When is the weather going to co-operate ??!!

Wi-sunflower · June 9, 2009

I'm just feeling down today and need to vent a bit.

So far this year in the Wisconsin area, the weather has been rather lousy.I started Saturday markets the beginning of May and all but the first market has had at lest some rain and or cold and wind. We still did OK, but I have to wonder how good we might have done if the weather had been better.

The Saturday that should have been my best, we had rain to start, cool and windy the rest of the day and frost was forecast for the next nite (nearly a week after the last frost date there). Lots of customers were talking about varieties, but then decided to wait til the next week before buying. Of course most of them never did come back.

Now I'm trying to get my own tomatoes planted. We started last Tuesday and that nite they were calling for a chance of frost on Wed nite. Also about a week late for frost here. Oh joy. No way to cover over a thousand plants. We watered everything in hopes it would help keep it away. They needed it anyway.

We planted Tue, Wed and Thurs and got 2500-3000 plants in. That's maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of what we will plant. By then everything needed watering again. It hasn't been warm but it has been WINDY so they dried out fast.

We have a crude way to dump about 1/2 gallon+ of water on the plants from a tank on a trailer while hubby drives me over the row. Some of the plants looked like even that wasn't going to help tho.

Market this Sat was also a bit drippy and cold (50s when it should be 70s). But we got a nice rain at the farm for the plants that nite. Then Sunday nite we got almost 2 inches of rain.

Great, except it's fizzy again today even tho there is nothing showing on Radar. There is rain in the forecast for tomorrow (another market day) and the weekend again. It's only in the 50s too. I sent the crew home this morning as we didn't have anything we could do. Last year we were planting on our sandy ground but this year it's some of our better, but heavier ground that we shouldn't work when it's wet.

I don't know WHEN we will be able to get back to planting. That means we will probably be at least a week, if not a lot more, later than we should be for planting. Even those plants that ARE in won't be doing much if the weather doesn't warm up soon.

Sorry this is so long, but I just needed to get it out of my system. Hubby won't listen to me about this at all. Too much of a girly thing for him. But at times I would just like to go out and scream. It's so frustrating to have to depend on something so fickle for everything you are counting on.

Thanks for providing a place where I can vent and others will understand.

Carol

June 9, 2009	#1
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	When is the weather going to co-operate ??!! I'm just feeling down today and need to vent a bit. So far this year in the Wisconsin area, the weather has been rather lousy.I started Saturday markets the beginning of May and all but the first market has had at lest some rain and or cold and wind. We still did OK, but I have to wonder how good we might have done if the weather had been better. The Saturday that should have been my best, we had rain to start, cool and windy the rest of the day and frost was forecast for the next nite (nearly a week after the last frost date there). Lots of customers were talking about varieties, but then decided to wait til the next week before buying. Of course most of them never did come back. Now I'm trying to get my own tomatoes planted. We started last Tuesday and that nite they were calling for a chance of frost on Wed nite. Also about a week late for frost here. Oh joy. No way to cover over a thousand plants. We watered everything in hopes it would help keep it away. They needed it anyway. We planted Tue, Wed and Thurs and got 2500-3000 plants in. That's maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of what we will plant. By then everything needed watering again. It hasn't been warm but it has been WINDY so they dried out fast. We have a crude way to dump about 1/2 gallon+ of water on the plants from a tank on a trailer while hubby drives me over the row. Some of the plants looked like even that wasn't going to help tho. Market this Sat was also a bit drippy and cold (50s when it should be 70s). But we got a nice rain at the farm for the plants that nite. Then Sunday nite we got almost 2 inches of rain. Great, except it's fizzy again today even tho there is nothing showing on Radar. There is rain in the forecast for tomorrow (another market day) and the weekend again. It's only in the 50s too. I sent the crew home this morning as we didn't have anything we could do. Last year we were planting on our sandy ground but this year it's some of our better, but heavier ground that we shouldn't work when it's wet. I don't know WHEN we will be able to get back to planting. That means we will probably be at least a week, if not a lot more, later than we should be for planting. Even those plants that ARE in won't be doing much if the weather doesn't warm up soon. Sorry this is so long, but I just needed to get it out of my system. Hubby won't listen to me about this at all. Too much of a girly thing for him. But at times I would just like to go out and scream. It's so frustrating to have to depend on something so fickle for everything you are counting on. Thanks for providing a place where I can vent and others will understand. Carol