California - What are you doing this month?

I'm having much the same problem.  The weather with May gray has been deary to say the least and it seems to go from overcast, damp, cool and blah out to blazing sun don't want to be working in it.  Air temp will be 74, but put a thermometer in the sun and it'll say 95 in a blink.

Yesterday i trimmed a hedge, chopped it with the my hand hedge shears and then mixed it with dried leaves to fill a 50 gallon compost bin.  Already to 100, which isn't bad since overnight temps were high 50s.

This morning, I cleared a square of defunct radishes, pushed aside bolting onions and planted the nine surviving bush green beans.  Planted the golden zucchini seeds to get them started after confirming yesterday that the green beans rotted away again.  (ugh, I realize what I just typed and that means the green beans seedlings I transplanted weren't green beans, they were the telegraph improved cukes.)  Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, been having a real struggle outside to get seedlings to not rot away if I keep them moist enough to keep them from drying out.   The news paper pots are a nice concept, but here in SoCal, I'm having quite a horrible time with them.

Anyway, time to cut this short.  I need to go salvage the cukes, if I can.

Yea, that's going to be a bust now I think.  My original plan was to start a bunch and take the four strongest and plant them in front of the mature row of cukes in the back after removing the onions.  I've now, attempted to move, but could tell too pulling the paper pots in and out of the SFG tended to open the pot bottoms disturbing the roots, which for cukes is no bueno.

I moved a few.  Stuck one over in a trial spot next to the bed and left four out where they were in the front corner which means if they grow they'll need to trail along the ground in front of the beds.

No_Such_Reality wrote:Yea, that's going to be a bust now I think.  My original plan was to start a bunch and take the four strongest and plant them in front of the mature row of cukes in the back after removing the onions.  I've now, attempted to move, but could tell too pulling the paper pots in and out of the SFG tended to open the pot bottoms disturbing the roots, which for cukes is no bueno.

I moved a few.  Stuck one over in a trial spot next to the bed and left four out where they were in the front corner which means if they grow they'll need to trail along the ground in front of the beds.

Argh. Sorry to hear your plan and actions didn't line up. Did something similar to myself this year - went to transplant something (don't recall what), went out to the intended square in garden... and found myself staring at a square of garlic plants.
Could you try letting them grow on pepper cages (i.e. the tomato cages that are too short for tomatoes), spiral them around the tiers, to get them at least part off the ground?

sanderson wrote:95*F forecast for Wednesday!   I still don't have all of the sun shades in place and still need to seed the melons, string up the indeterminant tomatoes, and try to get some replacement herbs started.  Why is it taking me forever to get squared away this year?  

97 here today. I had the stomach yukkies all day and couldn't garden. WAAAA! Poor me!  Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler and hopefully I'll feel better and be able to get something done.

Country, Hope tomorrow (Thursday) is a better day for you.

I have 3 squares of garlic where cantaloupe and butternut were planned. Amazing how we plan each square and then either memory or nature won't cooperate.

sanderson wrote:Amazing how we plan each square and then either memory or nature won't cooperate.

I can seriously relate to that!
CC

CapeCoddess wrote:

sanderson wrote:Amazing how we plan each square and then either memory or nature won't cooperate.

I can seriously relate to that!
CC

Same here. I gave  one square to a spaghetti squash and it said "Are you serious? I'm taking 4 - get over it!"

Country, Spaghetti squash is good to trellis, otherwise, the vines keep going and going.

sanderson wrote:Country,  Spaghetti squash is good to trellis, otherwise, the vines keep going and going.

LOL! IT IS TRELLISED! I've given it a 4x4 to climb and tied it up in 2 places. I think it wants to take over the known universe. 

I got it all done, today!   Transplanted all the rest of my little veggies into the sfg. Repotted a dozen small milkweed plants into 1 quart containers. Moved a spaghetti squash out of a congested square and gave it a container of its own. The poor thing isn't happy about it. I hope it survives. Now I'm taking the rest of the day off.

Recent activity:
Mini-BTE with peppers    I removed the remaining chips, added homemade compost and chicken manure:

KY Wonder beans really climbing with the double trellis and extra interior string trellis.  Some are up 5'. This is the last bed to get sun in the spring.

Over-wintered orange bell:

Over-wintered Atkinson tomato:

Basraywa tomatoes with BER:

Millionaire Eggplants with beautiful purple flowers and deep green foliage.  Worth planting just for the colors.

Cucumbers Muncher - not quite ready but tasted good.  I've never had such healthy cucumber plants with such large leaves.  They are doing good with the double trellis and interior string trellis.


Overview, West to East view of former flower bed.  The dead grass will be covered with weed fabric and pine wood chips.  Sweetie's catnip has white flies so I am cutting it down.  Will spray with Neem and cover.


Determinants in newest table top.    I'm really happy so far.

Area with 4 table tops.

Sanderson ... thanks for the walk through your garden. It's lookin' good.

Ooo, Sanderson, I LOVE your garden. Thanks for sharing.

So nice!  The cukes and beans are SO healthy! Those over wintered tomatoes look yummy!  Did they start flowering and/or fruiting inside?  Or maybe you didn't need to over winter them inside?

CC

CapeCoddess wrote:So nice!  The cukes and beans are SO healthy! Those over wintered tomatoes look yummy!  Did they start flowering and/or fruiting inside?  Or maybe you didn't need to over winter them inside?

CC

Your beans are looking real nice as well as everything else.  Congrats on the cucumbers.

Wow, really nice Sanderson.  I  am envious when you speak of peppers and tomatoes overwintering (I miss that about California).  I like what you did with the PVC pipe to make A-Frame.  Nice work on everything!

IT'S RAINING! 

countrynaturals wrote:IT'S RAINING! 

I'm very happy for you.  You have a larger property with trees so you really need it.  I can squeak by.  PS:  I see room for some perimeter table tops and one in the center in your garden.  Is the contractor available for hire?

Windmere wrote:Wow, really nice Sanderson.  I  am envious when you speak of peppers and tomatoes overwintering (I miss that about California).  I like what you did with the PVC pipe to make A-Frame.  Nice work on everything!

Yes, California's milder winter climate is a big plus.  None of the PVC parts are glued so I can reconfigure as needed.

Thanks everyone.

sanderson wrote:
 Is the contractor available for hire?

LOL! He has a to-do list 10 years long. After that, you can have him.

Love your garden, Sanderson! Looks beautiful and yummy!

Hi Sanderson -- is there a name for the greater than 90 degree angle PVC connector pieces you used between the top and verticals? 

Your cucumbers really do look beautiful. You say they are healthier than previous years, any idea what changed vs previous years? Mine were pretty sad last year, so I'm trying 4 different varieties this year, in a different bed (and starting them myself instead of buying transplants.)

But he will be all worn out by then! I already have one of those.

BeetlesPerSqFt wrote:Hi Sanderson -- is there a name for the greater than 90 degree angle PVC connector pieces you used between the top and verticals?

45* http://www.circoinnovations.com/#!circo-fittings/c143v 

Your cucumbers really do look beautiful. You say they are healthier than previous years, any idea what changed vs previous years? Mine were pretty sad last year, so I'm trying 4 different varieties this year, in a different bed (and starting them myself instead of buying transplants.)

I don't know for sure. Varieties? No more Straight 8, only Muncher, Pickling and Apple? The whole bed is planted (2' x 4') in cucumbers only? Trellises on both sides sandwiching home made sting trellis? Great homemade compost? All started from seed like other years but for some reason they are more vigorous. Out of 16, only one dampened off and I had a replacement. But, wait! The red spider Mite will make its appearance this summer when the temps are over 100*F.