Anyone else have too much rain?

We've had almost 3 inches of rain in the last week after weeks of no rain. Now all my tomatoes are cracking, especially the black cherries. BooHoo, those are my favorites. Today I fed about 8 to the chickens, not sure if they ate them as they can be real picky. They were kinda scared of the tomatoes at first and I haven't been out to check the run to see if they've been eaten. They have no older chickens to teach them... Maypop vines have taken over the front yard. I pull out 2 and 4 take their place. Not enough gulf frit butterflies to lay eggs on them yet I guess. Mulch has been washed away in places.

One good thing to come from all this rain. The pepper plants are thriving and the peppers are getting huge. I actually have bell peppers big enough to stuff this year, a first for me. Picture is of 2 Early Sunsation, Mandarin and Fat N Sassy. The long pepper is from seed given to me from MaypopLaurel - Amazing Laurel. Very good tasting both roasted and fresh. I'll try to let some get red, but its going to be hard. The ones on the right side are Goliath jalapenos.

Gee Becky, I've never tried an AL green! Better let a bunch turn red 'cause I didn't have a chance to germinate seed this year. My seed will be two years old when I grow it again. You'll have the F4 generation. Don't believe peppers maintain viability as well as tomatoes. Purchased pepper seed varieties usually come vacuum packed.The red ones will be very sweet. Let them start to turn and they'll ripen off the plant. I've got some Bonnie purchased Marconis because of the late start. No peppers yet, but the plants are wimpy and weak stemmed compared to my peppers.

Sorry about the 'maters. Mine are doing okay after all the rain. Things are sprouting around the garden that were dormant from the heat and dry soil. It's lovely to see signs of life. My plants are young for the season. We'll see what happens. I'm sure novel problems will present when planting starts the second week in June. Stay tuned.
Laurel

Mine are ok but we have been good about picking. Something murdered one of my hens so I am trying to sort that out. Going to be a good pepper year here.

BB

Hi Laurel, I took off some AL green ones since they were weighing the plant down almost to the ground. The hot cherry you gave me is doing really well also. I'll save some AL seed for you. They are really doing good. I gave a couple plants to a friend of BBs, so we'll see how his do also. I'm interested in how your plants do from the June planting. Maybe its possible to plant late and avoid some of the critter problems? I am loving the ease of caring for plants in growbags. One problem I see is the direction I made the rows of bags. Next year, I'll move them so they are east/west instead of north/south. More sun and better air circulation.

Hi BB, do you have raccoons around there? I've heard they kill chickens. Are you getting a lot of eggs. I missed coming to market cause we were in FL picking up the granddaughter. Hope to see you this week.

My peppers require a lot of staking because the plants are prolific. Still, you'll get pounds of fruit per plant for the labor. We put in thick, three foot high tree branches at the time we transplant (to not disturb roots later on). They can grow four feet or more! They need the support you'd give eggplants. We tie very week, once the fruit starts setting, or the branches will break.

Never seen one Becky. I'm sure there may be some around as we get possums. Thing is, this happened during they day.

Laurel:
I'm still staking peppers, They are going nuts.

BB

Bronx, do you have any of my peppers or are you meaning others that are requiring a lot of staking?

I was not able to grow anything from seed this year because of the late start. We began tilling June 8th. The garden does look good though. If folks have my seed, I'd love to hear how things are coming along and see some pics.
Laurel

Mainly ones I got from Becky. They are going crazy!

I'll try to take some pics today

BB

BB, If you have any Amazing Laurel or Hot Cherry from me, the seeds came from Laurel. Both of these are doing well here. Here is a not so good pic of the HC. The peppers are about 2.5 inches in diameter. Good smokey flavor. Becky

I mainly have the Asian peppers Becky

I wish I got the cherry peppers

BB

BB, do you have the KungPao? I am amazed at how well they are doing. My son is going to make curry with them, but I want to dry them for Kung Pao chicken...

Yes.

I have TONS of them. Will they turn red?

BB

Yes they should turn red. There are pictures in plant files. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/64031/

Becky to speak on the rain subject we haven't had any rain and things are starting to die :(
Its been dry here since June and i have watered and watered but it's just not the same as rain and my plants don't seem to be thriving at all.
Even with me watering in a couple day my tomatoes are wilted they have even begun to yellow and appear to be dieing.
We are on a well so some things don't get water in favor of others.

But my Watermelons and Cantaloupes are going like gang busters my moon and star vines must have at least 20 on them.
My Charentais (sp) Cataloupes have done very well also.

Where is Chickenville?

BB

Harmony,
Sorry you missed out on the rain. We haven't had any for awhile again, but the forecast says scattered showers for the end of this week. Hope some of them make it your way. My tomatoes aren't looking very good. I think it might be early blight. I should have put plastic or landscape fabric under the tomato bags, like I did with the peppers. Oh well, next year. I'll have plenty to eat if the ones set on now ripen. Sounds like you've got a great crop of melons. I never have success with those, get the vine borers and they all die.

Chickenville is a state of mind and not a place, I bet, for those of us who pine for avian domesticity. I'm sorely wanting chickens, but can't right now. We did raise ducks in the past and learned avians require a good deal of protection.

Half my chickens got loose the other day. Much hilarity ensued as we chased them through the woods

BB

Several years ago we thought Big Foot was in our woods. Weird screaming and tromping going on. Ended up a neighbor's ostrich was on the loose. I think she was happy to be reunited with her owner.

Well they do have big feet!

:-)

BB, that is so funny. I know they run fast, but I've been able to tempt mine back with cracked corn, then grab. Only one seems to try escaping. The others would rather eat and scratch. Of course, she's the smallest and fastest. Here she is eying the open run door.

Laurel, I can't imagine running into an ostrich in the woods. They are so big, I'd probably be running the other way.

I grew up in a Chinese kitchen and do love chicken feet. Wonder what ostrich feet would taste like? I've eaten the eggs. Well, while the topic is wandering, I had a friend with a turkey named Burt. Burt ended up being a girl. She kept giving me the eggs because she could not eat them. The are delicious, but very rich. If I have birds again, I'd definitely want turkeys.

Becky, I'd only say this 'cause I consider us friends, but that is some diddly chicken with apparent attitude. I'd just let it run off. BTW, what kind of real yard bird is white? Don't those all have names like P152 or something?

Well i went on a week vacation to the North Ga. mountains to camp and do some trout fishing sad to say i came back and one of my flower gardens that had my tomatoes in is dead.
Zinnias, Tomatoes, Stevia all gone and my grass is drying up if anyone has some spare rain please send it my way

We desperately need rain here in Winterville. It rained for the first time in two weeks about 3/4's of an inch, it's just not enough. Our grass has turned brown. Even though the state officially said the drought is over, it certainly isn't here and our water usage restrictions are still in effect.

Frausnow our grass is quickly becomeing brown and my butterfly bushes look like they will go if we don't get rain soon.
I don't even remember the last time it rained here could have been far back as June.

I know we are in a drought here everything is showing effects of it.


BB Chickenville is what my DH gave for the name of all my coops and cages where all my chickens and other critters live.
He said this looks like "chickenville" and the name stuck LOL
I actually live in the North East below the athens area