Hello from Texas

[gloriawb]

I've been gardening in Texas now for 28 years, but I started gardening about the age of 5 in N. Indiana, later in N. Illinois. My mom always called me my grandfather's granddaughter because of my love of gardening. He was well known for the peas he grew in Whatcom County, Washington. From him I learned to suck on the pea pods to get out all the sugar....and delight in the raw peas as we worked.

I own [e-mail], but I consider myself more of a natural gardener than an organic one.

I am 59 years old....a 2 time breast cancer survivor. I think all those years of working in the garden made me strong enough to survive it both times.

I tend to experiment with what I read.....different ways to do things. When I read that weeds help in the garden I did experiments over a 3 year period with cabbages and strawberries. My cabbages actually lived for 3 years in those weeds.....thinned out weeds. Remove the weeds and the cabbages succumb to insects. The strawberries just gave up and died. But when I tell people that they think I have lost my mind.

Glad to be here. I am hoping to learn a lot while I am here....and contribute what I can.

Gloria

[pugs]

Welcome Gloria!

Nice to have you here. The people here are really nice.

Pugs

[houseodessey]

Finally, another Texan and one from my region, too. Glad to hear that weeds are good. I sure have plenty in my garden. Welcome to the forum!

[grungy]

Welcome, Gloria. Hope you enjoy our great gardening community. Feel free to jump in anytime with tips, or advice or just plain old gardening knowledge.
Cheers,
Val (grungy) and Dan (grunt)

[gloriawb]

Houseodessey, I live near Venus in NE Johnson County. So, indeed we are in the same neck of the woods. The long roots of weeds help to bring nutrients to the now short-rooted plants we grow from deeper in the soil. Some are great traps for insects, too. Doesn't mean any garden, nor field should be over run with them, though.

Pugs, Grungy, and Grunt.....gardeners tend to be nice people. Of course there are weeds in every garden. I am looking forward to the banter here from what seems like really knowledgeable folks.

Gloria

[houseodessey]

I try to keep the weeds down until late July when I just can't take the heat.

My mom was raised on a farm in Joshua, so I'm familiar with the area. We just bought a place in Corsicana so we drive down 35 a lot. I'm guessing that you have sandier soil than I do? I'm dying to see what I have at the new place, outside of grasshoppers as big as my thumb.

Anyway, let me know if you ever need any starts or seeds or whatever.

[flowerpower]

Hi Gloria! Welcome to HG. I let weeds grow in my garden too. I just call them wildflowers.

[moonlilyhead]

Welcome!

[Penny]

Hi there Gloria, and Welcome.