Stormy, Steamy Hot Weather Equals Little Gardening

We have had at times record breaking heat and numerous large storms since my last post. The one storm created a tornado in a town about an hour from our home and took down a massive oak tree in the treed lot behind use. The tree is well over a century old and had a trunk diameter of 14-15 feet around. Between the heat and wet weather I have not been up too much in the vegetable garden. There really has not been much needing attention aside from watering on the non rainy days.



I have hilled the potatoes because they have been growing like crazy in this heat. The red potatoes have grown the most and the fingerling potatoes have kind of grown leggy with varying heights, I am not sure weather this is usual for fingerlings or not. The pole beans, lime beans and cucumbers have also really started to take off in this warm weather. I think I planted them out at the perfect time to take advantage of this warm weather.



The broccoli heads are really starting to form and I am hoping they keep chugging along, we eat a lot of broccoli so the more the better. I have also started my new broccoli transplants this week from seed, they have spouted and I have them out in part shade so they do not burn up in the sun. I am planning on a plant out date of July 15 for the second broccoli crop so I can take advantage of the secondary side shouts on the first broccoli crop.



The tomatoes have also really started to take off as well and have tripled in size since I planted them out. They always have done really well in the pots so it is business as usual. One tomato I added this year that I have not done previously is a cherry tomato that is hanging off our redundant old chimney in a basket. I am trying this because although heirloom tomatoes have great tasting tomatoes they do tend to produce less so the cherry tomatoes can fill in the spot when I am out of large tomatoes.



Now about my poor beets, I think I have taken care of the bugs but I mixed the soap solution too strong and it has burnt the leaves. They have started to rebound through and I think I will spray again soon but this time with half the amount of soap.



The peas have just start to flower and have almost out grown my pea brush I put in, but the nice thing about this system is all I have to do is put some more sticks in. Lastly my lettuce has been kind of iffy, the butter crunch has kind of crapped out in the heat but the romaine is doing well so I will be able to start harvesting some soon. I will have to try more lettuce in late summer-fall when the weather is better for lettuce.