[gardeners] Frantic Tuesday in the Garden

Allen and Judy Merten (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Fri, 21 May 1999 23:33:01 -0500 

Hi All,
    Late Monday evening about 2 hours before dark, the local weather
persons started predicting severe thunderstorms with heavy rain, strong
winds and possible hail to 1/2 inch diameter.
    I had spent most of the day in the garden tending to this and that,
mostly setting up some irrigation sources and weeding. I had put off
harvesting until Tuesday, since the ol' back was just about maxed out
and I had already taken some "happy pills".
    Our son Will and I and Judy when she got home about 6PM, frantically
harvested a construction style wheelbarrow full of yellow squash,
zucchini, cucumbers, acorn squash, green beans, yellow wax beans, bell
peppers, and hot peppers. Texas thunderstorms can play hell with the
garden. We were afraid we would lose some if not all of the vegetables
that were ripe. Will and I finished picking the last row of green beans
by feel and lightning. I weighed the beans later. We picked 9 lbs. of
yellow wax, 7 lbs of Roma (Italian) green beans, and 6 lbs. of Contender
green beans. The rows of beans are about 10 ft long, with 2 rows of the
same bean planted side by side. That way I can crawl in-between and pick
both rows. It's easier on my back to crawl than it is to bend because of
the lumbar fusion.
    We picked about 3 lbs. each of Jalapeno Grandes, TAM Jalapenos, and
Serranos. Had about 5 lbs of Big Bertha Bells, and Cubanelles. The
Habeneros are just now getting peppers on them. Only had 2 Habeneros big
enough to pick.
    We had an outbreak of tomato hornworms over the weekend. I could see
the damage to the tomato plants and the droppings on the ground around
the plants. Saturday I could find only 2 large hornworms. Earlier Monday
I watched the Cardinals, Blue Jays, Mockingbirds, Blue Birds and others
spend the day going over the tomato plants to feed the hornworms to
their nestlings. I could not find any fresh droppings or any hornworms
Tuesday.
    Wednesday will be potatos, onions, Blue Lake and Kentucky Wonder
pole beans, more squash and zucchini to pick. A couple of tomatos ought
to be ready also.
    We got lots of thunder, lightning, strong winds and one tenth of an
inch of rain out of those thunderstorms. Not far from us, up to 4 inches
of rain fell.
    George, life is good indeed.
Allen
Bastrop Co., SE Central Tx.
Zone 8