Hey everybody!

[nachoqtpie]

Hey guys! Sorry I've been gone so long!! Things have been a lil crazy here.

So, just to let you know what has happened since the last time I was on.

The kids and I went to Texas to visit my momma... and left hubs behind to take care of the house. Boy was THAT a mistake!!! It was almost like he didn't take care of the garden AT ALL! I was so angry when I came home! Two weeks and all the grass had grown up and I could barely even see some of the plants! The corn was a complete loss, as were the pumpkins, but I kind of figured they might not make it anyways with the way that we were having to try and do surgery on them to get the vine borers out. The watermelon was almost a loss as well. We got ONE melon off the vine, and I don't even think it was really ready, but he had let the grass grow up so much that I couldn't even see the plant let alone the fruit.

We still had some great looking peppers and tomatoes tho!! Then Hurricane Irene decided she liked peppers and tomatoes too... so now we don't even have those.

We had to pull the apples and our one pear off the trees trying to save them. Surprisingly, they made it through! Both the apple trees are leaning tho. :/ I'm trying to decide if I want to steak them back up or not. Opinions? The grapes are doing fantastic! Four of the raspberries survived as well as the mulberry tree, but sadly the kiwis did not. I think it had more to do with our dog deciding that was his favorite spot to hike his leg rather than the weather.

We still have the blueberries and the strawberries tho! LOL I guess all in all this was a fantastic learning experience and I hope to be able to do it all over again next year, but be MUCH better prepared and plant things at the time that they're supposed to be, and to have a bunch more to add for next time! :tools

 

[vfem]

Well Welcome back! Sounds like what I went through this summer. Irene took out several of my tomatoes too, mother nature was on the war path. I was also laid up and laid out for so long weeds got a hold of quite a bit. My husband paid no mind to my garden, it wasn't his problem while I was down and out... I'm just glad he was able to help with the wee one, and do some laundry and stuff. I'll take what I can get sometimes!

Next year will be better, you know what to look out for, and you know where to come for help!

 

[lesa]

Oh dear, what a disappointment! The family is planning a 2 week vacation next July- and all I can think about is- "who will take care of the garden!" I am afraid I would come back to the scene you described! You will be ready for next year...you can spend all winter planning!

 

[digitS']

We all should go with our strengths, qt. And yet, we can't control random, natural events - like hurricanes.

For me one year -- it was a volcano!! I mean, just try to put a cork in these sorts of things!

So, you now have some good ideas about those plants that did about the best that they could in your garden! Maybe space for those plants can be increased (and the dog's free run, limited .)

Steve

 

[nachoqtpie]

Oh noes!!!! I'm so sorry you've been sick! :-(

Thats what I keep telling myself! "Next year I'll do this" and "Next year I'm going to place this here"

I guess that means that I'm a real gardener now, eh?

 

[nachoqtpie]

Well... I TRIED to tell the hubby to plant the kiwis somewhere OTHER than the fence line because I could just see these tiny little plants being bombarded by doggie pee! He just wouldn't listen to me stating that we weren't going to be able to get an arbor right now... and even when I told him that we didn't really NEED it until next year... he still wanted to plant on the fence line.

I can honestly say that I've had enough of mother nature this year... Hurricane Irene, then the left overs from Lee, the earthquake, super duper hot summer... I'm ready for fall... and hopefully a nice mild winter!!

 

[jojo54]

Welcome back! Yes the weather has been weird everywhere this year. We had a cooler, damper spring and a cooler than usual summer and now we have had 3 - 4 days of 35+C. Now when almost everything is out of the garden. Oh well, and yes gardeners always plan for next year - even if you have a great year - next year will be better. It gives us something to do during the winter. :rainbow-sun

 

[nachoqtpie]

I showed hubs the plans for the garden next year and he said "My... you ambitions are very high, aren't they?"