Texas Spring/Summer Thread

Western · May 31, 2013

Sounds like a sound practice Jim, fortunately only bugs I've had to deal n'mass has been Squash bugs and those need to be treated when young for sure. Thrips are a PITA too!

Don, saw that on the news when it started, bad situation all around. I speculate a motel, built similar to apartments (construction) complicates the firefighting effort and has some special hazards. I would think stability to be less on average. Been a rough 5 months in Texas for 1st responders.

jinman · Jun 1, 2013

The rain just ran me out of my garden. It's not a lot of rain, but it comes down hard for a couple of minutes, enough to get soaked. I'm torn between wanting more rain and knowing it will wash away my insecticide. Oh well, I can always apply more insecticide, but I can't get rain on demand, so I'll take whatever we can get.

BTW: The temperature just dropped 15 degrees, so it's a nice cool front too.

Western · Jun 1, 2013

jinman said:
The rain just ran me out of my garden. It's not a lot of rain, but it comes down hard for a couple of minutes, enough to get soaked. I'm torn between wanting more rain and knowing it will wash away my insecticide. Oh well, I can always apply more insecticide, but I can't get rain on demand, so I'll take whatever we can get.

BTW: The temperature just dropped 15 degrees, so it's a nice cool front too.

Jim, I saw that little strip of showers near your place, I was wondering what you where getting since it appears It will hit us in about 30 minutes. I ran out a fertilized the corn this morning, all I had on hand was 27-0-0. Held off watering until I see what we get.

Western · Jun 1, 2013

Well it blew through, think we counted 11 drops! So I had to water the garden and tomorrow I will hit it with the Spinosad. Grasshoppers are thick on the corn. Everything is growing like gangbusters though, zucchini to pick tomorrow and should have squash in a day or two.

Picked one tomato that was red, (how do you miss one until it's red:confused3

Blackberries are getting close. Allot of little melons, cantaloupe and cucumbers!!!!!!!!

farmgirl19 · Jun 1, 2013

Western; You had more rain than I did! Didn't even get 11 drops here, and temps haven't dropped much either. Luckily, I'd watered the garden, before leaving for work, this morning. I have leasrned not to depend on the rain.

jinman · Jun 1, 2013

I think I got .12" of rain. It was enough for a nice wetting and cooling. I got out this afternoon and finished my melon trellis (an experiment) and used my 4-tine cultivator fork to loosen the soil around all my hills of squash and zucs. I also did my okra and blackeyed peas to keep them aerated and weed free. I fixed a problem with my Bolens 2-cycle tiller and then adjusted the carb with my new "D" tool. It runs perfectly now, so I tilled up the middle rows between my blackeyes and around my squash. I have two more yellow squash to pick tomorrow morning and a zuc about 6" long that will be mature in a couple of days. Tomorrow I pick bush beans for the first time. It won't be a huge picking, but plenty for a big mess of fresh green beans. My tomato vines are loaded with lots of tomatoes and the cherry tomatoes have huge bunches and the tops are just yellow with blooms. Another week of or two of this mild weather and I'm gonna be covered in tomatoes.

farmgirl19 · Jun 1, 2013

jinman: We are in June. How long do you really think the milder weather will last?

jinman · Jun 1, 2013

Well, I didn't expect it to last thru May, so if we get any nice weather in June, we are ahead of the game. My forecast is for only one day above 90 for the next week. That's quite incredible, don't you think?

farmgirl19 · Jun 1, 2013

jinman; I want your forecast. I think tomorrow is the only day forecast to be under 90. Maybe I'll bring my bucket your way and take my rain back! :laughing: