Changing from summer to fall - Page 3

Worth1 · September 30, 2019

This coming Monday it is foretasted to be 61 low 87 high that is about 10 degrees below what we have now.
This morning it was 80 degrees at 4:30 AM.
I hope this is the end of it.

b54red · October 2, 2019

I have had my hummingbird feeders out since spring and didn't see a single one until a week ago and saw three in one day. My guess is they are just passing through because there just aren't a lot of flowers around for them to get any nectar out of. I'm sure there are some good plants for them in some flower beds that are well maintained and well watered but all the flowering plants that are attractive to hummingbirds are without any flowers and near death.

Still getting a lot of bell peppers with about half of them scalded to one degree or another. When I am picking I just go ahead and pick off small peppers that already have scalded spots on them. My Pappadew, Cayenne and Jalapeno peppers are all loaded and have been producing like crazy but they need water at least every other day. I still am getting a few tomatoes off my remaining plants but I don't think that will go on much longer with the TYlCV on over half of them. I am pulling out any plants that have the disease that don't have a decent number of larger tomatoes already started. Looks like the tomato season is going to end in a whimper. I am also removing any bell pepper plants that have reached that stage where all they produce is small peppers so I don't waste my time and money watering them only to get peppers the size of golf balls or smaller.

I am itching to start some fall seed so I can have some plants ready to go out as soon as it cools down enough but it is still so hot I can't get good germination in the greenhouse right now. First of next week the days are supposed to be in the 80s with nights in the mid to lower 60s so as soon as I get a day in the 80s I'll be starting some seed in the greenhouse, planting some greens in the garden and praying for some rain.

Bill

GoDawgs · October 2, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

I have had my hummingbird feeders out since spring and didn't see a single one until a week ago and saw three in one day. My guess is they are just passing through because there just aren't a lot of flowers around for them to get any nectar out of.

We get hordes of them every year but this year there seemed to be slightly less. Haven't seen one for several weeks but will keep the feeder up until Oct 15.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

...all the flowering plants that are attractive to hummingbirds are without any flowers and near death.

The zinnias and marigolds in the garden are on their last legs with funky leaves. But there are still a lot of butterflies still messing with them so I keep deadheading to encourage new blooms.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

...My Pappadew, Cayenne and Jalapeno peppers are all loaded and have been producing like crazy but they need water at least every other day....I am also removing any bell pepper plants that have reached that stage where all they produce is small peppers so I don't waste my time and money watering them only to get peppers the size of golf balls or smaller.

My jalapenos are loaded too and so is the Ancho but the Ancho is loaded with little peppers that won't grow much. And unlike the others, that one looks droopy in the morning so I'm wondering if nematodes are afoot. Guess I'll find out when I finally pull the plant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

First of next week the days are supposed to be in the 80s with nights in the mid to lower 60s so as soon as I get a day in the 80s I'll be starting some seed in the greenhouse, planting some greens in the garden and praying for some rain.

I hear that! Same here and I even saw Tuesday with a 78 high and 58 low. The brassicas in the garden will love that!

GoDawgs · October 2, 2019

Today I went back to square one with the turnips and wet newspaper sections.

I took the shade off, got rid of all the seedlings, sowed new seed and put wet newspapers over the row again. This time I'll check for germination *every* day, even tomorrow!

After forking up the bed for garlic yesterday morning I discovered that I had done the wrong bed by forking the one next to the garlic bed.

The bed I did will be fallow until spring but since it was covered in weeds it needed to be cleaned out anyway.

The brassicas under the shade I put up are happy and doing really well. This is inside the brussels, collard, kale bed.

This is the broccoli-cauliflower bed and they have a slight case of the "mid afternoon heat droops".

I worried about the peas and remembered I had some old bed sheets in the shed and threw them over the pea fences. The peas aren't happy, especially the row on the far side of the bed. I'm thinking nematodes as there was some evidence of them on beans grown on that side of the bed this spring.

And finally, I moved the curing sweet potatoes from the garden shed to the back of my car. The shed is in the shade until about 1pm, then in the sun until about 5pm. I didn't think they were getting enough heat so I put them the car with a remote thermometer in there with them. They are in the plastic bags to keep humidity high but with holes to let excess moisture out.

With all windows down 2", the temp had been holding around 97 but the next time I looked it was 101! The baskets were moved to the shady front porch where it was 95. I've done this before and it worked just fine.

COME ON, WEEKEND COOL SPELL!

GoDawgs · October 11, 2019

You know that perhaps fall is finally coming when the wardrobe starts changing, even just a little. Cooler mornings now mean shorts and a t-shirt with short sleeves instead of sleeveless. Afternoons are still sleeveless t's with shorts. The next change will be switching shorts to jeans or sweat pants but not yet.

So far the deer have been taking light tastings of the Red Ripper peas which is OK because we're done picking. Any pods coming now will be collected for seed. But there's netting over the blooming bush beans at night to keep the deer away from those. In the mornings I've been raising the netting up to the top of the hoops to let pollinators get at the flowers and lowering the netting back down in the evening.

This morning I prepped planting holes for setting out the second round of 6 broccoli and 4 cauliflower plants this evening. Dry, dry, dry soil! I remove two shovels full to a bucket, add two shovels full of compost, some 10-10-10 and a handful of finely crushed eggshells. Then I fill the hole with water while I mix the soil in the bucket. The water sure drains fast. After dumping the soil back in the hole and forming a saucer I fill the saucer with more water.

I can't wait to see what kind of sweet potatoes are in the compost bin which is covered with vines. The vines might be just from last year's leftovers that got tossed a while ago as they were sprouting well. But there just might be a few nice ones under there. I think I'll wait until frost approaches before I turn the compost bin and find out.

And finally, the porch greens are doing well! On the left side of the table are (front to back) brocs and cauli sets to be planted tonight, baby bok choys behind them and nicely recovered parsley that the butterflies munched up. On the right are three Little Gem Romaines, with window box lettuce Oak Leaf Blend and Farmer's Market 6-lettuce Blend behind that. We've been making salads from the lettuce. Far back right is a big pot with rosemary that I grew from cuttings.

We're so grateful for the cooler weather. Now if we could only get some rain... maybe Sunday or Monday.

September 30, 2019	#31
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	This coming Monday it is foretasted to be 61 low 87 high that is about 10 degrees below what we have now. This morning it was 80 degrees at 4:30 AM. I hope this is the end of it.

October 2, 2019	#32
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have had my hummingbird feeders out since spring and didn't see a single one until a week ago and saw three in one day. My guess is they are just passing through because there just aren't a lot of flowers around for them to get any nectar out of. I'm sure there are some good plants for them in some flower beds that are well maintained and well watered but all the flowering plants that are attractive to hummingbirds are without any flowers and near death. Still getting a lot of bell peppers with about half of them scalded to one degree or another. When I am picking I just go ahead and pick off small peppers that already have scalded spots on them. My Pappadew, Cayenne and Jalapeno peppers are all loaded and have been producing like crazy but they need water at least every other day. I still am getting a few tomatoes off my remaining plants but I don't think that will go on much longer with the TYlCV on over half of them. I am pulling out any plants that have the disease that don't have a decent number of larger tomatoes already started. Looks like the tomato season is going to end in a whimper. I am also removing any bell pepper plants that have reached that stage where all they produce is small peppers so I don't waste my time and money watering them only to get peppers the size of golf balls or smaller. I am itching to start some fall seed so I can have some plants ready to go out as soon as it cools down enough but it is still so hot I can't get good germination in the greenhouse right now. First of next week the days are supposed to be in the 80s with nights in the mid to lower 60s so as soon as I get a day in the 80s I'll be starting some seed in the greenhouse, planting some greens in the garden and praying for some rain. Bill

October 2, 2019	#34
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Today I went back to square one with the turnips and wet newspaper sections. I took the shade off, got rid of all the seedlings, sowed new seed and put wet newspapers over the row again. This time I'll check for germination every day, even tomorrow! After forking up the bed for garlic yesterday morning I discovered that I had done the wrong bed by forking the one next to the garlic bed. The bed I did will be fallow until spring but since it was covered in weeds it needed to be cleaned out anyway. The brassicas under the shade I put up are happy and doing really well. This is inside the brussels, collard, kale bed. This is the broccoli-cauliflower bed and they have a slight case of the "mid afternoon heat droops". I worried about the peas and remembered I had some old bed sheets in the shed and threw them over the pea fences. The peas aren't happy, especially the row on the far side of the bed. I'm thinking nematodes as there was some evidence of them on beans grown on that side of the bed this spring. And finally, I moved the curing sweet potatoes from the garden shed to the back of my car. The shed is in the shade until about 1pm, then in the sun until about 5pm. I didn't think they were getting enough heat so I put them the car with a remote thermometer in there with them. They are in the plastic bags to keep humidity high but with holes to let excess moisture out. With all windows down 2", the temp had been holding around 97 but the next time I looked it was 101! The baskets were moved to the shady front porch where it was 95. I've done this before and it worked just fine. COME ON, WEEKEND COOL SPELL!

October 11, 2019	#35
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	You know that perhaps fall is finally coming when the wardrobe starts changing, even just a little. Cooler mornings now mean shorts and a t-shirt with short sleeves instead of sleeveless. Afternoons are still sleeveless t's with shorts. The next change will be switching shorts to jeans or sweat pants but not yet. So far the deer have been taking light tastings of the Red Ripper peas which is OK because we're done picking. Any pods coming now will be collected for seed. But there's netting over the blooming bush beans at night to keep the deer away from those. In the mornings I've been raising the netting up to the top of the hoops to let pollinators get at the flowers and lowering the netting back down in the evening. This morning I prepped planting holes for setting out the second round of 6 broccoli and 4 cauliflower plants this evening. Dry, dry, dry soil! I remove two shovels full to a bucket, add two shovels full of compost, some 10-10-10 and a handful of finely crushed eggshells. Then I fill the hole with water while I mix the soil in the bucket. The water sure drains fast. After dumping the soil back in the hole and forming a saucer I fill the saucer with more water. I can't wait to see what kind of sweet potatoes are in the compost bin which is covered with vines. The vines might be just from last year's leftovers that got tossed a while ago as they were sprouting well. But there just might be a few nice ones under there. I think I'll wait until frost approaches before I turn the compost bin and find out. And finally, the porch greens are doing well! On the left side of the table are (front to back) brocs and cauli sets to be planted tonight, baby bok choys behind them and nicely recovered parsley that the butterflies munched up. On the right are three Little Gem Romaines, with window box lettuce Oak Leaf Blend and Farmer's Market 6-lettuce Blend behind that. We've been making salads from the lettuce. Far back right is a big pot with rosemary that I grew from cuttings. We're so grateful for the cooler weather. Now if we could only get some rain... maybe Sunday or Monday.