The key words are "hot" and "dry."
We had some days early last week in the mddle to upper 90s. At least 97 one day. Then, suddenly, it cooled down early this week to the mid 40s at night to the mid 60s for a day or two. Actually three days. Today, though, it was back in the mid 90s. We haven't had substantial rainfall for about seven or eight weeks. Probably less than two inches total. We are officially in "moderate" drought condition now. This has allowed me to get my garden pretty well cleaned up of weeds. Now, I will have to do a lot of hose dragging and sprinkler moving.
Here is the earliest corn I planted, around the last day or two of march. There was good soil moisture when I planted, and it has had 1 to 1 1/2 inches since planting. It is on the back side of the place. It is an old, open pollinated variety that is much more drought resistant than modern hybrids. That, and the fact that there isn't too good a stand may save it, if it gets a little rain in the next ten days. Here, we are hauling some water to a few rows, so I can get at least one good mess to eat. The corn is about waist high. If it had gotten an inch of rain early last week, it would be nearly head-high now.
Here is the sweet corn (Silver Queen Hybrid). It should jump after it is watered. I plowed it and fertilized it last week with nitrogen.
This is more field corn, Truckers Favorite, another old open pollinated variety. The first picture is after an application of herbicide about two weeks ago, but before plowing. You can see where the spray nozzles did not lap between the second and third rows from the right.
Here it is after plowing:
Here is an example of a dreaded garden disease. It has various names: Ferguson Wilt, Ford Pestilence, and John Deere Blight. Whatever it is called, it is caused by the same pathogen.
Tomatoes. The vines are loaded with blooms and fruit. I have been watering them, of course. I set these about a month ago, and I set six more plants yesterday. I have a soaker hose under them now so I can water without wetting the foliage.
Watermelons. They are sending out runners and a few blooms are on some vines.
Sweet taters.
Pinkeye peas. Just the right of the peas are five plum trees I planted late winter. To the right of the trees is okra.
All the garden stuff should literally explode with growth now. I have plowed it, fertilized it, and am now watering it. These are hot weather crops, on pretty good soil, with adequate fertilizer. The only limiting factor now is water. I have a good enough well that I can water the garden without worrying about depleting my water table. Barring some kind of disease outbreak, I hope to show pictures of most of this stuff twice this size in a week or ten days. So far the electric fence is keeping the deer out. Keeping my fingers crossed.
We had some days early last week in the mddle to upper 90s. At least 97 one day. Then, suddenly, it cooled down early this week to the mid 40s at night to the mid 60s for a day or two. Actually three days. Today, though, it was back in the mid 90s. We haven't had substantial rainfall for about seven or eight weeks. Probably less than two inches total. We are officially in "moderate" drought condition now. This has allowed me to get my garden pretty well cleaned up of weeds. Now, I will have to do a lot of hose dragging and sprinkler moving.
Here is the earliest corn I planted, around the last day or two of march. There was good soil moisture when I planted, and it has had 1 to 1 1/2 inches since planting. It is on the back side of the place. It is an old, open pollinated variety that is much more drought resistant than modern hybrids. That, and the fact that there isn't too good a stand may save it, if it gets a little rain in the next ten days. Here, we are hauling some water to a few rows, so I can get at least one good mess to eat. The corn is about waist high. If it had gotten an inch of rain early last week, it would be nearly head-high now.
Here is the sweet corn (Silver Queen Hybrid). It should jump after it is watered. I plowed it and fertilized it last week with nitrogen.
This is more field corn, Truckers Favorite, another old open pollinated variety. The first picture is after an application of herbicide about two weeks ago, but before plowing. You can see where the spray nozzles did not lap between the second and third rows from the right.
Here it is after plowing:
Here is an example of a dreaded garden disease. It has various names: Ferguson Wilt, Ford Pestilence, and John Deere Blight. Whatever it is called, it is caused by the same pathogen.
Tomatoes. The vines are loaded with blooms and fruit. I have been watering them, of course. I set these about a month ago, and I set six more plants yesterday. I have a soaker hose under them now so I can water without wetting the foliage.
Watermelons. They are sending out runners and a few blooms are on some vines.
Sweet taters.
Pinkeye peas. Just the right of the peas are five plum trees I planted late winter. To the right of the trees is okra.
All the garden stuff should literally explode with growth now. I have plowed it, fertilized it, and am now watering it. These are hot weather crops, on pretty good soil, with adequate fertilizer. The only limiting factor now is water. I have a good enough well that I can water the garden without worrying about depleting my water table. Barring some kind of disease outbreak, I hope to show pictures of most of this stuff twice this size in a week or ten days. So far the electric fence is keeping the deer out. Keeping my fingers crossed.
