Our rainy summer does continue. Today we had only one brief downpour. Just two-tenths of an inch in our rain gauge. Yesterday we had two heavy, hard deluges that lasted only about 10 minutes each, but the first one racked up four-tenths of an inch and the second one seven-tenths of an inch! I thought everything in the garden was going to wash away, but it all withstood the onslaught.
We had another plant damaged by our night time visitor last night. Dear daughter loaned us her trail camera which is in place to capture the identity of the bugger if he/she/it returns tonight. Stay tuned.
Despite the heavy amounts of rain, the garden is (kinda sorta) doing well.
The green cabbages are heading up nicely, and I'm not going to be able to keep from harvesting one of these soon. They're about 6" across now.
The red cabbages are slower per usual. There's something about them that I find very beautiful. In a vegetable sort of way. Don't you think they are lovely to look at? Doesn't affect you that way? Okay.
I'm not holding out much hope for either my winter squash or pumpkins this year. They just haven't had enough warm weather to encourage growth. In the pumpkin patch shown above, the big pumpkins (jack o' lanterns) are on the right, and small ones for eating on the left. The vines haven't even started to trail out yet. Sigh. I don't think there's any way they could form fruit and mature in the days we've got left before a killing frost. Especially if it stays as cool as it has been. Down into the 40s again last night . . . we're still sleeping under our down comforter. This is NOT typical end of July weather!
I fixed slaw for supper, nothing like fresh cabbage. Planted kale this afternoon so maybe the cool weather will help it get established. Feels almost like fall at times.
ReplyDeleteSunnybrook Farm - Ha! Our whole summer has felt a lot like fall! Yes, the flavor of really fresh cabbage is nothing like the bitter heads you find in the grocery store. Guess that's why we go to the trouble of gardening. :o)
DeleteMama Pea,
ReplyDeleteMy pumpkin vines are doing really well with the warm weather here. Now were getting all kinds of rain and the pumpkins are about the size of a baseball. I'm hoping they continue to grow to full term and I have no issues with bugs.
Your night weather has been in the 40's wow that is unusual.......I hope you don't have an early winter.
Sandy - We've been having really nice, long falls for the past several years so we're hoping to get another one this year. That would really help the garden!
DeleteMy pumpkins arent doing to good this season either. I am in northern Illinois. Lots of cool nights and little rain. Your cabbge looks great!
ReplyDeleteLiz - Well, your cool nights are certainly nice for sleeping, but not so good for those crops that need the warmth at night, too.
DeleteWe moved here from northern Illinois umpteen years ago. We lived south of Rockford.
I do think the red cabbages are beautiful too. It's been an unfortunate gardening year for you but I hope the sun comes out and your plants can still catch up at least to produce a bit of something for you.
ReplyDeleteSparkless - I'm actually surprised at how well most of the garden is doing considering our crazy weather. I know we'll get a good bit to put by for winter . . . and besides all the fresh things we eat from the garden all summer, having a supply of organic food in the winter from our land is a biggie for us. I think we'll do okay on much of the garden.
DeleteOur red cabbages never got big enough, but they're still out there, and I'm still watering them, in vain of course as it's been too stinking hot for them anyhow. I'm keeping them there in hopes that if something comes looking for something to eat, they'll eat the spindly cabbages instead of my tomatoes and peppers.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn - Hmmm, using your red cabbage for bait, huh. Is that legal?
DeleteI agree that your red cabbages are beautiful, as well as all your other garden items. You have the most inspirational garden of all. I harvested the pumpkins grown from 'composted' pumpkin last month. It's always strange to me to see pumpkins in June, but that's the only time I seem to be able to grow them. Only a few, but put up enough for 6-7 pies/breads. After eating pumpkin pie made from fresh pumpkin, it's hard to imagine going back to the canned. It has been a strange summer weather for all of us as even way down here in the South, we are experiencing unusual cool days and more rain than normal. Not sleeping under a down comforter though!!! Congrats on the wood bin filled! That's gotta' be a great feelin'!!!
ReplyDeleteLisa - Oh, I agree with you about pies made from home grown pumpkins! Sooo much better than the stuff from cans. (Sorry, Libby!) For you to have a cooler summer IS unusual. What's happening to our weather??
DeleteI have no pumpkins on my vines yet either. I do have blossoms, but that's it. Crossing my fingers.
ReplyDeleteKristina - I can see where the blossoms will be forming but that's all so far. I'll cross my fingers for yours, too!
DeleteThat is one beautiful cabbage. I have to agree that red cabbages (heck, ANY cabbages) are some of the most beautiful plants of all. I have lots of vines but almost all the flowers have been male this year. It's going to be a disappointing harvest. Congrats on your nice, full wood sheds! Hurray!
ReplyDeleteSusan - What's going on with the squash family? Even my zucchini is sprouting many more male flowers than it should. Doesn't Mother Nature know it's females that are fruitful?!
DeleteOur cucumbers look to be coming on ok, but the rest of our viney stuff looks a lot like yours. We got the whole thing in a little late so we haven't given up hope. Our corn is really slow this year, too. Like you, we need some real 'summer' to move that along. I do love color the red cabbage adds to the garden and the plate. Our green is about ready and the reds are just starting to form heads.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with identifying your night-time bandit. I'm interested to see what you find. And good news with the full woodshed! Nice to have some of the big jobs done and behind your for the year.
Mark - I love to make coleslaw with half green and half red cabbage . . . so colorful. Seems many of us need some real summer time weather for our gardens.
DeleteNo pictures of our night-time bandit last night. No more destruction either! We're going to set it for tonight again.
congratulations on your wood. mine is coming together, but i want a wood shed before i stack it. Can't decide where to put it.....
ReplyDeleteTammie Lee - We actually want to put up another wood shed, too . . . for smaller wood than the big chunks we need all winter. But I know we're not going to get to it this year. Too many other big projects. Good luck with yours!
DeleteGlad the wood sheds are full. It's been a wet not-so-hot summer here too, which is not characteristic at all. We'll see what August brings.
ReplyDeleteLindaCO - I can see the front of one of the wood sheds from the window over my kitchen sink. I'm still marveling at it being chuck full . . . and kinda wanting it to stay that was for . . . oh, say 6 months or so?
DeleteYour cabbage look fantastic! I'll bet theres' some coleslaw in your future? Invite me---I LOVE coleslaw!!!
ReplyDeleteSue - I finally got around to making some coleslaw tonight for dinner with grilled cheese sandwiches. (Real classy, right?) And the coleslaw was good. Very fresh tasting! (As it should have been!)
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