Returning again from afar..
So again it has been far too long between posts, and for that I am truly sorry.
The weather turned around a bit, offering some rain here and there so that supplemental watering was not absolutely necessary. The latest round of squash plants are doing well enough, though the germination rate was quite low, and some of the plants have remained small for some time. I am trying to refrain from watering them given that I believe I caused the early demise of the first crop by overwatering, a common problem. The root source in that instance is the fact that the soil in the new beds is all clay and I did not take the time to add sufficient organic matter to moderate the water retention.
For this fall crop I have utilized the secondary beds, the ones that get less sun, but which have been prepared for years, in hopes of getting a sustained fall crop. I reused the new beds after mixing in more manure and compost, and will simply hope for the best.
The last major event is that I have left the garden to nature's whim for some weeks as I travel for work, and a short vacation. So for the next month or so I will be out of my own garden, though hopefully enjoying the gardens of friends far and wide, ranging from Arkansas, to Kansas, to Canada.
Speaking of Canada, there is an amusing difference in perceptions that is easily seen with the dramatic differences in climates. While folks here (as well as Michigan as I passed through) complained about the "high temperatures" and "extreme heat" I felt wonderfully comfortable. These "high temps" are all of 85F or so... For Texans this is a cool day.. One of those differences that becomes apparent when we radically change our gardening locale.
As always, all the best to my gardening friends. Feel free to share your own stories here and to offer any suggestions or comments.
Brian
The weather turned around a bit, offering some rain here and there so that supplemental watering was not absolutely necessary. The latest round of squash plants are doing well enough, though the germination rate was quite low, and some of the plants have remained small for some time. I am trying to refrain from watering them given that I believe I caused the early demise of the first crop by overwatering, a common problem. The root source in that instance is the fact that the soil in the new beds is all clay and I did not take the time to add sufficient organic matter to moderate the water retention.
For this fall crop I have utilized the secondary beds, the ones that get less sun, but which have been prepared for years, in hopes of getting a sustained fall crop. I reused the new beds after mixing in more manure and compost, and will simply hope for the best.
The last major event is that I have left the garden to nature's whim for some weeks as I travel for work, and a short vacation. So for the next month or so I will be out of my own garden, though hopefully enjoying the gardens of friends far and wide, ranging from Arkansas, to Kansas, to Canada.
Speaking of Canada, there is an amusing difference in perceptions that is easily seen with the dramatic differences in climates. While folks here (as well as Michigan as I passed through) complained about the "high temperatures" and "extreme heat" I felt wonderfully comfortable. These "high temps" are all of 85F or so... For Texans this is a cool day.. One of those differences that becomes apparent when we radically change our gardening locale.
As always, all the best to my gardening friends. Feel free to share your own stories here and to offer any suggestions or comments.
Brian
posted by Storm at 7:25 AM
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