I forgot to send you seeds.... so I'm hoping that whatever you get to grow is um... awesome.

The ones at my local garden store cost about 60 cents each. . . so they're very reasonable.

Wow. That must be nice. They're $2-3 per plant here, it's one of the reasons I always bought the packet of seeds instead.

Well, while I was gone this weekend, it was hot, it was humid, my sister watered and it rained. I think everything doubled in size since when I left last Friday morning til when I went out to check this morning. Repotting my stuff has become a top priority, and in fact, I may start this evening.

My little peas are up and looking good. Now I need to get a couple stakes in and put some string up so they have something to climb.

Wow. That must be nice. They're $2-3 per plant here, it's one of the reasons I always bought the packet of seeds instead.

When I say "60 cents each" I mean that you can get a three pack for $1.89. You have to buy the three pack though . Peppers come in a pack of four for the same price, so you're getting them for about 45 cents each . The garden store does sell tomato plants in four packs (for the same price), but they're barely over an inch tall, so I'll usually get them in quart pots (when the plants have just started flowering) at about 2 dollars each.

But while they have GREAT veggie prices, they have AWFUL flower/plant prices. All of their one quart perennial cost over 7 dollars. Shrubs and trees start out at 30 bucks, and go up into the hundreds! You can usually do well with their annuals (like petunias, pansies, etc...) by getting a three or four pack for $1.69. . . so that's something at least

If you come to the moot this summer, FK, we'll have to make a little trip as it's right up the road .

I spent the entire day weeding our flowerbed. I filled our fifty gallon trash can four times. . . so that will give you some idea as to how badly it needed it. There were strands of creeping charlie that were over three feet long, and tons of grass! I've got a little bit left to do tomorrow (probably 3x8) and then I'm heading out to Lowe's, Menards, or Home Depot to see what they've got in their garden departments. My family went to Menards yesterday to get some stuff for the house, and they had some lovely little Bleeding Hearts (that sounds funny ) for 3 bucks each (not bad for a perennial). They were already blooming, and will do so until frost hits them this autumn. I need something for the shady side of our house. The sixty foot maple tree on that half keeps the flower bed nice and shady, but I think a Bleeding Heart will look nice there. While I'm there I might get some pansies and some violas as they can handle the cold.

Speaking of the cold. . . the lowest temperature in the 8 day forecast is 45 degrees. . . and that's an overnight low. We're going to have temps in the 80's this week. Absolutely insane, but great for those of us who are itching to get out in the soil.

On a related note, they were talking about the weather today on the noon news, and the weatherman was like, "It's still WAY too early to put anything out in your garden," and all I could think of was "MERE MORTAL! YE KNOW NOT WITH WHOM YE ARE DEALING!!!!!"

"MERE MORTAL! YE KNOW NOT WITH WHOM YE ARE DEALING!!!!!"

I realized I needed to add another detail to potato planting. Don't plant the whole seed potato. A couple days before you stick them in the ground, cut them up into pieces with a couple good eyes per piece. Then let them dry out for at least 24 hours. I guess if you don't do that you run the risk of having them rot. This is something I actually need to do today or tomorrow cause we're planning on planting potatoes this weekend if it's not too soggy.

I didn't manage to start repotting my plants last night, but I'm hoping to get one or two trays done today. *crossing fingers I have time*

I finally got out to Lowe's and Menard's to get some flowers. I bought a bleeding heart bush and a six pack of variegated Asters. Mom bought a six pack of violas and a large dianthus. The total? Like 8 dollars! I was pleased.

I'll probably get most of them in the ground today, putting them in easily accessible spots should I have to cover them for the night.

Dad said something about using a roto-tiller to till up enough of my garden for me to plant my radishes, spinach and peas. Our good for nothing neighbour won't do us a favour for anything (but he's the sort that's always calling here asking dad for things ), so it looks as if what would have been a five minute job for him with his tractor, will turn into a several hour job for the two of us and an ancient roto-tiller.

EDIT: Roto-tilled and raked. Took us about a half hour to do a 100x100 space. Planted my violas and my asters and my bleeding heart. Waiting for the soil to dry out a bit before I plant my garden seeds

Wow, it was a super busy weekend this past weekend and I got my first sunburn of the year to prove it. (It's not bad. )

Home
~Planted somewhere close to 100 onions.
Farm
~Planted two Contender Peach trees. (They're supposed to be a late bloomer, which is good for Kansas and its sneaky late freezes.)
~Cleaned out a few of the lettuces that had reseeded themselves. (Some were already going to seed :O )
~Planted 10 rows of potatoes: Russets, Yukon Golds, Red La Soda (found em!), and Red Northerns.
~Planted 6 broccoli and 6 cauliflower plants.
~Dug out our grape plants we had mulched and found most of them were putting on leaves. There are still a few that will need to be replaced but the majority were alive.
~Put MoleMax down on everything. (Begone moles and gophers and voles!!)
~Planted two gooseberry bushes.
~Helped my sister-in-law set up a strawberry tower complete with fountain and planted 50 strawberries.
~*loosely connected to gardening* We cleared a space in a tree row for the two hives of bees that we ordered that will hopefully arrive next month.

Home
~And then we got home last night and mowed most of our lawn.

~This morning I finished mowing my lawn and watered everything like a fiend. Where's the passed out smily cause that goes here?

I am now plotting what I need to do next. The top priority things are...
~Put up strings for the peas cause they're about 3" tall now and need something to grab onto soon.
~Plant the 6 cabbages I bought this weekend (I bought them for the farm without realizing that the cabbages I planted from seed are coming up).
~Repot my ever-growing colony of peppers and tomatoes that I STILL haven't started yet.

It's going to be a busy week. And what really blew my mind this weekend was that the greenhouses are selling peppers and tomatoes already. Those don't usually go in until mid to late April, if not early May. But the weather thus far is cooperating so we'll see what happens.

We had a really hard freeze last night, and it's got me really worried about plant life in the area. Temps got down into the low 20's. Our redbud tree, which was covered in buds was just about to open; I haven't gone out there to see what damage has been done to it, but I'm guessing it can't be good.

We have some very fragile dogwood trees here that were just starting to bloom and leaf out. . . I'm hoping that they'll be okay.

Thankfully, nothing in the garden has sprouted yet, so I think that'll all be all right.

I covered up my violas, asters, and bleeding heart last night, but I don't know how much good it did. The violas and asters had no frost on them, but their leaves were crisp, cold, and frozen. I'm pretty sure that freezing living tissue is never good for the organism . The bleeding heart looks like it might have fared a bit better. . . but it looks sick, with parts of it looking very droopy and diseased. When I touched these parts, I could tell that they too had frozen.

Goodness knows what this will do to the fruit trees (none of which have any open blossoms right now, but most of which have buds).

I wish Nature would make up it's mind as to what it wants to do right now. Does it want it to be summer like it was last week (with most days being in the 80's) or does it want it to be November (with days in the 40's)

A harsh reminder that it's still March. Hopefully even if your stuff got frosty it wasn't killed off completely.
That's not an unusual thing to happen in KS. It gets super warm, everything blooms, and then we get hammered with frost. It's one of the big reasons we don't get a lot of fruit around here unless it's a late blooming fruit. We're still a couple weeks away from our last frost date so we could still get nailed. I'm still be super careful about what I plant outside.

ETA March 28 @ 9:00am CDT: I planted my cabbages in my front flower bed yesterday. I really didn't know where else to put them where they'd be protected from the sun (cabbages like cool and damp). I found that amusing as I have this big area in my garden for veggies, so I planted stuff in my flower bed. Ah well.

It looks as if everything is going to survive after all. The bleeding heart bush looks good, and I think that the bad growth area could be because the terra-cotta pot I used to cover it might have broken the tender branches.

The violas and Asters are looking good. They're not growing in this cold snap, but the blooms that they have are opening up, and looking very pretty.

The redbud tree in the front yard lost about a tenth of its blooms to the cold, but it still looks gorgeous.

The butterfly bush is another matter. All of it's green leaves have turned grey, and are very pasty to the touch. I don't know if it will regrow once things turn around, or if the plant is dead.

Nothing in the garden has sprouted yet (after being in the ground for more than a week!). This is kind-of a blessing in disguise as it means I haven't had to cover anything, but I still want to see seedlings

DiGs, just so you know, we're getting a cold front coming through on Sunday night. It's not going to be a problem here (lows in the mid 40s instead of the 50s), but you're further north than I am.

Gardening updates from me...
My sister and I repotted one tray of peppers yesterday. Oy... three more trays to go.
My front flower bed is gorgeous right now. I should take some pictures.
I got the shock of my life last night when I realized that my Cherry tree that I got last year is blooming. It's also gorgeous. (It's like 2.5' tall LOL)

I think that's about it for now, but the weekend is coming up fast so I'm hoping I can get more stuff done.

MY RADISHES ARE UP!!!!!!!! That is all. . . return to usual

Seriously, I'm really pleased to see that they sprouted despite this chilly snap of weather. Here's hoping that about three weeks from now, I'll be pullin' them up

My cherry and Roma tomatoes are all sprouting, as is my basil and oregano and snap peas. So far nothing on the summer squash or bell peppers. We shall see!