Snow storm yesterday with a total of 19.5 cm or 8 in of snow and a low of -17 C/ 0 F this morning with winds up to 56 KMH or close to 35 MPH and still almost as windy. Plus temps after tomorrow so a slow melt for about 5 days then around the freezing point to a bit colder. Oh well it could be worse as it still can be -20C or colder overnight this time of year!
Not familiar with weather patterns in the Great White North, it's usually a bit chillier up there this time of year, but it is rather predictable here, since March started out warm, it means April starts out cold. It's a normal pattern, at least as I always remembered it. Near record cold expected tonight, 22F/-6C. 
Not too concerned about the seedlings already growing in the garden, the spinach, kale, and beets, but I may have to cover the pea sprouts with some mulch today so they don't get nipped.
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Just sowed some carrots and radishes. Broccoli and cauliflower plants should be ready to go out in a couple weeks, tomatoes and pepper sprouts should be ready to plant outside in about 5 or 6 weeks. So far everything seems to be on scedule. 
Not too concerned about the seedlings already growing in the garden, the spinach, kale, and beets, but I may have to cover the pea sprouts with some mulch today so they don't get nipped.
. Just sowed some carrots and radishes. Broccoli and cauliflower plants should be ready to go out in a couple weeks, tomatoes and pepper sprouts should be ready to plant outside in about 5 or 6 weeks. So far everything seems to be on scedule. I live in a small rural town of about 5,000. Yes we have one stop light. A couple of years ago I was at the local hardware store and the subject of the weather and the light frost we had 2 days earlier. I was able to share " I lost my whole crop " when asked how much I lost I shared my whole crop all 4 tomato plants died ! Oh I have tried to have a real garden but the last time I planted 12 tomato plants and 14 okra plants my whole harvest was 1 cherry tomato and 1 baby pod of okra the damn deer got the rest.
A lot of people in this world have no clue what okra is. I know it as something my mother used to fry up for dinner, but she grew up in East Point, not far from you.
I moved here to "small town" West Virginia nearly 7 years ago. I have given up on gardening, or as you say feeding the deer. Deer are stupid enough to stand in the road when cars are coming, but smart enough to wait until all the house lights go off before raiding the garden. If I start back at it, I will put up an electric fence.
Despite it being "spring" it has snowed off and on all day today. Not enough to stick, but just enough to be annoying.
You must be speaking of those living between Mexico and Canada (minus those in Cajun country of course). Okra is popular is so many countries it's hard to keep track of. We do it a number of ways including cooking it down so much it then becomes a natural thickener for soups and stews. Our favourite though has to be tempura. Tough to beat.
It's cloudy and 9º. Forgot which thread I was in.
I live next to the forrest. Almost certainly, if I look out around 5AM, there will be about 4 or 5 deer standing in the yard, I bet especially tomorrow morning due to the current cold snap. A garden fence is necessary. But also, the hot peppers do work. I have lots of super hots, ghost chilli being rather mild compared to the Scorpion, Carolina reapers and Dragon's breath. The latter is damn near dangerous. 
A friend ate one last year at a party on a bet. Chewed it up and swallowed it. After the initial shock, he turned pale white and couldn't talk for about 10 min. We became concerned for a bit but he took it like a champ, he said that it was pretty rough and he would not do that again.. Rubbing the oil onto the leaves will deter any folage eaters that raid garden but will not harm plants. Deer usually do not eat the pods, but will clean off all the leaves. Also, as I do not have pets I've found that the dehydrated ground pepper flakes will also deter mice when spread outside and in crawl spaces. No poison necessary.
Its best to wait at least till 2nd week of May to set out peppers and tomatoes here. Last year we had a freeze 15th of May. That's not common here but can happen. I'm really in a 6b zone although they keep trying to move it up to 7a due to global warming or something like that. I don't buy it. A freeze in the first or middle of May is definitely a zone 6 characteristic. Pretty much the way I remember growing up.
Maybe I will be ready by then.
A friend ate one last year at a party on a bet. Chewed it up and swallowed it. After the initial shock, he turned pale white and couldn't talk for about 10 min. We became concerned for a bit but he took it like a champ, he said that it was pretty rough and he would not do that again.. Rubbing the oil onto the leaves will deter any folage eaters that raid garden but will not harm plants. Deer usually do not eat the pods, but will clean off all the leaves. Also, as I do not have pets I've found that the dehydrated ground pepper flakes will also deter mice when spread outside and in crawl spaces. No poison necessary. Its best to wait at least till 2nd week of May to set out peppers and tomatoes here. Last year we had a freeze 15th of May. That's not common here but can happen. I'm really in a 6b zone although they keep trying to move it up to 7a due to global warming or something like that. I don't buy it. A freeze in the first or middle of May is definitely a zone 6 characteristic. Pretty much the way I remember growing up.
Maybe I will be ready by then.
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You must be speaking of those living between Mexico and Canada (minus those in Cajun country of course). Okra is popular is so many countries it's hard to keep track of. We do it a number of ways including cooking it down so much it then becomes a natural thickener for soups and stews. Our favourite though has to be tempura. Tough to beat.
It's cloudy and 9º. Forgot which thread I was in.
Surely in New England we don't know about Okra! But in fact we do. It's in our grocery store regularly these days. Not when I was a kid mind you. And it took a 9 year stint in DC, NC and GA to get me to really appreciate okra, but it's a well regarded veggie in this yankee's fridge (not in our garden yet though).
I grew up in south Louisiana where you could have a spring garden and a fall garden. Maybe you could even say winter garden. I remember harvesting peanuts in March once and my Grandmother liked to plant mustard greens and harvest them for Christmas.
My Grandmother taught me to grow okra and assorted squash variants and also deep fry all of them.
My family moved to Colorado when I was sixteen so I got out of the gardening habit. I have a large enough back yard now so I am working on a greenhouse or growing inside. The main catch is learning to suppress bugs inside and squirrels outside.
I need to wait another two weeks or more before I think of putting anything I started outside.
The squirrels are even eating my honey locust tree.
My Grandmother taught me to grow okra and assorted squash variants and also deep fry all of them.
My family moved to Colorado when I was sixteen so I got out of the gardening habit. I have a large enough back yard now so I am working on a greenhouse or growing inside. The main catch is learning to suppress bugs inside and squirrels outside.
I need to wait another two weeks or more before I think of putting anything I started outside.
The squirrels are even eating my honey locust tree.
Okra depends on how it's prepared. Growing up, my great aunt used to make breaded fried okra that was so good. 
I could never quite duplicate it. Ketchup? Forget it, would only ruin it. You have to slice it and let it dry out good before breading. Very few restaurants can make it quite right, spices and all, only a few Ma & Pa joints. I remember this buffet in Valdosta Ga, Mama's Kitchen or something. It was a buffet and the parking lot was full, so it must be a good feed bag right? The okra was delicious, as everything else. I hope places like that can endure the current and coming economic storm. 
Now I haven't had much problems with squirrels but if I do, here they can easily be quelled with the 12ga.
I could never quite duplicate it. Ketchup? Forget it, would only ruin it. You have to slice it and let it dry out good before breading. Very few restaurants can make it quite right, spices and all, only a few Ma & Pa joints. I remember this buffet in Valdosta Ga, Mama's Kitchen or something. It was a buffet and the parking lot was full, so it must be a good feed bag right? The okra was delicious, as everything else. I hope places like that can endure the current and coming economic storm. Now I haven't had much problems with squirrels but if I do, here they can easily be quelled with the 12ga.
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Feeling much happier now! Seagulls and butterflies have been seen, and blackbirds are singing like crazy...
Friday is free, I'll pick up my 20 years old motorboat and start fixing it, gas tank must be opened and cleaned and a new sonar installed. Washing and waxing as well. It will be in fresh water so bottom cleaning is easy.
Friday is free, I'll pick up my 20 years old motorboat and start fixing it, gas tank must be opened and cleaned and a new sonar installed. Washing and waxing as well. It will be in fresh water so bottom cleaning is easy.
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26 (-3.3C) this morning, a bit below average for late mid April, record low. But, the peas, spinach, kale and beets shouldn't mind much. 
We just hit Dogwood Winter. -2C last night, High today will be around 11C.
My broccoli and onions are doing fine.
Tomato sets are inside under Florescent Plant Lights.
None of my pepper sets have come up, so I may have to buy sets for Jalapeno and Habanero this year.
I found some sets of Thai Basel and picked up two pots with three plants each. I split them and now have 6 pots growing and will transplant them into larger pots in a month.
With regards to Okra, I think the best variety is Clemson Spineless. We eat fried okra like popcorn. It is ok in gumbo and a few other dishes but one has to be careful as overcooking it results in a slimy mess.
My broccoli and onions are doing fine.
Tomato sets are inside under Florescent Plant Lights.
None of my pepper sets have come up, so I may have to buy sets for Jalapeno and Habanero this year.
I found some sets of Thai Basel and picked up two pots with three plants each. I split them and now have 6 pots growing and will transplant them into larger pots in a month.
With regards to Okra, I think the best variety is Clemson Spineless. We eat fried okra like popcorn. It is ok in gumbo and a few other dishes but one has to be careful as overcooking it results in a slimy mess.