I HOPE YOUR VEGETABLES are flourishing better than mine. Here, because of wildly-fluctuating temperatures (97 degrees one day; 62 degrees the next), my peas, broccoli, tomatoes and other edibles seem to have hit the “pause” button. Are your crops suffering the effects of weird weather too?
In the comments field below, tell me how your kitchen garden is progressing. (And if it isn’t progressing at all, don’t feel too bad. After all, misery loves company!)
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Eric says
June 13, 2011 at 5:02 pmSame weird weather here. Last year, I was harvesting peas at this time — this year I'm thinking I won't get any of these treats! Lettuce bolted last week when temps soared into the 90s. Other veggies are slogging along. Hopefully the weather will stabilize.
Terry says
June 13, 2011 at 5:09 pmYes, my garden is pretty much at a turtle's pace. Potatos are starting to flower however, I am guessing because I didn't get them hilled soon enough. The tomatos are a joke and the green peppers and cucumbers seem to be growing backwards. I do have strawberries ripening though. Even the weeds seem slow 🙂
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
June 13, 2011 at 6:03 pmEric & Terry – well, I'm glad it's not just my veggie garden that's so utterly poky.
On a more positive note, the herbs here are doing well. Lavender 'Munstead' — my favorite — is about to bloom.
Yaxue says
June 14, 2011 at 2:59 pmKevin, I stumbled on your article about the miniature greenhouse the other day and your blog–what a wealth of knowledge, information and techniques. I promptly referred it to a friend of mine who also gardens. I am new to gardening and, reading your postings, it feels comforting to get the kind of guidance and experience-sharing you provide here. Thanks a lot!
Speaking of vegetables, my cucumbers were attacked by the yellow-stripped beetles and I had great success in catching them in the early mornings until I almost din't see any of them anymore. Just when I thought I had eliminated the enemy and was going to have healthy cucumbers for the rest of the season (this is only a couple of days ago), two of them started wilting. I thought it was the heat, but they didn't even recover during the night and the cucumbers on them (there are a few finger-sized ones) became yellow and soft. I grow the Asian cucumbers. I did well last year until the squashbugs and beetles came in July. I know I made a major mistake growing them on the same lot. Do you have any idea what is going on? What can I do next year to have good cucumbers without using any chemicals? I live in Washington, DC. Many thanks!
Katreader says
June 14, 2011 at 3:44 pmMy garden is also way behind…partly because I still haven't started my raised bed. But I decided where I'm going to put it! lol. My stuff is mainly in pots, waiting, and there's not a lot going on. No sign of tomatoes, peppers or cucumbers. Several things died already-including my newest lavender-which was in the ground and looked as if something dug up and threw to the side. I didn't see that soon enough and I think it's a lost cause, although I did replant it. My fruit, on the other hand is looking good. I'm starting to see baby apples, cherries, and grapes. I'm sure I'll see signs of raspberries too. Now I just hope they can grow up healthy enough to harvest!
Broken Barn Industries says
June 14, 2011 at 6:42 pmOur tomatoes got off to a rough start- too much rain splash, not enough mulch- but they're looking healthier now.
Anonymous says
June 15, 2011 at 1:57 ameverything seems to be happy still but in need of watering… picked the first peas yesterday, have been eating arugula for three weeks straight it seems. Lots of green tomatoes, plants growing like crazy. Currants are almost done, I might get a great crop, provided my daughter doesn't eat them all raw…
Happy Gardening!
Annie
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
June 15, 2011 at 2:48 amYaxue – welcome. I'm so glad you find this site useful. It sounds like vine borers have infested your cucumber vines. Fortunately, it's not too late to replant cucumbers. I'd simply choose a new location, and plant another crop. You can protect the vines early on by inserting a cut piece from a paper towel tube over the emerging vines. Borers can not penetrate the cardboard tube.
Katreader – glad to hear your raised bed is merely a heartbeat away! I hope your fruit trees and grapes thrive for you this year.
BBI – Yes, tomatoes are fond of water, but if the plants are clustered, and the leaves stay wet, fungal problems are sure to arrive. Better get to mulching! (Salt hay substitute is my favorite mulch for veggies.)
Annie – I'm jealous that you have peas — mine are pathetically slow this year. Are you growing white currents of red? I have the opaque white ones, and they are thriving (mercifully). Sounds like you're going to get a rich harvest this summer.
Marilyn Wilkie says
June 17, 2011 at 12:56 amMy first garden in many years (I just retired in March) is actually doing great despite the incredible weather of this spring. Parts of our yard are still flooded. But the vegetables appear to be doing fine in their new raised beds. I planted the peas and lettuce very late but have kept them under floating row cover and the peas are just flowering now. The lettuce (tons of it) is ready to be picked. Have to send some to work with my husband. My wimpy tomato cages scare me, but it is too late to change them now.
http://flic.kr/p/9RBREL
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
June 17, 2011 at 11:02 amMarilyn Wilkie – welcome, and thanks for the link to the picture of your garden. Thank goodness for raised beds, right? Love the floating row-cover you set up.
Anonymous says
June 18, 2011 at 2:40 pmKevin, I have the red ones. I mix them with sweet cherries and they make a jam to die for!
Sunny says
June 19, 2011 at 4:25 pmI didn't plant anything this year but I did replant my strawberry and mints plants into the ground using my compost. I noticed the other day that my green bean plant is regrowing!! I didn't think they came back after dying the year before but low and behold…there's a vine growing! Even after our harsh winter too! I'll let you know if it reproduces anything.
Does Basil come back on it's own? Because I think I see that growing in a pot as well.
One more question…I had an onion that started growing inside (it sat for too long on the counter) so I just stuck it in a pot and it took off. But what exactly will I get from it?
Love your garden, btw!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
June 19, 2011 at 4:51 pmSunny – Green beans can certainly reseed themselves once the soil temperature becomes sufficiently warm. I'm amazed, however, that basil has proven perennial for you, if you live in a cold region!
As for your potted onion bulb: you can expect a few usable scallions! But eventually the bulb itself will rot.
despina says
June 20, 2011 at 12:03 amHI Kevin,
I want you to know that I sat with my dad and read your online magazine today for Father's day.
He is an amazing gardener. You should see his fig tree and his wonderful garden. It was a wonderful bonding experience. Thanks so much for sending this today while I was with my father.
Jackie McKeon says
June 20, 2011 at 10:58 amMy dill has gone mad! Taking over everything. Otherwise, everything else is at a crawl. My new perennial Hollyhock was doing great and I came out this morning to find all the leaves bitten off! What sort of varmint eats these????
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
June 20, 2011 at 11:45 amdespina – your Father's Day story just made my day!
Jackie McKeon – same hollyhock trouble here. I winter-sowed these 2 years ago, and eagerly anticipated their blooms this summer. However, either rabbits or woodchucks are eating the leaves. So…shall we both plant lavender near our hollyhocks? Rabbits and woodchucks won't trespass lavender in order to eat other plants.