Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Spring weather

This -- THIS -- is why north Idaho gardeners have a hard time getting their vegetables to grow.


June 6 and the temperature is 36F, pouring rain, and howling wind. Not exactly conducive to good growing conditions.


We have a fire in the wood stove because this morning the temperature in the house was 56F.


However despite the charming spring weather, the potatoes (which, not incidentally, like cool weather) are thriving.


After two weeks in the ground, the peas are juuuust starting to emerge. (Blurry photo, sorry.)


Best of all -- and despite the weather -- the wheat is sprouting! If we look carefully, we can see a faint green fuzz on the field.


Now let's hope the wheat field doesn't drown.



Just to show how fickle spring weather can be around these parts, Monday was warm (75F) and humid, so much so that we ventured our first trip to the (deserted) lake for the season.


Younger Daughter found an eerie-looking outstretched skeleton of a bird under the water, probably a seagull.


Younger Daughter bravely ventured into the chilly water. Older Daughter declined.


We didn't linger long, however, as the clouds were becoming more threatening. In fact we got home just before a massive storm cell came through with veritable sheets of rain, thunder and lightning, and howling wind. According to the weather report, conditions were even ripe for tornadoes, something almost unheard of in these parts. Hard to believe we were splashing in the water minutes before.

My garden isn't nearly as planted as I would like it to be. In this I can truthfully blame the weather.

13 comments:

  1. Oh Patrice,
    I know what you mean, they keep calling for low 30's and I look at my garden and say "not too low, please, God". I have raised beds covered with their plastic over cattle panels and the corn (3" tall) is under plastic. The potatoes are just beginning to sprout. I have sweet potato slips in my laundry room and am going to try to collect old tires to plant them in since they really like the heat. I hope the can hold out until the end of June to be planted.
    By the way, the spelling, or misspelling of lightning drives me crazy. Lightening is was the sky does as the sun rises. Lightning (no "e") is what flashes in the sky. :-)
    It is just one of those things. Keep dry and warm.
    God bless,
    Paintedmoose

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    1. Oops, thanks PM! I was actually unaware of the difference in spelling so I appreciate you pointing it out. I'll try to remember it for future usage (wink).

      - Patrice

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    2. That's okay, I was just reading MY POST and found two errors in it! That is what I get for not previewing before hitting "publish". Although, sometimes my brain "auto-corrects" errors so I miss them until I read it later. Of course, I do not have the edit option so the oops, will have to stay as a reminder to me to not get overly confident.
      It should read, "I hope they can hold out until the end of June to be planted." "Lightening is what the sky does as the sun rises." There, I have chided myself. ;-}
      Paintedmoose

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  2. Patrice,

    36 degrees in June, thank God it didn't go down lower. If it did, I would worry about your garden. Now that is a beautiful deserted lake and it appears ya'll had a blast being out there.

    Potential Tornadoes! Oh my, now your getting some of our weather. I never wish bad weather on anyone, especially tornadoes.

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  3. Bummer about the cold, Hope it stays above freezing for the gardens sake.

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  4. Here in Central Texas we have had several days in a row of 90+ temperatures with a lot of wind. No rain but a couple of showers since the end of April. Even watering the garden doesn't come near the good that a slow rain does. We have actually already dug potatoes that were planted the last week of January and pulled the onions that were planted at the same time. We're wondering how much longer we will be picking cucumbers and squash. Spider mites are attacking the tomatoes, green beans and peas. Maybe a late garden in Idaho isn't so bad!!

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    Replies
    1. I rarely reply but read daily... WOW! I can't even remember if East Texas had many 36 degree days. Today, 6/9/12 was a 'cool' day at 89 degrees. Pull all the onions and potatoes much sooner than I wanted. Corn has tassels at 4' so hoping I can keep them watered to cob. I guess we each have to adapt.. and recently - adapt again.
      BTW... thanks again to Patrice for keeping this site and updates. It is a wonderful site to stay tuned without too much "OMG - it the world as we knew it". Hugz... from me.

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  5. our weather here in mississippi has been totally weird and mixed up. we have not had normal weather since thanksgiving day of last year. everything in my raised tire gardens is blooming and beginning to produce but i dont think we are gonna have a bumper crop of anything and most plants seem stunted although healthy. i just hope that we do not have drought conditions during our summer..we are having to water the gardens on a regular basis now as it is and it is either too cold, too hot, or too windy.

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  6. Thirty-six degrees? These veggies laugh in the face of 36 degrees:

    Potatoes
    Peas
    Broccoli
    Cauliflower
    Carrots
    Spinach
    Lettuce
    Cabbage
    Onions
    Greens
    Turnips
    Rutabagas
    Celery (Really. Surprised me, too.)
    Brussel sprouts
    Asparagus
    Radishes
    Beets
    Garlic

    And that's just off the top of my head.

    Just Me

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  7. Oh...here's some more veggies can be seen chortling at the thought of 36-degree weather:

    Parsley
    Sage
    Oregano
    Kale
    Chard
    Rhubarb
    Parsnips
    Leeks
    Shallots
    Chives
    Horseradish

    Just Me

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  8. Wow. Crazy weather. Hope your garden gets the weather you need to get it growing!

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  9. Supposed be 104 here tomorrow and Tuesday. And drier than the proverbial bone. Send you some of ours if you send us some of yours...

    Jeff - Tucson

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