N&C Midwest: May 2019

@Scorpio Rising wrote:
I brought my starts in for the night due to the threat os severe weather.

Me too.

I got a nice surprise for Mother’s Day, a compost bin thingy!  I am gonna leave it open to the Earth...but it will be a nice upgrade appearance-wise for my back yard!  I think this is it...my boys got it for me

https://www.gardeners.com/buy/cedar-compost-bin/8597527.html#q=compost%2Bbin&simplesearch=submit&start=6

So excited!!!!

What a wild night of weather!  Pounding rain, lightning & thunder, high winds, and small hail. Then, about an hour later it started all over again!  Not much sleep to be had.  Fortunately, I went out to check the gardens and they came through in good shape. A few leaves broken off the peppers and tomatoes, but the plants themselves are standing strong. The tender leaf lettuce leaves took a beating, and got beaten into the ground, but they'll regrow quickly.

And then, there are more storms forecast for tonight....

@OhioGardener wrote:What a wild night of weather!  Pounding rain, lightning & thunder, high winds, and small hail. Then, about an hour later it started all over again!  Not much sleep to be had.  Fortunately, I went out to check the gardens and they came through in good shape. A few leaves broken off the peppers and tomatoes, but the plants themselves are standing strong. The tender leaf lettuce leaves took a beating, and got beaten into the ground, but they'll regrow quickly.

And then, there are more storms forecast for tonight....

All of the above here, but our damage was more from wind than hail and ended earlier. We're getting the day off today, then another round of the same -- or worse -- tomorrow.

I just put my plants out, tomatoes, and 2 eggplants.  Fluffed (vermiculite, peat, several composts) 3 legacy beds.  Also planted my 4 basils.  My dill is super small...not ready for prime time!  

https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/19/25/77/83/d5e04510.jpg


https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/19/25/77/83/dce94a10.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/19/25/77/83/9534ae10.jpg

It is WET out there...thank goodness for raised beds with MM!!!  Muddy foot and garden/water dog Z!!!

Nice, Scorpio. Why are your pics links instead of embedded?

Installed the new, redesigned drip irrigation system  on the raised beds today so they will be ready for summer when it comes. Last fall I tore out the old system that wasn't working as well as I would have liked, with the plans of installing a new one this year. Last year I had three 1/4" drip lines evenly spaced (13" apart) down the length of the beds, with the drip emitters spaced 9" apart, and it did not work well. I had to leave the water on for too long a period of time in order for the water to be absorbed into the soil between the drip lines or between the emitters. This resulted in too much water near some plants, and not enough water near others.

This year I put four 1/4" drip lines evenly spaced (8" apart) down the length of the beds, with the drip emitters spaced only 6" apart. After the installation was finished, I let the water run for about 15 minutes, and it watered the soil much more evenly than it did last year. When the hot, dry summer days hit we'll see how it works, but it should deliver more water quicker than before at any rate.

@countrynaturals wrote:Nice, Scorpio. Why are your pics links instead of embedded?

I use an iPad, and it’s the only way I can get them on here at all.  I used to be able to get pics, but there was a change a couple years back...not sure...

Nice set-up, OG!!

@Scorpio Rising wrote:Nice set-up, OG!!

+1

The cattle panels are in place on the raised beds for the cucumbers and squash to climb on. The cucumbers and squash are usually planted around the 1st of June, and we're quickly approaching that time. I started hardening off the plants today, so they'll be ready for transplanting soon.

Think it is about time to get the squash & cucumber seedlings transplanted out into the raised beds. This is their 4th day of hardening off, and the roots are starting to grow through the pots. I usually plant them around the first of June, so everything is about on schedule.

@OhioGardener wrote:Think it is about time to get the squash & cucumber seedlings transplanted out into the raised beds. This is their 4th day of hardening off, and the roots are starting to grow through the pots. I usually plant them around the first of June, so everything is about on schedule.

I started that task yesterday -- just a few more left to do this morning.

That’s my task bar for today, here as well.  Cukes, melons and squash going in, maybe the nasturtiums and marigolds.  Need to hand-till the area by the milkweeds, and it rained a bit so ground will be nice.  Also have 4 peppers ready to go in, had to buy some at the nursery, mine are like an inch tall...

Hopefully will get a peek between the raindrops to get some stuff done!

@Scorpio Rising wrote:That’s my task bar for today, here as well.  Cukes, melons and squash going in, maybe the nasturtiums and marigolds.  Need to hand-till the area by the milkweeds, and it rained a bit so ground will be nice.  Also have 4 peppers ready to go in, had to buy some at the nursery, mine are like an inch tall...

Hopefully will get a peek between the raindrops to get some stuff done!

Got mine done, but I have room for more, and it's still early, so I'm gonna go back through my seeds and see what I can find to fill in the holes.

Love it, CN...I have some space too, which is nice for a change!  More links of pics I took today!

https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/19/25/77/83/e0d0af10.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/19/25/77/83/c1c18410.jpg


https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/19/25/77/83/c886ab10.jpg

4 peppers, and a first ever zucchini!

4x4 with baby Bok Choi going to seed, left it, tiny bees loving it!  Peas yet to yields...no idea...radishes and spinaches done...need to thin kohlrabi and beets.  

Strawberry bed loaded with immature berries..cannot wait!  


The number of uploaded stuff is exceeded...next pic is in a new post...and the story!

https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/19/25/77/83/46274e10.jpg

South annex, melons and squashes...left one empty (with a bunch of purselane growing in there!) for an iffy Blacktail Mountain watermelon...looks weak.  Not so sure.  Will plant something there if no watermelon this year!  

So, today I got the cukes, melons, squashes, peppers in...trellis up.  Still need to support maters, but did pinch off some stuff on them.  

Dodging rain, had a 1” downpour this morning early, so had a chance to “dry” out...not so much!

It is so nice to see the tomatoes beginning to bloom - summer is really here!  The first two plants are Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, and the third one is a Brandwine.

The Rainbow Chard is so beautiful, and so tasty, this year. We've had two servings of it so far, and it was great!  But, last night the Deer discovered how delicious it was, and they cleaned it out! Grrrrrrrrr............

The good thing is that they left the crowns of the plants so that they will re-grow. Today I must put wire guards over everything to preserve them. Such a beautiful garden yesterday, so much bare soil today.

Finally got the tomatoes transplanted to their containers.. and a bird came along and bit them off at the top! .. ugh.. good thing I had extras.. 

Spinach bolted, but peas are coming along.. a few blooms.  The guy who built my tabletop garden for my patio has had health issues, so that still isn't here.  All is planted that I can so far. 

This May has been cooler than normal.. I wore a sweater/jacket on May 20th.  Nights are just getting over 50 .. I have a feeling it will turn hot quickly though.

Transplanted the squash and cucumbers into the raised beds today - 12 squash and 4 cucumbers.  Just as I was finishing up planting them a thunderstorm came in, so I didn't have to water them in.    The plants should be very happy tonight - they had roots already growing through the pots, and now those roots are in the soil where they belong so the plants should be rejoicing.  

Same here, OG & nrstooge...things are in, still need to support maters.  6 cukes in; planted thinner than last year but plan to stagger which I have never done!  I have a couple flowers on my maters too!  

https://i.servimg.com/u/f62/19/25/77/83/51a14e10.jpg

Cukes on trellis!  Room for more...

Want to get some potatoes in...and mow, and support the maters.  And plant carrots.  Think I can start some ground cherries?  Or is it too late?  I didn’t realize it but had used all the seeds, had to re-order...


Also need to pot-up sunflowers, garden not ready to put in, and they are outgrowing their current starter cubes!

I'm glad to see all of you in this Region getting your gardens in. May June be a glorious month for you.