[gardeners] back to dry
drusus@golden.net (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 13 Jul 1998 08:41:04 -0400
Nice thunderstorm early last week and then no rain, and none forecast for
all of this week. Despite the nice downpour, the ground was *still* dry
underneath after about 2 inches, save for the shaded areas in my back 40.
Zukes finally are coming up after the 3rd planting and going gangbusters
(anti-squirrel screen used this time) and tomatoes are covered with green
tomatoes. Beans are flourishing. Lettuces and greens are doing well
despite the heat--I never worry about bolting; the trick is to cut off the
leaves and use them and then things grow back as if they are new. Works for
me. I don't think the drought hurts the short-term veggies as long as we
can water them. I am worried about just about everything else. Roses look
dry and did not have many flowers this year. Lilies are thin-stalked and
smaller. Herbs seem to be doing ok, but they are pretty adaptable, esp.
the Mediterranean ones which probably like this sort of weather.
The farmers' market was very crowded this week and harvests are beginnning
to come in earlier than usual. I suppose that is good if we have a hard
winter since it will give us all more time to put things down. I made our
first zucchini chocolate cake of the season, bought zucchini but what the
h*ll. No one objected. As far as anyone around here is concerned all I
should ever do with zucchini is to put it up via this chocolate cake. It
is good--the best chocolate cake I think I have ever had.
Lucinda