Posted on 06/17/2011 5:12:35 AM PDT by Red_Devil 232
Good morning gardeners. My tomato plants are struggling to survive these hot brutal sunny days. Their leaves are all curled up trying to save water. Temperatures are consistently in the mid to high 90s. My winter and summer squash along with all of my hot and sweet pepper plants are doing great. It does not look like any of my Opailka or Viva Italia paste tomatoes will make it through so I have restarted some more seeds in the hopes I can get them transplanted in time for a late harvest. I have about 4 Marion tomato plants that are in the rear of my garden that are doing well for now. They get some shade in the late afternoon so I will put my new paste tomato transplants in that same area of the garden. I may be down but not out!
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That’s a good idea, might do that next year. What’s weird is to think TOO MUCH SUN in western Washington! However, my back deck does have great south-west exposure, so they pretty much get sun all day. Today is looking very sunny. Maybe I’ll angle the umbrella on my table so they are all partially shaded this afternoon and see if that helps over the next few days.
I hope it works for you!
My wife and I just put up a king sized white bed sheet to shade some of my tomato plants that have a chance of making it. The sheet goes from my fence up over the six to eight foot wood stakes I use for staking the plants. Hopefully it will give them enough shade in the hot afternoons so they can try to survive. I foliar fed them yesterday morning with a mix of Algoflash and Sea Magic seaweed. Sprayed all my plants with the mixture. Used three gallons of the mix in my back pack sprayer.
Will get my first ever head(?) of cauliflower this weekend, has me a bit stoked. Radishes are about done, Tomatoes, Squash, Pumpkins, Peppers, and Cukes are all doing well. Just wish it would stop raining and heat up a bit.
Lots of flowers on Tomatoes and Peppers but no fruit set yet. Cukes have both male and female flower so hope some of them set.
Dave
That is sun scorch...air temperature has little to do with it...I have had plants scorched when the air temperature is 60 degrees...young plants can't take sun. ALWAYS keep them shaded until they are good and strong! I battle scorch every year, and I am in (spit) New England. Shade, shade, shade. Even my habaneros scorch and wilt in the sun until they are 'grown up'. Mine always survive, but they look like hell for a while until the new and hardier leaves come in. I have my global buckets (hate that name, sounds like the UN) out of the sun for now...
We have had about 1/3" of rain since February...but not a 100 at the house yet (central Brazoria cnty)....close...but not yet.
Worst part is I just hate going outisde to work in my garden because its so darn miserable...and I love going outside to work in the garden. Hopefull some relief on the way next week. We are forecasting a break in the ridge with a surge of tropical moisture. Let's see if the dry ground fights off the low pressure aloft (feedback loop).
I also put out 4 blueberry bushes this year. They are still alive, but do not look that healthy. Have to water them about every other day. I bought a bale of peat moss that I plan to add around them, have been using leaves as mulch, but think this was a mistake. We have slightly alkali soil and water here.
My strawberry bed is doing great, but had to put a bird netting over it day before yesterday. Watering with soaker hose about every three days.
Blackberry bushes are growing great, but require watering every day.
Really really dry and hot. With constant high winds.
Hey, don’t complain. You’ve had rain several times since we’ve had it. We’re 7w+ now with no rain. And still with the 95+ temps.
Bah.
My blueberry bushes love pinestraw for mulch. Or just pine mulch. YMMV. I do know they love acid soil. I’m sure the local garden center/coop has something for your soil?
And yes...the wind is what has been really killing me. I think that is what did my corn in. Its such a dry...strong wind. Plus I am so busy I just don't have the time to soak it and care for it like it needed me too.
I have been adding a little vinegar occassionally with the water.
The area they are in gets lots of rain run off and is very well drained. I think my problem with their health is the heat. The leaves have brown patches on the tips at times. They have not grown that much but otherwise seem OK.
There were a few blueberries already set on the O’Neil’s but the birds got those before I could pick them. They have been doing the same to my strawberries. I fixed that with netting.
We are “enjoying” June Gloom here this week in Southern California. It’s drizzling! My flowers are really enjoying it, however, and when the sun pops out in the afternoon all the shades of bright Spring green really glow. We are going Green!
If I can't get around the well -- we'll just have to remove sod and replace with pavers! That is what I'd like anyway, but my husband has been resisting that solution.
In any case, we have numerous places on this property where I can't mow with the Hustler, and I can no longer operate a gas trimmer (without wheels).
The added benefit to the DR is the Beaver Blade. That is a truly vicious-looking saw blade that cuts through 3 inch saplings. That is for my husband. I will never operate that trimmer with the blade on.
This blade looks like a 12 inch table saw blade with a chain saw chain imbedded in the edge. Impressive! My husband says that the Briggs & Stratton engine is 1/3 more powerful than his most powerful Stihl chain saw.
Don’t forget to check the OIL... and read the instructions
Good morning....here in Oregon all I’ve really got is a LOT of 4” long, very hot radishes.... some beet greens and peas...very slow start this year. Anyone know a good recipe using radishes???
Smart lady! I save the juice drained off canned veggies so may have to step it up like you. No, can't be too frugal these days. I noticed the .50 canned veggies I've been stocking up on went up to .78 but knew that was coming.
While I'm not getting much for the freezer (not that there's room), it's enough for our table and to share with a neighbor or two. Finally getting cukes this week but still no zukes. Looks like the beans are putting on another batch. Tomato vines have taken over but can't complain since we're eating tomatoes like candy. Yellow squash for a meal or two a week and hopefully corn soon. I may need to increase the garden size next year.
Weather is still horrid. Wind blowing like crazy and temps in the 100-104 every day and summer hasn't even gotten here yet. Imagine what it'll be like in August! Leander (north of Austin in Central Texas) has a grass fire yesterday and 200 homes were evacuated. These fires are becoming a regular occurance and will get worse the longer we have no rain. More and more cities are banning fireworks and outdoor fires. The Llano River (NW of Austin) is so low and stagant that they're concerned with bacteria and that's where the city and private wells get their water supply. No rain and low water supplies mean bans on lawn watering which in turn increases grass fires so it's a vicious circle.
But then maybe I shouldn't complain since Philidelphia is saying all their rain has dropped Japan's radiation in their water supply and is affecting babies. Time will tell on that.
Even hand watering the one rose we saved, the hot wind had finally killed it. It’s struggled since March but it looks like it’s finally given up.
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