Spring has finally sprung in North Dallas, at least. You Northerners; hang in there you will get your day in the sun, literally. What I mean by this is that April 15 is the last possible freeze date for North Texas, so plant away! It is time to sink those spring/summer crops into the ground. I still have some potatoes and onions in my raised beds so I will start my yellow crock neck squash, zucchini, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, acorn squash(they are called Winter squashes because they last till Winter in storage, but are planted now!) melons; cantelope and Chinese yellow melon in little pots. Sink bush and vine green beans straight into the soil. These crops are all easy to do by seed. While some of my beds are filled with Winter crops, if your’s are empty then sink your seeds right into the ground. See how to make raised beds here. Peppers and tomatoes are a little more complicated so I buy my plants at North Haven gardens or Garland Roach feed and seed. Most of my tomatoes are already in the ground, but the ones I have in pots will go in the ground this week. Such a busy time for gardeners everywhere! I have been so busy in the garden that I have had trouble keeping you updated!

All your herbs can go in the ground now, be sure to plant plenty of basil to go with those vine ripened tomatoes! I plant my herbs in little pots so that I can tuck them in here and there.

Check out my fancy garden marker;I had a whole box of plastic knifes. I guess no one uses the knifes? It is Texas. We are beef eaters, well most of us. Those plastic knives don’t work so well on steak, right? So use them for plant markers! Hold off on putting your zucchini and yellow squash in the ground just yet. Start it in pots, because I have a great strategy to beat the squash vine borer that I will be sharing in the next few days. If you have trouble with this pest see my battle plan here.

My other announcement is my book give away winner. Druuuuum roll please! Faye K, you won the book;  The Quarter-Acre Farm, How I Kept the Patio, Lost the Lawn, and Fed My Family for a Year by Spring Warren. Get your own copy of the book that inspired me to turn my front yard into a garden, here! Thank you for all who entered my first give away! I really appreciate your participation in urban gardening. One reason I spend so much time on my blog is that I love to inspire others to plant their own gardens and claim back their health. I really wanted to share this author’s passion and tenacity in growing her own food!

For those of you who didn’t win, so sorry. Stay tuned because I will be giving away another book soon about, a plucky, dare I say sassy, chicken farm in Minnesota. Another laugh out loud funny story; Locally Laid by Lucie B. Amundsen. I will also be giving away their T-shirt which displays their Locally Laid(eggs that is) Chicken Farm emblem. I know I am excited about wearing mine. My husband, who is a bit dismayed by my sassy spirit, is not totally on board with me walking around with a Locally Laid t-shirt on. Hee hee! Come on honey, what better way to raise awareness about pasture raised eggs? Sorry the give away is over, but you can get your own Locally Laid sassy t-shirt here: https://locallylaid.com/shop/

That is all for now. Happy planting! Spring has sprung! Dash & family