After the torrential rains, not only did our gardens get soggy but a few spots had bad washouts, little mini canyons here and there. And yes, they did wash out quite a few seeds in some spots. Because they were so wet, it took a while for them to dry out to even walk in. (I got the golf cart garden-mobile stuck in the North Garden’s main path. No, I didn’t realize it was that wet! Will had to pull me out with the Kubota.)
Finally, they did dry out some, allowing me to re-plant some sweet corn with the Earthway seeder and plant some melons that the seeds had rotted in the wet ground, by hand. Meanwhile, Will got the last of the corn planted in the North and Wolf Gardens with the Ford tractor and two row corn planter. There were still some wet spots he couldn’t go over but we planted what we could.
Today, I planted the last of the broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage plants and a row of Umpquah broccoli seed. One of the best harvests of broccoli I’ve ever had was from a direct-seeded row, years ago. It was too late for cabbage worms and the plants yielded lots of perfect heads and side shoots, even after frosts had come. I’m going for that again this year.
Will got the potatoes hilled yesterday as it’s supposed to rain today. Again. He’s also been busy mulching various plants and rows in the Wolf Garden. Meanwhile, I managed to steal a little time and can up some on-sale walnuts and some half pints of wonderful honeyberry jam. It’s one of our very favorites! — Jackie
Hi Jackie and Will
Just curious: I see the headphones Will wears all the time. Is it a radio or just noise canceling? If it is used for radio/podcasts/music can you tell me the brand? Thank you and many blessings!
I’m 69 this year and live alone but got someone to bring me a load of compost and til that in.. I planted beans and squash, cucumbers, cantaloupe, tomatoes, cabbage and onions. A week later I started having excruciating pain in my right leg and it doesn’t stop… sciatic nerve pain my dr said…
Well now the garden is covered in grass. I can’t bend over to Joe or pull weeds. Oh well maybe it will look better next year.
Yours always looks amazing.
Oh, no, it doesn’t. We have our weedy times too. I totally get the bad pain in your leg from sciatic nerve pain. Been there; done that!! No fun. You might try mowing between the rows if the grass is too tall. That often helps a lot. Or, if the rows are too close together, a battery string trimmer (doesn’t weigh much and always starts) will work. Hang in there and get better soon!
We had torrential rains and huge HAIL here in N.E. Washington. The hail destroyed many cops, like, tomatoes, cabbage, beans, and flowers. There were also gullies in farm roadways that were two feet deep! To add insult to injury our yard flooded big time sending 100 gallons of rainwater down the cement steps to our basement, flooding the area with 3 inches of water. Oh boy.
Cole crops go in here about February. They are history now as they don’t do well above 90 and with us hitting triple digit…….. Can replant about August/September and enjoy them all “winter”. Don’t laugh. Yes, Texas has a “winter” and we get what many here call “snow” (being from SW Colorado I call what we get here “white snot”). Heavy rain shortly after planting scares me for exactly what occurred with you with the wash outs. Can’t help but wonder how many off placed plants you will find this year.
I’m sure we’ll have lots of “renegades” showing up in odd places. It must be nice to have a winter crop. : ) We do too. Snow!!
That would be we will be getting .4″ of rain for the next three days.
Hey, when it’s dry, ANY rain is a blessing.
I have garden envy, pure and simple. Yours looks great, mine, not so much. Here in south central Ohio, we were in the 90’s for 10 days with no rain. I watered but we are back to high 80’s no with no rain. We are supposed to get 4 ” each day for the next 3 days. I’m hoping
that is correct. I can see your gardens are looking lovely, gullies and all. I applaud your hard work and excellent outcome. I will have tomatoes, I babied them for sure, so I will be canning those. Glad you are well enough to do all that has to be done. Although I’m pretty
sure you would do it no matter how you felt… Have a wonderful Fourth of July!
Thank you Sherrie! You too! I sure hope you get some rain. We well remember the drought here two years ago. Not fun!!
Garden is beautiful. My husband and I are about your age and we are having to really cut back.
Mostly because of health problems. We have a small garden with just a few vegetables to eat.
I will have to buy most of my vegetables this year to can. Mother nature throws a wrench in our life and we just have to step back whether we want to or not. If I lived close to you I would love to buy from you and maybe even help you pick a few things.
If you lived closer to you, I’d give you plenty of veggies!! You’re right. Sometimes we just can not do what we’d like to be doing. Health has lots to do with it. I know both will and I wish we could do what we did even 10 years ago. But we do what we can and are grateful we can do that!
I recently got a Kubota L3600 -used. It will need some TLC but I’m very excited. I too had to replant some items due to excess rain. I harvested and froze a banner crop of peas-best ever. We had peas and baby red potatoes in white sauce-hmm heavenly. We got another 1.75 inches of rain. We have a chance of rain 7/4-crazy! Turn the spigot up there! Weather is always a challenge . For the first time I’m seeing bean rust on the leaves-ugh
Oh boy, creamed peas and baby potatoes is one of my very favorite dishes!!! To die for. We’ve got to wait though. Our potatoes are only about a foot tall but growing daily. Congrats on the Kubota. Ours is such a huge help is so many things. Happy Fourth!!
Canning walnuts ?? Never heard of it, will check your book when I get home. on a little get away at Bear Lake in Utah and Idaho. Enjoying the cool nights. You have had a chalenging spring !! Happy gardening
I absolutely love canning nuts. It’s so easy (see my book!), fast and they are good for decades. I got so tired of opening a bag, using some, then having the rest go rancid!! Enjoy your get away!!
We keep getting rain – not torrential but each time we get at least .5 inch. A small deer, whose mama neglected/didn’t have a chance to teach him/her deer don’t eat green tomatoes. Did a number on our plants. Family member usually has excess and there are true farmers markets in the area. By true I mean sellers don’t buy from grocers or “seconds” from commercial growers. Bummer for sure but it is what it is. We’ll be better “guarded” next summer.
Watching the yellow squash plant – not sure if excessive rain, blossom rot, and/or squash bugs.
Yep, deer love green tomatoes!! In Montana, we had deer come through our garden and eat them all the time. Until we put up a 6′ high fence. Then WE got to eat tomatoes!!
It’s good you have a “real” farmer’s market! Mom and Dad used to drive from our home in Detroit, out to a farmer’s market along a road every Saturday and pick up produce to can and stock away for winter. It was really fun for me to see all that great food!
Always a first time – we’ve ever had an issue at this house or the other. Been gardening for over 30 years.
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