Temporary respite from the heat most likely. It'll get back hot again ,maybe not as hot.

I'd like to know how August is going to turn out. Well...maybe not.

Rick

I am shelling peas now, very sorry peas, but sorry peas is better than no peas at all. We are going to strip the vines and try to save a few seeds. I have always been able to buy pea seed cheaper than I could save them, but who know what the price will be next year, or even if you can find them, if every body's crop is like ours the seed will be $10.00 a pound, if you can find them. but I plan on having seeds before next year. We have young peas coming on, but they may be worst than the ones we have now.

I sprayed around the garden before I picked the peas. I think this garden is among the worst I have ever grown, the heat, and no rain has been murder on my garden.

Jen I don't trust the cool option... it's to far out.

I am with you Rick... not sure, if I want to know all about AUGUST.

Larry, yes, it's the heat, and the missing rain. ARGH!

I pulled the soaker hose. I had puddles in places... the biggest at the beginning... and no matter which hose I attached, it would make a huge puddle, and not much water down the rows.

Thus, I pulled it. Strung it all over the driveway, and turned the water on very easy. There it shows... big puddle at the beginning, and a yard and a half of no moisture. I marked the latter, and put a new fitting on at the beginning of the soaker... and will wind it back through my beds in the morning.

I do a lot out in the heat... but once I feel done... it's over.

Besides, it's always good to have something for tomorrow... LOL

Moni

Hi all--I've been sulking. There is just nothing except bad news on the vegetable gardening front. Between the heat and the grasshoppers, I gave up--although a few pepper plants are still going. Grasshoppers must not like peppers so much. They sure liked everything else, though! I have/had a lot of native plants that I didn't put out in the beds, as I suspected we'd have this grasshopper mini-plague going on, and so while they're not thriving in their pots on the porch, at least they're alive.

Things at the Lincoln garden are doing really well--we're getting nice tomatoes, okra (but awfully short plants), peppers. We're going to put in green beans, cucumbers, and squash for fall. I'm thinking maybe a little later than would be called for, just because of this heat.

The Oklahoma Gardening show came to Lincoln 2 1/2 weeks ago and interviewed John and filmed the garden. Not sure when they'll show it--sometime in August, she thought. So THAT was fun--fun people, fun time. We don't get OK channels so will have to wait to see it on you tube.

The most yard work here I'm doing is simply doing the absolutely necessary watering. Hope you all are having some successes. Best to you all.

My cucumbers are doing great but after I got stung on the top of my head by a bumblebee Saturday I will have to wait until dark to pick them.
Worst sting ever.
I haven’t had help or strength to put up fence. Someone needs to make me mad then I’ll get going lol.

I've resorted to watering containers & tomatoes that are in the ground. With the containers scattered through the garden, some of the other plants get a little residual watering. Other than that, everything else is on its own.

I have tried watering pretty regularly and I still have plants dying. The containers along the deck are doing the best, but not producing very well, they also get a lot of shade. My walking onions, and bunching onions in containers are still looking pretty good, they also get a lot of shade. I have a lot to learn on container growing, the plants seem to want more water and feed.

We shelled around a 5 gal bucket of peas yesterday, and have a little over a 5 gal bucket of dry peas to shell. The dry peas will be used for seed, or if things get tight we will eat them. I saved a lot of dry peas last year just to give it a try, Madge did not want to eat them when I cooked them, they were not as good as fresh, but with the right seasoning the would have been fine, but we planted them and they produced, but little water they produced very little.

I am having trouble keeping plants alive in the south garden. That garden gets full sun and I even have peppers dying. One problem I have in that garden is moles and gophers digging under plants disrupting their root system.

I still have Kim's grasshoppers here, getting fatter every day. I think they even sent a message back home inviting all their kin to come for a visit. They are getting so thick that I need to wear a helmet and goggles when I mow or work in the garden. Now, Kim do feel sorry enough for me to let me send your grasshoppers home?

Grasshoppers are definitely increasing around here.

I killed a few this morning while watering.

It's super annoying that they're eating the flowers off the native plants that were put in for the bees and butterflies.

But there's a lot of things that are annoying right now.

One of the annoying things is that although we'll have a "cool" down, the forecast shows the temperatures jumping right back up to triple digits next week.

If we could all just get a good soaking before that happens.

Even Portland is supposed to be 102 today.

About watering....

I'm continuing to water all the pots and raised beds at least every other day. I've made the mistake in the past to not water--just let it all dry out. But, something bad happens to the soil in those beds/containers once they dry out. I believe there's a word for it--hydrophobic or something similar. The soil has a hard time absorbing the water. It's weird.

Most of the things IN those beds won't rebound. They often have in the past, but this is the hottest year since we've lived here. Plus, the grasshoppers.

Like, Jen, I'm keeping the tomatoes watered--deeply watered. Rick is helping keep the okra and peas watered. They aren't great, though.

The plants in the hoop house look good. It's just as hot in the hoop house. I'm wondering if the difference has to do with UV rays. The shade cloth on the hoop house has UV protection, I think. I don't understand how all of that works. We have eggplant, Rick's super hot peppers, and 4 tomatoes in the hoop house.

If anyone knows anything that about UV and hoop houses, please share.

Even the peppers are weird this year. They (also) have been watered deeply. They're (the fruit) small and wrinkly. The sweet peppers have a shade cloth over them. I just don't know....

What a strange year.

The watering is done for the day, other than some pots that will be watered this evening.

Today will be spent dealing with some of the produce and cleaning up around here a bit. It's a mess. In the past week, we've had the dryer element go out, the kitchen sink clogged, and the dishwasher acting up. Luckily Tom was able to fix all of it, except maybe the dishwasher. Thought it was fixed, but Tom said it threw a code last night.

Be careful out there, Friends.

I also think the UV rays have something to do with the plants, my containers are exposed to the same heat as the garden, but less sun. My peppers and tomatoes are small also. I must learn how much to feed the container plants, they are producing better that the garden, but everything is small. I think you container growers are much smarter than I am, because the containers seem to take less work. I the best thing I have done for the containers is placing them on a shelf where I don't have to bend to care for them, or to mow or weed around them, plus having them near a water hydrant.

They keep backing off our chances for rain and a cool down. It WILL cool down, but not much is what is showing currently.

If you're a praying person, get to it!

They seem to be having a problem predicting this cold front, here's the NWS tweet on the front

NWS

Oklahoma Gardening had a segment on tomatoes, pretty basic stuff but they dived a little deeper on why plants don't set fruit in temps over 90 daytime and over 70 night time. Which we had 90 degree temps and high night time temps in May and June

Top 6 reasons why your tomatoes look bad

This cold front thing got me enthused to order some more seed for the fall.

Mainly a couple of varieties of turnips ,rutabaga, cabbage , broccoli (Arcadia) , corn salad.

That's in addition to what I got left over from the spring. Spinach , Swiss Chard , Collards , kale, lettuce , carrots , beets , kohlrabi ,...... all the cool season stuff.

Ran up about a $90 seed bill. Don't take me long to run up a $100 seed bill ( or worse) when the mood hits me. I'm glad I'm still working.

I hope it at least cools off in Sept.

Rick

Mesonet says August will be above normal temps

8 to 14 day temp outlook

God dam it . I heard hotter than normal but wetter than normal. Some weather boy in Tulsa said that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvc3E_evvgI&list=TLPQMTgwMjIwMjFw7cZA82fALA&index=3

What about the precip outlook?

Rick

Kohlrabi , the longly one in the cool season group

https://www.eater.com/22996600/what-is-kohlrabi-how-to-use-cooking-recipes

https://www.google.com/search?q=kohlrabi+vegetables&rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS689US690&sxsrf=ALiCzsYheyCsEoFCxVt-RjZl1ecpyfFHHg:1658886673377&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&vet=1&fir=VrLSJK0f95HfGM%252CLp67l93L7nantM%252C_%253BKvmYgW8zVzSLfM%252Cc_JeWFttXYEqRM%252C_&usg=AI4_-kQZUozOpkJjsGvqgaOM922EhP6jug&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj0mo63-pf5AhXPj2oFHX1LAAYQ_h16BAgmEAE&biw=1920&bih=937&dpr=1#imgrc=VrLSJK0f95HfGM

Kinda like the Eggplant in the warm season group

https://www.almanac.com/plant/e

Rick

Rick, an addict can always justify, that is what I tell Madge when I go into the Co-op. Madge has gotten to where she wont even go in with me, which is alright with me, cause I hate to see a grown woman cry.

I dont know if I can keep my stuff alive, I think we are one step away from having all outside watering cut off.

Neighbor told me yesterday that we had 3 pretty good chances of rain coming in the next week. I think he has been hitting the sauce. I guess you can tell that neighbor and I pick at one another all the time, he seems to enjoy it as much as I do.

Rick, you better get busy and make your garden larger so you will have room for all those seed.

Yep. that's a good idea. my corn just got shredded by the grasshoppers and that's after the coons dragged some of it down to the ground.

still haven't got my knuckle hull peas to come up.

Yeah I'm a seed addict , I'll fess up. Need to watch it about hitting the sauce myself. Heck Fire and all that.

At least my okra is starting to produce.

Rick

Rick, I hope it is dry enough that your pea seed have not rotted, if you have not watered I guess we don't have to worry about that. I found another container of saver Zipper cream peas. I really don't have any space left in the garden, other than planned fall planting, so I think I will mow a strip along the garden and just drop these seed on the short grass stubble, mow along each side discharging the clipping on top of the seed, water them in and see what happens. I have tried this a coupe of times before and was happy with the results, but the weather was much different then. I have not gotten good germination with peas or beans this year.

My okra is producing also, but I have not started picking it. I dont bend well and I often leave the bottom pods for seeds, but the okra is so short that I an afraid it stop producing before it gets tall enough for me to pick without bending.

I am still having critter problems. I do pretty well at keeping the deer out, but the smaller critters run under the electric fence. The rabbits are very hard on small plants, the grasshoppers are hard on ALL plants, and my grasshopper flock is really growing.

I don't even try to grow corn anymore because of the squirrels, coons, and crows.

I've been watering the pea patch once a week. It's been so dry I don't know if it makes much of a difference. Last time I checked , the pea seed is just lying in the dirt , hasn't even swelled up. Same for the fall sweet corn over at Jennifer's. I'm hoping it rains enough to bring it all on up.

We've been planting fall beans around the 1st week of Aug .If we do it this time might have to shade it right after planting.

Rick

I planted the skips in my Zippers a while ago. I have been watering every other day and still did not get a good stand.

Jennifer the kajari melon had such a rush on seed sales the last few years because of her that some people reported them not growing true to type. Many reported I guess I got my seed mixed up. I know when get bc seeds not to expect perfection. ……………….. Larry I regret to inform you that since you received your grasshoppers mine have increased to the point I too have to wear combat gear to go out. And they have eaten everything they can get to. I am so sad every time I go out. I still do not have the fence up. It is so hard for me some days. I hope it changes soon. I have asked for help but no one is available. I told my niece I may go out at 2 in the morning. It’s only 80 then.

Kim, it is all a plot, we are being conditioned to eat bugs, that is part of the new world order. I will eat very well judging by the way my flock is growing. We need to get in on the ground floor and create hybrid bugs, Tyson did with the chickens.

I can relate to not being able to do anything. I have been wearing a heart monitor for a month, and have seen 4 cardiologist. I really don't feel bad, I am just weak and have no endurance, and the heat just knocks the stuffing out of me. I have another procedure in August, then maybe we will know what to do.

I planted a few peas today, and looked for a cow and calf, which I didn't find, but with a new baby they some times try to hide.

Kim, I wouldn't have the fence up either. Not in this heat. I do the minimum....and find the shade.

There's a farm here--Looney Farm--who has been posting vids and pics on Instagram of her working at night. I guess she sleeps in the day and farms at night. I buy her stuff at the Farmer's Market when I don't have things that she has.

I'm in that season of the year when I start researching property in other states. Especially since our property often misses out on rain that the rest of the metro receives. I told Tom yesterday that I would happily take an extra month of winter in exchange for summer highs in the 80's.

I don't mind the winter. I get projects completed and it's cozy and relaxing.

I often wonder why the heck we stayed here. Family is the reason.

Property in areas with my ideal climate is very expensive.

I remember back in 2011/2012 , the farmers would go out to the fields at night and sleep in during the day. I'd see them out in the field at 4 am trying to bale corn stalks for hay with their headlights on them tractors.

Rick

I think on the large farms pretty well run their equipment around the clock at harvest or planting time. Some guys just have large equipment, and a crew and go from farm to farm doing contract work, but they need to have good credit to buy, or rent all the equipment.

I found the cow and her two calves this this morning, they are easier to find in the morning in hot weather. I fed them some watermelon rinds, which they were happy to get.

I got the north and south garden watered, but it may all be in vane, because the insects are eating what the heat does not kill.

I brought in 8 tomatoes yesterday, and 9 today, and they are all but finishes. My peppers are still dropping blooms. I have been getting enough peppers for the table, but not enough to freeze. I expect production will improve this fall if I can keep the plants alive.

Getting some rain here in the OKC area. Heavy in places., some power bumps and outages too. Jennifer's power has been out this evening. worth it just to get some rain. Might be some hope for fall gardening after all.

rick

Glad you are getting rain, I hope the power outages are not too bad.

Its still too hot here, but not quite as bad as it has been.

Jennifer's power is out probably for the night ,in case anybody is trying to contact her. I had a momentary power bump this evening.

It's worth it for the rain in this case.

Rick

So grateful for the rain.

Not so much for the power outage. Currently restoration time is 2:30. We plugged in the freezer and refrigerator to the generator just in case. We also ran a cord to our internet (our TV is internet) and a fan. We'll probably just sleep in the living room because, although it's not hot, it is very stuffy.

But...rain, though.

So happy about that.

Larry just in case you want to try something new: /

Kim, thanks, I dont remember of ever hearing of the stuff. I do have a nice crop of birds and toads that seem to like crickets.

We got a little rain, it started after we went to bed and has stopped now ( 1: 45 AM ) so I have no idea how much we got.

It is noon and 79 degrees, and looks like we got about an inch of rain last night, some plants look happy, some look like too little, too late.

Madge took me to the beauty shop this morning, you wont believe how pretty I am.

We stopped on the way back from the beauty shop for me to buy some plastic fittings to repair an irrigation tube, couplings were about 3 times what I use to pay for them, I thought we had 9% inflation. I guess math has been redefined also.

Kim, that looks like something I would see at the lake in a bait shop :)

Or at Bass Pro Shops.

We may have to learn to make biscuits out of that stuff, maybe gravy too.

Nancy, the last baby born on the place. ( Edit) I should have said first, and only baby born this year. The fellow that rents the place had baled the hay close then grazed the grass down to the dirt, then remover all the cattle he could. The black cow is the mother of the other two, she is a little crazy, and could not be caught in the loading pen, and was left on the place. The owner did not feed the cattle or the donkeys, so In fed them to keep them healthy, you can see by the looks of mother and babies that someone has been looking after them.

The two wild cows that the owner couldn't not run in the pin because they were so wild, he even hired cow boys on horse back, the cattle would lose them in the brush. They are eating range cubes out of Madge's hand. What is that we hear about catching more flies with honey, than with vinegar?

Peppers and tomatoes in tubs are showing stress. I think they need fed, but I dont know what to feed them, Egyptian onions and bunching onions in tubs look pretty good, but this container growing is new to me.

Grasshoppers are even eating the onions, but seem to like tomatoes better.

Looking from my northwest pasture, across the hwy into the wildlife garden, right of center is the north flower bed, left, and behind is the peas that may or may not make, but the past two rains have given them a little hope.

Here are 4 useless donkeys. Nancy, the center dark one is the BABY, she is larger than her older sister already, mother is on the left.

Looks like the rain greened things up some. might get some more tonight into Sat.

I might replant a little tomorrow over east when I get there . I figure last call for winter squash since it got burned up earlier. May replant some summer squash too , both yellow and patty pan.

Debating about planting a row of green beans , maybe some more cowpeas...

it's probably going to be the last call for warm season stuff for the fall.

hope the heat doesn't come back for too long.

At least the okra is getting into production.

Rick

Rick, the rain really made a difference here also. We have had almost no run-off, most all the rain soaked in. We did not have a lot of rain, but so far it is helping the plants, but we sure dont need the 100+ temps to return.

I need to plant some fall stuff.

I just remembered that the fences are not on, better go out and plug them in. Moni, I sprayed some Burmuda around the out side of of the south garden, it is sure easier to spray the stuff while it is still in the lawn than to dig it out of the flower beds or garden.

I got 1/10 of an inch of rain, then the second rain yesterday brought 1/20th... the cracks in the soil are still all over... and I hope, the "lawn" (really just weedy Bermuda) isn't in a hurry to grow again now. I kind of like not mowing.

I am putting an outdoor shower in. I want to cut down the mess I make when I come in from the garden.

Not sure about a fall/winter garden, but have to decide before long, where I will put my cold frames this year.

Moni

Moni, I would like to hear your ideas on an outdoor shower. I have a place where I can sit down and wash off my rubber boots, but no place to disrobe and shower. I do inter the house through the utility room, and can disrobe there. What I would like is a place to disrobe and shower and have the drain go to the garden. One of the problems I have, is I can work for such a short period of time that I am in and out of the house many times a day.