new seeds.

[mamapoppybee]

I MAY BE GOING A BIT CRAZY BUT THIS YEAR AM ADDING A SMALL PLOT OF OATS AND ALFALFA. GOT MY SEEDS AND A SPACE TO PUT THEM JUST WAITING ON WEATHER TO BREAK.

[Bakersdozen]

mama, are you going to let your alfalfa bloom for you bees?

I am going stir crazy too.  I have started a few perennial seeds and plan to do more while it is still freezing.

[Les]

Stir crazy is an understatement Baker!!!  Too early to start seeds here but the planning is taking place.  We have to finish up taking out the section of the yard for a pollinators garden so lots of perennials to start from seed. 

[Gypsi]

I haven't started any seeds yet but my granddaughter and I planted tulips Saturday. I bought a bag of bulbs in september or october and refrigerated until now.   In the meantime, I hit Ace hardware just before first freeze when they had marked a lot of stuff 50 cents and bought $31 worth.  and I hit Lowes before the 2nd freeze and spent maybe $10.  a greenhouse (even a crude home designed one) is a WONDERFUL thing.










and there is vitex in the greenhouse on the plant tray, goldfish in the stock tank that waters it

[mamapoppybee]

I have added some mint down in my tree line behind hives, divided some of my iris and moved them there, plus got more of the wilde flower seed I ordered last year. It has poppies and I freaking love them. The alfalfa will be for bees and chickens. My reasoning for adding a crop to make both happy. Oh and in fall I planted me some alliums. Looking forward to dividing my oregano and adding to the herb forest plus mum gave me permission to dig up some bee balm from her place!

[Gypsi]

Sounds very nice.  If I ever finish the bookkeeping I am going to play in the garden, my bee balm needs divided. Feed store told me not to grow alfalfa here, seems we have some kind of a soil fungus that likes heat and makes things not go well for it.  I would like to get some of that stuff riverbee was talking about, buckwheat? but I don't have time to chase seeds down right now

[brooksbeefarm]

Most feed stores have buckwheat seed or can order it for you. At my local MFA feed store we can order small amounts 5 lbs.10 lbs. ect. i usually get the 50 lb. bags, it's not that pricey. Jack

[Gypsi]

I have 1/3 of an acre so I need maybe half a cup?  will check with my local feed store. They won't sell me anything that doesn't do well in Texas

[brooksbeefarm]

Gypsi, i broad cast 50 lbs per acre, you want a thick cover crop to choke out the unwanted weeds. If you plant buckwheat after the first frost date you can usually get 3 blooms from one planting if the weather is right. Jack

[mamapoppybee]

If you are not against ordering online try johnnys seed. I have had great success with their products and the have scarlet runner beans too.

[Bakersdozen]

Too early to start seeds here but the planning is taking place.  We have to finish up taking out the section of the yard for a pollinators garden so lots of perennials to start from seed.

I have my own technique for starting perennials.  I being sowing the seed  after New Year's Day.  Annuals I start in late March.

[riverbee]

good to hear from you mama!  yes, a bit stir crazy up here in the north as well!

"I would like to get some of that stuff riverbee was talking about, buckwheat? but I don't have time to chase seeds down right now"

it was buckwheat gypsi. we obtained ours from prairie moon nursery. bees LOVE it!

[mamapoppybee]

more goodies went in this week! planted out my pollinator mix, oats and have borders of alfalfa around these goodies. the oats and alfalfa are already putting out radicals and have only been in two days! peas breaking the soil i am just so excited!

[brooksbeefarm]

Buckwheat will quit producing nectar around 11:00 AM, and you won't see a bee on it till next mourning I also think because of this cut off time the bees become hot for an hour or so, i wait till 1:00 pm before i work them and they are usually over it buy then. Try it and you will see what i mean. Jack