@Alina I don't think pnuts will be notified without having used the chat, lately. Why don't they let us ping anyone on the site?

@Sue Hi. :)

Getting ready to plant corn, beans and cucumbers.

Squash and sorghum, too.

I need to till a bunch of soil with a shovel, before I can plant the squash, though.

It's hard work. Compact soil.

I've noticed a few tomato and watermelon crosses, so far.

Some of my Green Giant and Medovaya Kaplya tomato plants are regular leaf, and some of my watermelons have stars on their leaves (they must have been crossed with Moon and Stars last year).

I'm excited to see how they taste. Green Giant and Medovaya Kaplya are nice tasting tomatoes. I'm also excited about productivity.

The watermelon crosses are Fairfax x Moon and Stars F1, and Wondermelon x Moon and Stars F1.

@Alina You could try replying to one of pnuts' comments enough that it asks you if you'd like to move it to chat. Then move it, and then maybe pnuts will be notified when you ping.

And then delete all the extra comments you made after the fact.

@Shule Well I've just noticed that you've gone over the big hump of 10K well done, Shule! That was a tough one, took forever and if I am remembering correctly you've done this in record time! Congratulations!

@Shule Sorghum. What is that? I know I've heard the term sounds like it goes with okra? And black eyed peas, grits? Do you live in the south? There is no way here to grow corn or even imagine putting my cucumbers, pole beans out yet. In pots dragged in and out every day. We just had a freeze, yes in June and can expect a freeze every month this summer. This greenhouse is getting the south side skin installed this month, need to get a major propane heater I guess.

@Shule ...and you are crossing watermelons? You have to be living in the south. Georgia? Carolina's....must be wonderful. I am glad you are using the shovel. Great invention, let me tell you! You must also have clay soils?

@stormy I live in western Idaho! Quite different from Georgia, but yeah, you'd think I was southern with my crops. I'm attempting to breed extra-large watermelon varieties that actually get large in Idaho, in our soil. This is my third year. Last year I got a pretty big one, but it was hollow. It also had a sweet rind down to the skin, and was ribbed. I had never seen a ribbed watermelon before.

@stormy Thanks! I don't know how long I took compared to the average. :)

Sorghum is a grain, kind of like sugar cane (sugar cane is a grass, too).

You can make syrup or eat the seeds. I hear they're similar to lentils.

taste-wise

The soil is partially clay, but not as clay-like as it used to be.

@Shule this is incredible. I lived in Western Idaho longer than any other place on this planet. Moscow, Idaho. Are you close? I got my degrees at U of I, licensed in Boise. Oh my. Now, I do know that western Idaho (above Lewiston) is zone 3. Not that amenable for watermelons! I am fascinated!! I loved Idaho...the Palouse. Not fond of southern Idaho at all but McCall and the Snake River gorge...I know these areas very well! How about Lolo pass? The hotsprings? Elk River Pass?

...I used to be pretty 'famous' there!!! LOL.

... but watermelon in Idaho? You gotta fill me in!