No pictures today. :-(
This has been one of the hottest weeks I can remember around here, and it got started on Sunday, during the 9 hour-long outdoor death metal concert me and the boys went to in Atlanta. Most of the shows were on small stages affixed on top of an asphalt parking lot, and let me tell ya - that was definitely brutal! However, once the big shows started in the amphitheater area, things were definitely cooler. It rained some, and was surely welcomed - that's for sure. For the record, I think Rob Zombie had the best show (really weird, but good), and the other bands were just "ok".
Now for the garden....Although the peak temperatures of summer are beginning to take their toll on some of the plants, most everything is doing pretty good. All of the squash plants were removed on Monday evening, because of powdery mildew and lack of pollination. It was a pretty good crop this time around, and we certainly have plenty in the freezer for use over winter months.
Cucumbers are still doing their thing, but the bugs are really arriving in large numbers for them now. Both varieties of cucumber beetles can be found daily, and even squashbugs are making the vines home, too.
Beans have really slowed down alot, and i'm contemplating removing them altogether. Okra absolutely thrives in the heat, and is one of the best performers in the garden right now.
Tomatoes are still doing their thing, too, but quality of fruit has diminished just a bit. I expect them to rebound once the temps cool down a bit, though.
The sweet potatoes are trying to take over the yard, but I still keep directing the vines toward the center of their respective containers. I can't wait for this years' harvest!
The largest melon (which is the size of a basketball) will be picked this evening, and i'll definitely take a picture of it - as well as check the weight. It should weigh in around 15 lbs., I figure.
Another butternut squash has set fruit, too, and that makes 2 so far. I hope more will do the same, as the vines are still looking pretty healthy right now.
Other than that, it's just miserably hot right now, and i'm trying my best to keep me and my buddy Jude cool. She gets a shower with the garden hose on some evenings, and just loves it.
Take care and happy gardening!
EG
14 comments:
I think that you sent your HOT weather up here to us. It is so so hot today...I can't stand it!
Can't wait to see a picture of that Big Melon!!
That's very cool you have a 15 lb melon....I didn't even bother growing melons this year because it's hit and miss around here. Sounds like you all had a good a time at the concert : )
Sorry to read about the bugs attacking the cucumber plants! That is terrible. Our cucumber plants aren't doing so well either. I think it might be powdery mildew. Sigh!
I was so envious all day while you guys were at the festival. Glad you had fun regardless of the heat.
So sorry the asphalt roasted you like a bunch of potatoes at the Mayhem concert. I hope you were able to enjoy some of the performances.
I hope cooler temperatures head your way soon.
You poor things. Concert sounds like fun, and the garden sounds par for the course. Isn't it fun how we're just done with a crop by the time it ends? I don't usually miss things once I yank 'em out.
Robin - it looks like hot weather is here to stay...
Susan - after weighing the melon, my guessing was conservative. :-)
meemsnyc - oh gosh, bugs are just terrible right now, and the powdery mildew is certainly something that's difficult to deal with, too....
ribbit - envious? It was pure hell! Hehe...ok, the music was cool, but temperature was just unbearable..
grafixmuse - it was definitely a scorcher, and i'm glad to be back home...
This time of year is so brutal on our gardens and ourselves! 105 here today, I won't be going out today! 9 hours of death metal in the heat, hope you drank a lot of water LOL!
Glad to hear you had a good time at the concert despite being roasted a bit!
The garden sounds like it is being really challenged by the onset of heat and bugs. Our challenge has been the lack of heat around here this year. The good side of that though is that the bug problems have been minimal this year.
It's been pretty hot around here too! Not only did we have one of the hottest Junes on record, yesterday we beat the 80 year highest record! Almost felt like we were in TX again! Happy to have rain today! The garden needed a nice drink of water! Looking forward to pictures of your melon!
When it's so hot, just be glad something is producing! Lucky dog!
Erin - I drank alot of water and energy drinks, which thankfully kept me hydrated.
kitsapFG - this has definitely been a strange year for weather!
ShawnAnn - my garden needs a drink too, and hopefully will receive one this evening..
Gardener - yeah, you're absolutely right - I guess I should feel rather fortunate.
That's great to hear about the 15 pounder!
We don't have that many bugs in our cucumbers, but what we do have is mice eating everything. We've put out traps and got 7 of the little chompers so far. I think they're even eating the blossoms off our our squash!
I've been hiding inside a lot due to the heat. I can't wait for tomorrow when it breaks here. Of course what I consider hot and what you think of hot are probably two different things. I'm such a heat wimp.
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