So Cool! Heavenly day

15 years ago

It is 78 and breezy(northerly) at 10 am. I am certainly hoping it brings in a rain, if not for me for those who need it even worse than I do.

Dawn, I hope the new gardeners read your remarks about Ok having two distinct growing seasons separated by midsummer heat. I have been noticing that some people are talking about having lettuce, beets, radishes in July in Ok and as you know that is a recipe for disaster. I always plan to have all the early stuff out by July, even the lettuce sold as "heat tolerant" only lasts through June for me. And I usually wait until mid-Sept to plant fall stuff unless it cools down and rains in early Sept. This year tho I will plant bush beans in Late Aug if I have to water them.

And Dawn, the okra that I planted in solarized soil like you described last year is doing great so far. I am going to solarize more of the garden this year. I would love to be able to raise potatoes without scab. Dorothy

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

Okiedawn OK Zone 7
15 years ago
Hi Dorothy!

I want to whine and stomp my foot and demand "Where is MY cold front?" LOL

It is 100 degrees here with a heat index of 105 and no rain yet. I THOUGHT we were supposed to be around 93 to 95 degrees here today. Well, even though 100 and "feels like 105" is no picnic, it is better than 106 and "feels like 116", which is what we had last week.

And, yes, I have noticed that some folks are planting their cool season crops while the soil and air are still too hot. I'll repost the fall planting dates and maybe that will help clarify things.

I am glad solarizing your soil worked. I hope to solarize some of my beds soon. I've been to too many fires and wrecks in the last week and my routine is all messed up and I am behind, behind, behind.

I bet if you solarize your soil, it might take care of your potato scab, unless your soil pH is just not what potatoes like. Also, I think there are some potatoes that
are scab-resistant (of course, that does not mean scabproof!) and if I can think of which one or ones are scab-resistant, I'll let you know.

I hope your DH is feeling well, and of course, hope the rest of y'all are well too.

Dawn
mulberryknob
Original Author
15 years ago
I sure hope it gets to you. We didn't get any rain here in Western Adair Co, but the eastern part of the co did. My parents 16 miles away, got 1/2" and DH said that he bet an inch fell in Lowell Ark where he works--62 miles away NE. But at least it was cool today.

Yes DH is doing better. He is on Levadopa/carbidopa plus some supplements that he feels help as much as the meds. I learned something else interesting. I have always known that he is red/green colorblind. Statistically, men with this genetic trait have a higher incidence of Parkinson's. Now if they can figure out why, maybe they will know how to prevent it.

I need to pay more attention to the soil temps. I usually just plant by the date and air temp, but sometimes stuff doesn't do well. I do want more beets and bush beans this year. I used to have a soil thermometer. Need to buy another one, if I can find one. Dorothy
Related Discussions
What are your vest veggies for long cool days & short seasons?
Q
Comments (7)
Although not as humid up here in the FAR north, I certainly can relate to short, cool seasons. In addition to your list I would and do grow every color of carrot I can find, bush beans (both dry and snap),turnip, spinach, lettuce, swiss chard, bok choy and any other leafy greens I may find. I have started growing a few Asian vegies (more leaves) in the past couple of years. You might try some of the short season varieties of corn if you want a bit of a challenge. Many are early maturing, short season hybrids. Seed available in many Canadian seed catalogues. If it is worth mentioning, cherry tomatoes grow like crazy up here. Less time to mature and they are super sweet. I have many but a few favorites. Easily started from seed in April. :) Ginny
...See More
Keeping cool in the olden days
Q
Comments (42)
It can get really humid here and we didn't have an a/c until I was 16. There were 6 of us kids still living at home and we shared bunk beds. It would get so hot in the summer I would sneak out of bed and go lie in front of the screen door just for a breath of fresh air, and eventually the others would do the same thing The windows we had at the time in the house didn't even have screens and only 3 round pigeon holes for air until my Dad made some 5 inch wood framed screens to slide under the window. I remember one of my older brothers bringing home a box fan and we were thrilled until it somehow caught on fire. My Dad would also run the blower on the furnace to bring the cooler air up from the basement. My friends and I would often make sheet forts across the clothes lines held down with rocks in my friend's backyard and 3 of us would camp out on the really hot nights. I don't tolerate heat very well. I haven't had the use of an air conditioner for a few years now and rely on fans. I bought a new window air conditioner last year which has been sitting in the corner of my kitchen waiting to be installed and hopefully it will get installed this summer. I am fortunate my house stays comfortable for most of the the day if I keep the windows and doors closed on really hot and humid days. I have big west facing windows so the house doesn't heat up until late afternoon. So far we haven't had unbearably hot and humid days yet but they will come.
...See More
Can I cut daylily buds the day before so they bloom the next day?
Q
Comments (7)
I too have never had much luck with this cutting in advance . If I were you , I would have someone cut the newly opened scapes the day of the wedding . It will be much nicer than hoping to have blooms from previously cut scapes with a good chance that no blooms open on the scapes the day of the wedding . Note: I just edited this post as upon rereading I was thinking that perhaps you would not understand what I was trying to say . The words got in the way . .
...See More
Another Cool Day; Probably The Last One Till Fall
Q
Comments (16)
Thank you, Julia and Mantis. Mantis, I have actually had one single incident where a deer ate the buds off my Roman Consort and that was about four years ago. A couple of them have been seen around here but so far I am lucky so no spraying. And you are right, I do love to walk out and see what is blooming each morning. I pick blooms off so they won't interfere with new ones and so the pictures look better. And, I do indeed try to figure what might bloom the next day. Julia, remember I offered you a start on Catastrophe Waitress. I was lucky enough to get it from Chris when she moved and quit daylilies. I think about her every year when CW blooms. Since I enjoy seeing bed. shots, so, I post mine too. kay
...See More
Okiedawn OK Zone 7
15 years ago
Dorothy,

A tiny smidgen of rain has fallen here--less than 1/20th of an inch so far, but a friend in the northern part of Love County (near the Greenville/Overbrook area) got 1/2" a couple of hours ago, so I keep hoping. What we got was a grassfire started by a dry lightning strike. It just figures, doesn't it!

I'm glad DH is doing better. I always think of y'all when I hear the latest info on Parkinson's research mentioned on the news. That is interesting about red/green colorblindness being linked to a higher incidence of Parkinson's in men.....it helps drive home the point that there is obviously a genetic link, doesn't it?

Don't waste your money on a soil thermometer.....you can use an ordinary old meat thermometer (not the fancy instant-read type)! I know, because I have both, and used them both, and they registered the same. I keep my "garden" meat thermometer in a labeled ziplock bag so DH or DS won't use it as a meat thermometer!

Our soil temps have been scarey during the heat wave, with unmulched soil reaching 120 to 140! I won't be sorry to see this summer end.

Dawn

So Cool! Heavenly day

Comments (3)

Okiedawn OK Zone 7

mulberryknob
Original Author

Related Discussions

Okiedawn OK Zone 7

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

So Cool! Heavenly day

Comments (3)

Okiedawn OK Zone 7

mulberryknobOriginal Author

Related Discussions

Okiedawn OK Zone 7

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

mulberryknob
Original Author