Let's see those '11 gardens!

Originally Posted by jjirons69

You send me 3-4" of rain, I'll send you 100 sq ft of gardening space, complete with compost and mammoth earthworms.

Careful what you wish for...
Just sayin'.

[jjirons69]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

Careful what you wish for...
Just sayin'.

True that. Let's just say we could use a little rain, weekly, spread out over the summer.

[Scothew]

Originally Posted by shilala

On the watering...
Hope this helps!!!

Great advice, thanks!

I need some advice on my herb rack though on the form of a heat problem. i made a wooden rack, its open air, with a tin cover over it to keep rain from beating down on my herbs. Its on my back deck, which gets afternoon sun from mid-day on. I put some netting across teh front so to difuse the sun some. Most of herbs have sprouted, but i htink the heat we've gotten is building up and hurting them a bit. My established mint plant definitely is noticeable downward slide since the past two 95+ degree days.

Should I move the rack to where its in a more shaded area, or should I try to put a fan or something under there to move teh air under it more since im afraid the tin roof is holding in the heat and causing the temps to go that much higher.

Thanks again in advance, as you can tell I am new to all of this plant stuff. Just something the wife and I got a wild hair to try and do.

[jjirons69]

I'd remove the tin roof. I've always planted my herbs in full sun, full rain. When they're first sprouting, the rain may be a little hard on them, but within a week or more, they should be able to handle themselves. Babysit them - bringing them in during rain showers until they get big enough. The oppressive heat can also weaken them. The problem with putting them in the shade is they grow leggy and lose rigidity.

[Mr B]

Its just pouring rain here! We have not seen a full couple of days of sun in weeks. My plants look like runts.

[Scothew]

Originally Posted by jjirons69

I'd remove the tin roof. I've always planted my herbs in full sun, full rain. When they're first sprouting, the rain may be a little hard on them, but within a week or more, they should be able to handle themselves. Babysit them - bringing them in during rain showers until they get big enough. The oppressive heat can also weaken them. The problem with putting them in the shade is they grow leggy and lose rigidity.

I had them in full sun first time around, and it killed all the sprouts within a day. Thats why i built a shade type rack.

Im stumped as to what I should do.

[Ahbroody]

Originally Posted by Mr B

Its just pouring rain here! We have not seen a full couple of days of sun in weeks. My plants look like runts.

Pretty much the same here.

[Average Joe]

My peppers are doing well. So well I have started freezing every day! Cucumbers and squash have been devastated by the heat. They don't like this 100 degree weather. Tomatoes have been holding full size green tomatoes for almost a month now. Nothin happening with them.

I think year 2 of Alabama gardening will just be peppers. I think I'll grow enough to have them frozen for year-round treats.

[SvilleKid]

Originally Posted by Average Joe

My peppers are doing well. So well I have started freezing every day! Cucumbers and squash have been devastated by the heat. They don't like this 100 degree weather. Tomatoes have been holding full size green tomatoes for almost a month now. Nothin happening with them.

I think year 2 of Alabama gardening will just be peppers. I think I'll grow enough to have them frozen for year-round treats.

I generally plant large pepper crops no more than every 3 years. Takes about that long to use up all I have frozen from last big crop. Lots of tomatoes, but I can a lot, plus salsa most years. Thinking about making my own tomato sauce and canning it this year. Most peppers I grow seem to freeze whole just fine!

[hotreds]

beans beginning to sprout!

[jjirons69]

Still no rain, not a drop, not even a cloud hinting of rain. It's been 7 weeks since we last got rain and that was 0.25 inches. Strangely eerie in the neighborhood, hardly any lawnmowers on the weekend. All the grass is brown in non-watered areas. The grass boarding the highways is dead. It's the saddest I can ever remember. Just to save my grass investment, I've been watering with a manually sprinkler twice a week and I've cut my grass once in 2 months. It's crazy.

The squash are all done. The vine borers finally got them. I'd had my share of squash anyway. Still lots left in the frig. Starting to get tomatoes and cukes. Peppers aren't far behind. I've got some GIANT jalapenos maturing. I'll take a shot of the first I pick. It's gonna be a burner!

Nice looking beans, Hugh. Soy?

We have been getting sun for a change. Still not warm. I took some pictures.
Zukes, mellons, yellow onions, leeks, a tomoato and some cukes in the fore.
White onions, beets, carrots, bok choi and cukes next box back.
Heirloom tomatoes in the back box.


Beans, radish, sugar peas, lettuce, beets and stray stuff that just grew.


Potatoes!


Corn, berry box to the right, star squash in the fore, and 'chokes.

[jjirons69]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

Potatoes!

You can almost hear those taters growing, aye, Lance. They look good. Should have a nice haul!

[thebayratt]

Originally Posted by jjirons69

Still no rain, not a drop, not even a cloud hinting of rain. It's been 7 weeks since we last got rain and that was 0.25 inches. Strangely eerie in the neighborhood, hardly any lawnmowers on the weekend. All the grass is brown in non-watered areas. The grass boarding the highways is dead. It's the saddest I can ever remember. Just to save my grass investment, I've been watering with a manually sprinkler twice a week and I've cut my grass once in 2 months. It's crazy.

The squash are all done. The vine borers finally got them. I'd had my share of squash anyway. Still lots left in the frig. Starting to get tomatoes and cukes. Peppers aren't far behind. I've got some GIANT jalapenos maturing. I'll take a shot of the first I pick. It's gonna be a burner!

Nice looking beans, Hugh. Soy?

Its about the same here too.
We just had a few thunder clouds come through and it only drizzled for less than 5 minutes.... I have my garden on a 20min daily timer in the afternoon and the green beans are withering away due to the heat. There is a big Pecan tree shading them some, but not enough. The Cucumbers have died off or something got ahold of them, all but one is dead. May replant.
All of the soybeans are done, got all i needed. Planted some lima beans I had left over to see if they would come up; some are. A few of the dead green bean plants i pulled up and replanted more. The seedlings are about 6" tall in a few weeks.
Its going to be a hott summer down here!!

[hotreds]

Yup, soy beans! I like corn better, it creates a really nice fence, but, oh, well. Soy beans get almost knee high!

[Mr B]

Nice pics Lance. Thanks for sharing. Things are slow going here. All that late rain got a bunch of my tomato plants looking kinda funky. The sun is finally shining and the veggies are liking it. Will try to get pics soon.

[shilala]

Just this morning I finally got my garden ready. It's a 40'x3' piece against the house between the house and the sidewalk.
The big holdup was the sidewalk. We just poured it yesterday.
The plants are out there waiting, and I'll have them all in this evening. I'll be a bit behind, but not bad at all. I gathered some really nice plants at the co-op that will put me right about where I should be.
The weather this year has been far less than stellar. Really good grass growing weather, but not good for plants. I've got the grass doing really well, and put in three really nice beds for hedges and bushes and stuff, so the time wasn't wasted.
I'll try to get some pics when I get all planted and finished up.

[Mr B]

Glad to hear it Scott

[shilala]

The garden is in. I still have to plant lettuce and other salad stuff. Beans and snow peas would be nice, but it ain't gonna happen.
I took pics, but I'm shot. I gotta grab some couch. I'll try to remember to post pics tomorrow.

[jjirons69]

That's what happens when you're old...