Posted on 05/07/2022 4:59:11 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
“This roller coaster temperature stuff really plays havoc with planting plans.”
Other than lettuces and spinach that are already in, as well as some Sweet Peas (flowers) that don’t even WANT to germinate, I’m not doing ANY spring crops (broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) until this fall. We are going straight from Winter to Summer this year. Ugh!
But, not unexpected. It happens every 5 years or so up here on The Frozen Tundra. (Zone 5) Kind of surprised it doesn’t happen more than that!
Ugh. Summer is here too soon! 81 tomorrow and 91 on Monday, 92 on Tuesday and Wendnesday. Not good on the lettuce, beets, and turnips!
I have been opening the ends and center section of the low tunnels to vent them during the day. I will have to start spraying the fabric several times a day to cool them down. (Evaporative cooling!) I have one row with tomatoes and I guess I will just pull the tops off and let them go to town!
Our asparagus always comes up in late May. West Michigan.
I transplanted all my tiny store bought tomatoes into larger containers but they will soon explode out of those and need to be planted in the ground soon, so I hope our weather gets a little bit back to normal.
my red onions and walla wallas look great...
I have asparagus up, (Zone 5) but it’s only a few inches tall. It should be tall enough to harvest in another few days. It looks nice and healthy, but my whole bed (8’x4’) needs a reset; I was a Bad Girl and didn’t keep up with the weeding.
I’m only one woman, LOL!
Rhubarb is looking SPECTACULAR; should be ready to harvest in a few more days, too. That early spring dump of composted ‘Ithaca Grow’ seems to be agreeing with her. ;)
I seem to never get the cold crops right - I fail every year at cabbage and cauliflower. I think I’m planting them too late for zone 8,
At least my collards and romaine lettuce are doing ok.
My asparagus is also year three but I can’t find them through the weeds, ugh!
I am in a mad rush now to shred my goat litter to put on the garden so DH can till… he refuses to till the straw, so I bought a leaf shredder to break it down which I hope will do the trick.
Then I have to plant the rest of the warm weather crops - hoping GA has made up its mind whether it is spring or summer.
I am taking care of my FIL with dementia here, on hospice now, which means quick trips to the garden while he naps and checking cameras every few minutes. This is a challenging year for us in so many ways.
I kept our asparagus bed really clean last year and it paid off. I had no grass only some shallow weeds to pick out. Hard part was I have to get on the ground and reach in and work my way around, I was pretty sore the next day but it will be worth it. Did it last week so nice and early. Struck out again the Bonnie truck did not come to our town at all this week and I called 5 places in Grand Rapids and they had not seen any either. Hoping for Monday now.
In NY it always seemed later than I’d have liked to seen it.
I’m going to start writing down when it makes its appearance so I don’t fret about it so much next year.
I do that too now, I take a lot of pictures and the files all have dates. We have digital pictures going back to 1999. Happy Mothers Day to you and all here!
Here I am posting a new garden thread and solving psycho-killer crimes:
She dresses with much more flair than I do, though. ;)
God Bless You for taking good care of your FIL - not an easy task. I took care of my Dad for 12 years; he had dementia and a whole host of other health issues. It was no fun, but we muddled through. The last two years he was in care because his medical needs were beyond my physical capabilities and medical expertise.
Make sure to ask for help when YOU need it! Call your local ADRC; they helped me in SO many ways through the years. Free help if your FIL qualifies.
This link is out of Atlanta, but they most likely have smaller offices in your own county (parish).
COOL! :)
Thanks, for your response and the resource, Diana! I’m sorry you went through this too. He was here part time then full time for several years, then memory care for nearly a year, fell and broke his hip which led to surgery. He is in stage 7, so after home rehab we opted to just keep him here for now and hopefully the rest of his days. Next week, I am interviewing a part time caregiver for the mornings as that is the hardest time - getting him dressed and into a wheelchair. He has lost the ability to walk, sit up, is incontinent, and cannot communicate much. He is still eating well so he could be in this state a long time. Hospice has been very helpful - they are not pushing us any direction, just supporting us with equipment, nurse visits and baths, etc.
Fortunately, he has a good pension which would cover just about any care he would need. He was an engineer for the DoD and NASA on missile defense systems (some of which are still in use today). He was brilliant, which makes it especially hard to see him like this.
“She dresses with much more flair than I do, though. “
Just as well! I do not think those are good gardening wear!
(Nice shade of lipstick though! Tomato red??)
You’re, ‘Lawrence Welk-um,’ as we say in Wisconsin. ;)
I recommend the ADRC anytime I see anyone struggling with caring for their parents or a disabled child. They are doing the work of ANGELS!
“He was brilliant, which makes it especially hard to see him like this.”
I know. My Dad was a Mechanical Engineer. And a Machinist, a Plumber and an Electrician. He helped build some of the first rocket ships to the Moon beside his Dad, my beloved Grandpa. *HEART* (They both worked in the same Milwaukee factory setting when I was a kid.)
And THIS is why I am always kind and respectful of any Old Geezer I meet. For certain they were Brainiacs and/or Hotties back in the day. We all need to remember that and treat our elders with RESPECT.
(She says, as she gets one step closer to ‘Geezerhood’ herself every d@mn day, LOL!)
D’oh! Sorry about the Bonnie plants. I hope they show up by you! I was thrilled to the gills finding those Shishito peppers you recommended. :)
Another failure I’m currently having is my Nasturtium. Of an entire FLAT I have exactly ONE germinated so far. Not sure what happened. I soaked them for 24 hours prior and it was all fresh seed.
This year is just ONE frustration after the next...and I’m not even talking about the weather! Ugh! This week we go STRAIGHT to the 80’s with rain & storms!
Proud of ya on your Asparagus patch. :)
For Mothers day I asked hubby to drive me to 5 places in Grand Rapids, 30 or so minutes away. All Bonnie dealers. Everyone got more plants evidently yesterday afternoon. But no shishitos anywhere. There is still next week according to what the Alabama headquarters said. I still took a bunch of seed and sewed it in 4 larger containers filled with our garden soil. The first 3 failed attempts were all in jiffy pellets. I still want some bigger plants but will only check the 2 local stores next week. I may break down and spend 16.00 plus per plant to have them shipped from Bonnie. That really goes against my grain. If these seeds don’t germinate I probably picked the peppers too soon and the seeds were not mature enough,
Oh, ALWAYS with the lipstick, but it has to have some sunblock in it. ;)
My hair is usually full of burdock and my nails aren’t that clean, or even painted.
Still, I clean up nice for a Friday Fish Fry and and Old Fashioned. ;)
“Fish Fry? Old Fashioned?” *Ears Perk Up*
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