Late spring

Actually it has been so cool here here that even the brassicas and beets are way behind. Even had some cauliflower "button" for the first time since I left Virginia.

Cool here too Farmerdill...waay cool...we didn't get Big Red's frost, but folks were covering stuff like crazy.

Anyone who has their gardens out are just looking at stalled transplants and bare hills. It's taken longer than usual for the ground to warm this year...but the commercial farmers have been putting corn out for weeks now (haven't seen any up yet though)

This weekend's 80* temps should pretty much seal the book on the cool weather though...I'm going to finally put some things in the garden. I've sat on my hands and waited...just had one of those 'feelings' this year. I'm usually chomping at the bit by April 1 to get my tomatoes in the ground...I've been a very good girl and waited this time. Maybe it will pay off.

We keep getting these warm bursts followed by really cool/windy days. It's a fluke. I lost a bunch of tomato starts that I put out after the first warm burst due to horrid winds. But the corn is coming up as well as everything but it's too low to the ground right now to be bothered by the wind. Everything else got a 16oz. cup with the bottom cut off it put on it to protect it.
-Juli

It has been a cool, rainy Spring here in North Florida as well. Normally, I'd have my field peas, butterbeans, okra, and other heat lovers in the ground a month ago. This year most of them are just now breaking the ground.

.....Alan.

Boy you southern gardeners are lucky. Here in central VT, we will have frost this weekend, and the trees are just barely leafing out. My garden beds are still too wet to even walk on, and I don't expect to till for another 2-3 weeks. The stuff under my grow lights is all gorgeous, and I built a large coldframe this past weekend to get some of it out of the living room and kitchen, but I sure wish I could get some of it in the ground. The cool weather stuff like lettuce and spinach is no where near it's first harvest, and it's been in the ground (from seedlings I started indoors in March) for over 3 weeks. Don't mind me, I'm just whining!
Farmerdill, your garden looks beautiful!

Actually we went from Frost to 90 degrees in the past three weeks. couple that with zero rainfall in those three weeks and we have major plant stress. We have our drawbacks also. Now that we have heat, no water so growth is still minimal. I use traditional methods so I have to depend on rainfall.

This message was edited May 11, 2005 4:47 PM

It's been a late spring in my garden also here in the southern appalachians. We've has some rain but not nearly enough. My tomato seedlings are runts compared to what they usually are by now. The local native blackberries are just starting to bloom, which is late, hope we aren't in for a very late surprise frost.

92* here today and we had a bare sprinkle on Monday. Supposed to have a chance for a good rain by Sat. though.

My DH has since ran out of cups so now he is using plastic milk cartons and liter soda bottles. The soda bottles are on the green beans and they are looking really nice. They must like that moist heat. My garden looks really funny. I'll have to take a pic and post it.
-Juli

been cool and dry - planted beans in the dust hoping for a sprinkle or two.

Juli, that sounds like a great idea and like something I would like to try because I am so tired of dragging that water hose out there! I'll be watching for your photo.

My DH waters every morning. The overturned cups an dbottles are for protection from the horrible winds we've been having lately.
-Juli