November 10th
November began with a two day polar vortex months earlier than expected followed by the weather returning to normal. This shouldn't happen but it seems to becoming the norm. We drug out the row covers and threw them over the garden. Any seedlings not covered died along with one of the three rows of broccoli.
Broccoli
We began slowly setting up the hoop houses. Long gone are the days when we could go out early in the morning and then finish up at dusk. Nope. Can't do it anymore. Windy days are spent weeding and pushing the wires into the ground and then calm days are used to spread the covers. 
November 26th
Last year's garden was planted late due to drought and this year's is even further behind schedule; so much later in fact, that I am not sure the tender plants will survive January. The multiple rows of late planted green beans filled the spaces that normally would have been used to start the winter vegetables. Starting seeds early on the front porch no longer works in the fall. They seem to burn in the heat where they didn't in previous years. Call me crazy - but something has changed with the sun.
Right now we are mostly using the lettuce that was planted during the heat of summer under the shade of the okra plants. After the first frost, the okra plants were chopped down at the base leaving the roots undisturbed so as to not bother the seedlings. They are coming to the end of their life cycle and are beginning to bolt. When there isn't enough sunlight their growth will slow and it is as if they are sitting in the refrigerator patiently waiting. Most of the plants should be at least this size so as to handle February's chill.
Winter lettuce mix
Again this year the spinach has given me problems. Three rows were dedicated to them to guarantee an abundance. What we have in surplus is weeds.
This time I waited later until the soil had cooled. It has taken three plantings to get them to germinate and they are still tiny. If they are planted early they won't germinate due to the hot soil but if I wait for cooler temperatures it seems too late. The polar vortex didn't bother them under the cover so maybe they want to grow in the cold? The hoop houses are over them now and won't be open for a while. They are being left alone to do their own thing.
Bloomsdale Spinach
As of today, all of the houses are up and we are done - really, really finished for the year!! All that is left is to lift a cover from time to time and harvest when the refrigerator is empty. There are seventeen rows which is quite a bit but the seedlings are small so it isn't certain there will be a harvest. Of course, there never is any guarantee of anything when gardening. You take what you get. Overall, I'm please with what we have and am ready for a rest. It is time to check out the seed catalogs that are filling my mailbox.
You are not crazy...I've noticed lots of changes, too, in our location. The biggest thing is the wild and dramatic shifts--from much warmer than normal to extremely cold, or from drought to heavy rain, and not as much in between. Anyway, I'm still jealous of your ability to grow veggies through the winter--yum!
ReplyDeleteBeth, I have noticed the same during the warm months. Gone are the slow, gentle, warm rains and instead we have violent storms. I noticed the difference about five years ago. Whenever rain is predicted, we now go out on the porch and bungee cord the swing to the railing so it won't blow against the house. For the first fifteen years here we never had to do that. Also, the containers holding my seedlings began to flip and blow across the yard. Now, each one has a rock or a heavy gallon jug of water holding it down. The containers are the same so something else is wrong.
DeleteYou must feel a sense of accomplishment, after all you managed to do this year. I hope your seedlings have a chance to take hold before more really cold temps. BTW, J says we're going through a dusty part of the Milky Way, making more stuff on the surface of the sun, which makes the light whiter, more intense than the usual yellow. That makes perfect sense, from what you experienced with your seedlings burning.
ReplyDeleteI think what J says makes sense. A while back I read something similar. It was that we are going through an area that has more debris so expect more meteorites. Since there is nothing I can do about one unless it lands on my roof, I dismissed the information and moved on. The article also said children now days will pick up the white crayon instead of the yellow when drawing pictures of the sun. Earlier generations chose yellow. I always chose yellow. Anyway. I don't know but something is going on.
DeleteI'm a firm believer in climate change and your post seems to support that. However, I also believe the changes come naturally and are not in any way man-made. I think Laurie's husband has a good explanation for all of this. And your garden looks great!
ReplyDelete--Melanie
The climate is definitely changing and I too, don't think it is man-made. The people that claim we have done it seem to always want to add a tax that will some how fix it. Of course, that tax money will go into their pockets.
DeleteHave you noticed since gardening time is over it has rained often in our neighborhood? It is raining right now - I can hear it outside the window! Why couldn't we have gotten this in July?!!
You’re right… Twenty years ago, we used to have snow every winter. Now we can only dream of it.
ReplyDeleteTime for a well deserved rest. Enjoy browsing the catalogues as you reenergise for another year of gardening. The hoop houses and plants inside look very impressive.
ReplyDeleteExcept for the house holding the Golden Cabbages. I went out in the freezing cold yesterday and helped myself. My fingers were freezing so I ripped some up as fast as I could. It looked like a bulldozer had run through it. The hoop house was closed back so my destruction isn't obvious. I was surprised that they were in good shape since the weather has been cold and even found two bugs! It is always amazing how those thin covers can make such a difference. While I thawed out I watched youtube looking for new recipes. The refrigerator is full so I must do something with them!
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