We are still having temperatures over 100 F most days, although we finally got a half an inch of rain last night so we may only get to the upper 90s today. With a little luck we many even get another shower this afternoon! Amazingly the vegetable gardens are still looking healthy, growing and producing. I took the opportunity this morning to take a bunch of pictures to catalog the progress of the gardens during this historically hot and dry summer – yes, it is now officially summer which makes it seem more acceptable that every day is toastier than the last.
I have many new tomato and pepper transplants ready to put in the garden, but I had been waiting for the break in the weather that we finally got today. I put as many as I could into the bed where the peppers are already planted, in the area where there had been lettuce. I worked a generous amount of compost, worm castings and Lady Bug Flower Power pelletized fertilizer into the bed before putting in the new transplants to ensure that the plants get off to a good start. As necessary, I will be covering this bed with shade cloth for much of the summer.
Newly Planted Tomatoes, Peppers and Okra
I still have four more flats of tomatoes and peppers to get into the ground as soon as possible. These guys will go into the beds that had the spring potato crop in them, but not until the beds get the double-digging treatment, which is why we put our new shade structure up over those two beds. Without the shade structure there is no way that I could complete the digging chore in this brutally hot weather.
Tomato, Pepper and Okra Transplants
There are quite a number of good looking ambrosia melons in the melon patch which I put hay under to prevent rotting from touching the ground. The Rocky Ford melons in another bed are also starting to produce many nice melons as well.
Ambrosia Melon
I’m shocked that this Packman Broccoli is producing a nice looking head, and it is not the only one. This variety of broccoli really does manage the heat well.
Packman Broccoli
The whole garden is looking extremely good considering the heat and drought we have been experiencing for the past several months.
Market Gardens June 22, 2011
The double-dug beds in the herb garden area are also doing really well! The squash, southern peas, and pole beans in the double-dug bed below were direct seeded only three weeks ago in the midst of the 100 degree weather.
Squash, Southern Peas, and Pole Beans Direct Seeded on May 31, 2011
Meanwhile, in the first double-dug bed, the tomatoes are still setting new fruit, as are the eggplants and tomatillas.
Double-Dug Bed Planted With Transplants on May 2, 2011
Plum Tomatoes
Cherry Tomato Setting New Fruit June 22, 2011
The Zen garden is finally starting to mature a bit and is developing the peaceful character I was looking for. I think the variegated ginger that I planted this year will add the splash of color the garden needed.
Zen Garden
Hope you were lucky enough to get some rain if you are in Texas. We sure do need more here.
2 Comments To "Officially Summer"
#1 Comment By jeanette On June 24, 2011 @ 7:04 am
I’m curious about your tomatoes – do you do anything at all to help them set fruit despite the heat? I met someone at a feed store who said he grows tomatoes all through the summer in Houston but he uses a spray to prevent blooms dropping.
#2 Comment By Carol On June 24, 2011 @ 8:32 am
Hi Jeanette – I do not spray or treat the blooms with anything other than compost tea and seaweed. I think the fact that the garden bed that these plants are growing in is 16″ deep and full of compost and worm castings, coupled with the shading I have been providing with a very light row cover fabric in the heat of the afternoon keeps the plants and roots just cool enough to keep them producing. ~ Carol