The start of a new week
15 Jun 2025 05:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ursulas_alcoveWe've been experiencing flash flooding. It is raining again and will continue to do so for four more days before temperatures head into the 90s. Yikes.It's one thing to understand climate change intellectually but quite another to live in it. When I moved here 30 years ago, we'd only ever have a single day of 90 degree temps each summer. Now we are looking at a whole week of 90s, with summer just beginning.
The weeds are loving it. I've been working which means the yard has been neglected. I did manage to pull out spinach going to seed. Bush beans got planted in their place. The apple tree enclosure got weeded. Some fall potatoes got planted in grow bags and put into the apple tree enclosure. It allows me to know which bags were planted later. The grow bags without any growing green plants apparently froze out early when we had late frost. They each have small potatoes in their bag. That was a bit of a surprise. I am trying to chit those and get more fall potatoes going.My goal for potatoes is 30 lbs.
The overall goal of 325 lbs of produce is still dependent on fencing and keeping critters out. Still have not gone after the ground hog. I know it's still there as its entrance hole keeps getting bigger. I've seen it. It is massive. The tree removal went too late into my schedule which means a lot of the garden was not developed. Now we are into show season, the back cannot be kept weeded and productive. Currently I am at 17 pounds of produce.
For asparagus, I estimated 3 lbs but harvested 4.2 lbs. For Goumi berries, I estimated 3 pounds but probably won't get any. The goumi was covered by the fallen tree. I don't think it bloomed. It could be an every other year crop as many stone fruits are. I still need to trim it. The other mulberry has come into fruit. I haven't attempted to pick yet. I still have some of last year's in the freezer. Rhubarb needs to be picked before we hit 90 degree temps next week. I estimated 5 lbs. of rhubarb. I won't be sad if I don't hit that weight. I have more rhubarb jam, wine, and juice than anyone ought to have. Yes, 2024's is still in the freezer too. The whole total of 325 is a give and take scenario. If there are more peas and less lettuce, maybe it'll balance out. Parsnips were a crop loss. I do want to start fall beets soon as well as carrots.
For me, the biggest question will be tomatoes. I do need to work on those beds. I have three beds. Some are still in pots on the front porch waiting for the rain to stop so they can get planted into the ground. The sunrays (gold) are doing fine. Some of the purple Cherokee are doing okay. Still don't know why I have a spot where two batches failed. Did the neighbor's boy dog pee across the fence? My tomato goal is 120 pounds. If Canada's forest fire smoke continues, I'll have to say goodbye to that dream.
Three butternut squash hills survived the painters. Their ladder had been right on top of the squash. My squash goal is 20 lbs. Zucchini are also part of that. I have 2 zucchini hills. You might think that is a lot, but I have a hard time growing zucchini. Pumpkins and watermelon have yet to go into the ground. I need to lose a groundhog before the luffa can get planted.
Hopefully I can get the cucumber trellis going this week. That section is next on my list. I want a good couple batches of pickles. I am wishing for 20 pounds of cukes. Cucumbers can be succession planted. Currently there are four hills in partial shade. My problem has always been not having enough at the same time to can. While I am okay with refrigerator pickles, I'd like some to store for winter. Food allergies preclude us from most of the store-bought pickles. Dill is everywhere in the front yard so I'm good there.
Onions. My nightmare. I have two full beds of onions. Inconsistent watering, partial shade, lack of fertilizer, or maybe I just can't grow onions? They should be harvested about now. They are tiny! I estimated 5 pounds but I don't know. Each year I strive to do better. Each year I don't manage it. This year, the jury is still out.
The weeds are loving it. I've been working which means the yard has been neglected. I did manage to pull out spinach going to seed. Bush beans got planted in their place. The apple tree enclosure got weeded. Some fall potatoes got planted in grow bags and put into the apple tree enclosure. It allows me to know which bags were planted later. The grow bags without any growing green plants apparently froze out early when we had late frost. They each have small potatoes in their bag. That was a bit of a surprise. I am trying to chit those and get more fall potatoes going.My goal for potatoes is 30 lbs.
The overall goal of 325 lbs of produce is still dependent on fencing and keeping critters out. Still have not gone after the ground hog. I know it's still there as its entrance hole keeps getting bigger. I've seen it. It is massive. The tree removal went too late into my schedule which means a lot of the garden was not developed. Now we are into show season, the back cannot be kept weeded and productive. Currently I am at 17 pounds of produce.
For asparagus, I estimated 3 lbs but harvested 4.2 lbs. For Goumi berries, I estimated 3 pounds but probably won't get any. The goumi was covered by the fallen tree. I don't think it bloomed. It could be an every other year crop as many stone fruits are. I still need to trim it. The other mulberry has come into fruit. I haven't attempted to pick yet. I still have some of last year's in the freezer. Rhubarb needs to be picked before we hit 90 degree temps next week. I estimated 5 lbs. of rhubarb. I won't be sad if I don't hit that weight. I have more rhubarb jam, wine, and juice than anyone ought to have. Yes, 2024's is still in the freezer too. The whole total of 325 is a give and take scenario. If there are more peas and less lettuce, maybe it'll balance out. Parsnips were a crop loss. I do want to start fall beets soon as well as carrots.
For me, the biggest question will be tomatoes. I do need to work on those beds. I have three beds. Some are still in pots on the front porch waiting for the rain to stop so they can get planted into the ground. The sunrays (gold) are doing fine. Some of the purple Cherokee are doing okay. Still don't know why I have a spot where two batches failed. Did the neighbor's boy dog pee across the fence? My tomato goal is 120 pounds. If Canada's forest fire smoke continues, I'll have to say goodbye to that dream.
Three butternut squash hills survived the painters. Their ladder had been right on top of the squash. My squash goal is 20 lbs. Zucchini are also part of that. I have 2 zucchini hills. You might think that is a lot, but I have a hard time growing zucchini. Pumpkins and watermelon have yet to go into the ground. I need to lose a groundhog before the luffa can get planted.
Hopefully I can get the cucumber trellis going this week. That section is next on my list. I want a good couple batches of pickles. I am wishing for 20 pounds of cukes. Cucumbers can be succession planted. Currently there are four hills in partial shade. My problem has always been not having enough at the same time to can. While I am okay with refrigerator pickles, I'd like some to store for winter. Food allergies preclude us from most of the store-bought pickles. Dill is everywhere in the front yard so I'm good there.
Onions. My nightmare. I have two full beds of onions. Inconsistent watering, partial shade, lack of fertilizer, or maybe I just can't grow onions? They should be harvested about now. They are tiny! I estimated 5 pounds but I don't know. Each year I strive to do better. Each year I don't manage it. This year, the jury is still out.
