Rain, Rain, Go Away...

[journey11]

We've got rain forecasted for 8 out of the next 9 days. We've just had rain, and lots of HEAVY RAIN, almost every day last week (except for a most beautiful Saturday). I am going nuts waiting to plant! I didn't want to be *too* early because of the crazy late frosts we've been getting. Now I'm running on late! Anybody else going stir-crazy waiting on STANDBY?



(BTW, we did *need* the rain, just not all at once!)

I'm potting up all my tomatoes and peppers into sour cream/cottage cheese containers I saved over the past year. This is helping them get a little stronger, rather than getting root bound hanging out in their tiny cell packs too long.

You should see my grass! I could mow hay!

 

[lesa]

Oh no- I hope this is not going to be the refrain again, this year!!!! So far, we are okay here- but last year it rained constantly! Good idea transplanting to larger containers- they will be fine. Can you start hardening them off-between rain storms? Good luck!

 

[journey11]

Can you start hardening them off-between rain storms? Good luck!

LOL, that has been the interesting part. They're pretty much hardened off now and ready to plant. I've brought them in and out so many times I can't count. A couple times I forgot and they got a good pounding, but perked back up. I had to top the dirt off the last time because they got washed out. When it comes in sideways, no spot on my porch is safe! They should be really tough by now!

 

[vfem]

We've been getting our first rains in like over a month. My water bill for watering my garden was getting EXTREME!!!!!

I'll take another day or 2 of rain this week.

 

[boggybranch]

Hold on a minute. Gotta get the dictionary down and look up this word "rain"......be right back.

 

[Whitewater]

journey --

We had what you're getting. It gets worse before it gets better. We had cold, rainy, dank, not-able-to-plant days for THREE SOLID WEEKS recently and it has just lifted over the last few days.

Yeah, I was going crazy. That weather almost killed and definitely stunted my hybrid tomatoes (so silly me went out and replaced them, only to find the originals coming back, slowly but surely . . . anybody want some tomatoes!?), and it wasn't good for *anything* that was green and growing.

There were even articles about the farmers up here (and all the way down to Nebraska) worrying about their crops, it was some seriously nasty stuff.

Now, of course, it's bright and shiny and warm, perfect gardening weather. And it's going to continue perfect for another week, according to weather.com, so . . . hunker down, and get through it, would be my advise.

And don't plant tomatoes!


Whitewater (still going crazy, the world is conspiring against me, I STILL haven't gotten my seeds in the ground . . . )

 

[Ridgerunner]

Strange how different it is in different areas. I've had just enough rain but not too much until a little more than a week ago. Then 5" in 8 days. I know for some people, like in New Orleans, that is not a lot, but up here it is. I expect I'd love to have one or two of these days in July, but enough is enough for now. The forecast shows more for tomorrow and Thursday, but then it is supposed to dry out.

I already had several things in, like tomatoes, but when I saw the forecast of extended rain, I took a chance and got my beans, squash, okra, and cucumbers in, plus my first planting of corn. I was afraid the ground was still too cold for these things to sprout, but it looks like they all came up real well. I tried the same thing last year and it did not work out at all. I know we are supposed to learn from our mistakes, but maybe there is some benefit in being a wild eyed optimist.

 

[digitS']

There is risk to life. I've considered just looking at dirt for 12 months out of the year. Instead, being a little obsessive about hedging my bets is more fun .

So, more seed than should be needed is ordered. More plants than should be needed are started. Planting dates are staggered so that if there's a chance to set things out early, that can be done. If there's a wait, there's another batch of upstarts coming along.

The compost pile gets quite a few of my plants, no question about it but it isn't just me out there, the compost pile gets hungry too.

Tomatoes transplanted out yesterday, now Saturday morning low temperature is forecast to be 34F . . !

If you aren't living close to the edge, you're taking up too much room (False Bravado ).

Steve's trembling digits

 

[Grow 4 Food]

Well, It did rain on the first so it is going to come. That is if you are the farmer almanac superstitious type.

 

[journey11]

journey --

We had what you're getting. It gets worse before it gets better. We had cold, rainy, dank, not-able-to-plant days for THREE SOLID WEEKS recently and it has just lifted over the last few days.

Yeah, I was going crazy. That weather almost killed and definitely stunted my hybrid tomatoes (so silly me went out and replaced them, only to find the originals coming back, slowly but surely . . . anybody want some tomatoes!?), and it wasn't good for *anything* that was green and growing.

That's where I am right now. And terrible washouts from such heavy rain. I know better than to plant carrots or beets right now. I did that last year just ahead of the long bout of rain we had and ended up with carrots coming up in the yard! I have little canyons cut out on the low side of my garden from the run off. The ground can't hold any more. And I live on top of a hill! There's been a lot of flash flooding in the valleys. My corn is up and loving it though. I've got some fabulously lush kale out there I wish I could get to and pick. I keep craving it for dinner. Thank goodness my peas are on the perimeter. I did get pumpkins and melons in ahead of the rain (transplants). I will have to start most of them over from seed though, I figure.

Whitewater, my tomatoes in flats took a pounding too. You would not believe how resilient tomato seedlings are!

I hope some high pressure will come through and push some of this rain on down to you Southerners. Sorry we took more than our share! LOL