We're on the verge of Stage 2 water rationing. Drip irrigation is still permitted but only in the early morning and mid evening. Hand watering is permitted anytime.
My supposedly disease resistant hybrid tomatoes (Celebrity, BHN-444, Tycoon) have caught something. Leaves turning brown and shriveling up. Since we're having 100 degree days, I'll doubt I'll get more fruit or see the plants revive. Once the fruit shows a blush, I'll pick them and pull up the plants. Steve Smith, one of our local television weather guys, showed off some of his Tycoons during a broadcast. He definitely needs to share some his gardening techniques! The tomatoes looked GOOD. My heirlooms are still thriving.
But, I'm already looking forward to the Fall. Next week I'll start my tomato seeds for transplanting in mid-July. Our average first day of frost hits around 15 November. I'm going to ignore the recommended hybrid varieties. Instead, I'll be planting 3 or 4 each: Virginia Sweets (80 days), Jetsetter VFFNTA Hybrid (64 days), First Prize VFFNT Hybrid (75 days), BHN 640 VFFF Hybrid (75 days), and Grandeur Hybrid (70 days).
The best performers in my little garden this Spring are the Baby Cucina cucumbers. Even at nearly six dollars for ten seeds, the plants have produced more slender 3-4 inch cukes than we can possibly eat. And, they're still producing! Though not anywhere near as productive as the Cucinas, I'm very impressed with the Suyo Long cucumbers. Last two I picked were 24 inches long and maybe two inches in diameter at their widest. Cooked up one in my fabulous sweet and sour pork!
Gotta go string up my two bean towers. The pole beans wanna climb!
Happy gardening!
And as usual the idiot gubment has the restriction backwards.