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redding_gw

I want to DO something!

redding
12 years ago

Hello all,

This is so frustrating. I keep going out and looking at the gardens as I'm moving the water around and I just want to do something to fix it. Obviously, there's nothing that can be done but wait it out. If any of us could control the climate, we'd all be out there doing a rain dance. It's not only way too hot to stay outside for very long, but I'm not even pulling weeds except in shaded areas because I don't want to uncover even more soil to be heated up and dried out. I'm just leaving the whole mess as a living mulch to provide as much shade and cooling as possible. The veggie garden is such a disaster that I figure it can't hurt anything. The mulch around the tomatoes, peppers and squash is keeping them all relatively weed free, and the plants are already so stressed that I don't want to do anything at all that would disturb them even more. It may look like a tangled jungle out there, but I'm afraid it's just going to have to stay that way until the end of the season. If I can't fix it, I'll just have to deal with it as it is and plan for next year. So, to ward off gardening frustration, I'm interspersing the watering chores with periods of planning and shopping for next year. I know it's insanely early, but it's either that or go kick rocks!

One thing I'll have to say for it, it is certainly pushing me to make major garden revisions, and rethink my plant materials at the same time. I've already begun ordering seeds for next season and am eyeing the tomato lists that you guys posted last fall. I'm such a novice when it comes to tomatoes. We've always just put in the plants that are locally available and gone with that. There are dozens of varieties on your lists that I've never even heard of, so next year is going to be another learning experience. I had never heard of the Tess's Land Race variety, among others. That's one that tends to get very tall, isn't it? And the fruits are tiny but full of flavor? I don't care much about size. I've never been one to want a huge tomato with no flavor in it. My goal is to find the best varieties for the flavor.

I'm also on the trail of the wide Italian Bachicha beans. I found a farmer in MT who has been back in touch with me and I may be able to get seeds from him. The things are all but impossible to find, and I love the flavor of them.

I suppose that, if there's anything good to be said for a year like this, it's that it pushes us to be more efficient gardeners as well as sharing ideas for coping with problems. Heaven knows, we've had more than our share this year!

Pat

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