Dog (and cat and racoon and everything else) days of Summer are here with a vengeance.
And the toll on the last minute bucket veggie garden has been extreme.
Both tomatoes look like this, despite regular watering. I'm guessing they were just planted too late in the heat as young plants and struggled to survive.
The jalapenos on the other hand, they did at least produce some peppers. This was the other day, 5 growing well.
And a week or so ago, we snagged three more! Not too bad. It shows the bucket method works, just need the right weather. And this ain't it!
Check these out:
Saturday at 4:40pm.
Sunday at 4:10pm.
It's those feels like temps that are horrible. You go outside and start sweating in about 2 minutes.
Mowing and edging just isn't happening right now. Sure it needs it but nope, no one except us will see it so there is no point in risking the heat for that.
As for veggies, we aren't giving up on the bucket garden, it was just too hot too quick for too small plants. But a FALL bucket garden, now THAT is doable! We have about another month of these temps before we get our first cool weather so that will work!
Yes, the heat is just too much for most plants. Congratulations on your jalapeno harvest. I wonder if having your bucket garden in a place where it gets only morning sun would help. That afternoon sun is a scorcher.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing growing in my garden is okra; the bell peppers and a few tomato plants are limping along but not producing. I'm watering them to hopefully get them to survive until mid-September when the heat should moderate.
Good choice on not mowing and edging in this severe heat. Your health/life are not worth it.
I'm wonder if insulating the buckets somehow would help? Maybe put them inside another bucket to keep the sun & hot air off the sides, plus mulch the soil. A lot of water will help keep the soil cool, but at some point the plants will drown.
ReplyDeleteEven though it's in the low 80s (Iowa) this week, the sun will be out full force. For some reason, this summer working outside in sunny days when the temperatures are in the 80s seems to wear me out just as much as the temperature in the 90s does. Full sun + heat + humidity = I stay inside other than walking to the mailbox!
Sorry to see your tomatoes plants looking so sad. With the sun reflecting off your pump shed and being in sun all day and no mulch covering the soil; not good for newly planted plants. They needed some shade for them so get somewhat established; especially with this Texas heat; especially plants that are in containers.
ReplyDeleteYour pepper plants are doing well. I see you got some tiny peppers starting as well.
One thing you might want to do is cut off the dead leaves. The plant is trying to nourish them dead leaves and at the same time trying to nourish the good sections of the plant. Cutting off the dead leaves is like deadheading.
Try another tomato plant and putting it on your porch so that it can some of the morning sun and afternoon shade. As the temperatures really start to cool down to where it isn't so hot in the afternoons, then provide more sunlight for your tomato plant if you decide to try again.
We learn by experimenting. Just never give up hope. We try and try again.
We reached 108 deg. yesterday and the same for today as well and triple digits all this week and again next.
Enjoy your day and have a cool, relaxed evening.
Stay cool and stay safe