Let me start by saying that I'm fine and so is my family. Our so-called summer has been very wet, very cold and very disheartening garden wise. Our blooms have been destroyed by rain and/or wind as soon as they've shown themselves. A lot of the blooms never even got to bloom. The veggies haven't been growing much either, not even the carrots. I've just been so fed-up with all things garden that I started redecorating. I dislike redecorating so progress has been slow. I've spent a lot of time with my horses during the day and my children in the afternoons, and I've read and re-read several books in the evenings. Because of all the failures in my garden I have to admit I haven't been able to enjoy other gardeners' sucesses. I'm sorry. I guess I'm just weather sick. We have had a few days with dry spells and good temps but they've been few and far between and haven't done much for my droopy mood. I will post a few photos of a couple of successes eventually. I just need to haul myself out of this very muddy, slick hole I've managed to dump into. So, how has your garden season been? Do tell, both successes and failures, and please include some photos too.
Hi Droopy! I have missed you something terrible! I'm so sorry to hear about your poor weather and its effects on your gardens. We had a wet summer too, but it was mixed with some nice days so my gardens did OK. I've been busy planning next years veggie garden and have been busy hauling manure from the neighbors pile. I hope you are not too discouraged that you haven't thought about next year?
Texas is in the middle of a very huge drought. The trees are turning brown and it isn't because of the fall weather. There were record wildfires all across the state. Fortunately for us the nearest was about 10 to 12 miles and it was stopped before it reached us. Viewing the damage was not a pretty sight for us when we went past it later. My garden produced a lot of tomatoes but very little else. I now have several small vegetable gardens that are doing well. The cooler weather is about the only good thing going for us right now. Everything has to be watered. I have had some health issues and spent quite a lot of time doing tests, tests, and more tests. Right now it's in a wait and see stage. I'm glad you are feeling some better about gardening and hopefully next year will be better gardening for all of us. dooley
Netty, gardeners are eternal optimists. We always think next season will be better, and it usually is. I do hope that your wet and wind go away soon, Droopy. Having horses to visit with helps, I'm sure. Dooley, we will prevail! We will have better gardens with sufficient water; we will have vegetables to share with neighbors and friends; and the stock ponds will overflow.
It sounds as though you and I have had the same summer weather conditions Droopy. I've taken very few photographs of the garden this year as nothing did very well except my six new rose bushes. Let's keep our fingers crossed that autumn and winter will be kind to us this year and not a repeat of the last two years. I'm glad the horses and children managed to keep you sane. So glad to have you back with us.
Thanks, Netty. I've missed you too. I've thought about next year, of course. I've optimistically bought new plants to fill in the holes the horrible last winter left us. Dooley, I'm so sorry to hear about your drought conditions and your health issues. I'd love to send you some of our water. At the moment we've got a surplus of brooks and ponds. MG, I agree! We'll prevail. I can't bear to think otherwise. Eileen, I'm with you in crossing fingers for a better winter. The last one was horrible.
Hang in there Droopy... things have got to get better for all of us. I had a great year. Mostly because I moved out of that darn trailer park and into the family home. I got to start my garden from a blank slate. Such fun! Some things are doing well... other's didn't survive the horrible heat (and drought). As far as the veggie garden that Hubby and cousin started... it did (and is doing) okay. Could have been LOTS better with rain, but we managed to eat pretty well and shared with family too. I've got lots of plans in my head already for next year!
Hey, Droopy, glad to see you back posting. Missed you a lot!! Sounds like you and I both have spent the last few months feeling weather sick, but for opposite weather conditions, I have been watching plants fry. I have posted a few photos of blooms but considering how many plants I had in my garden those are just a very small percentage of the potential that was out there before May of this year. You know that when you water the yard heavily every evening and the Zinnia's have wilted and are laying over before the next sunset, things are bad. I am a bit afraid to plan for next year. This drought is predicted to continue and worsen through the winter and by spring many of the cities will have restricted watering gardens to maybe once or twice a month and in some areas the lakes where city water supply comes from will be dry so watering will be prohibited completely. If it's as hot as last summer, my garden will be nothing but mulch. We do get rain, every once in a while but 1/2 inch to an inch (between 1 and 2.5 centimeters) every month or so is not going to keep any thing alive.
We have had a very wet summer too. I'm in NJ, and nothing did as well as it has in the past. It has been extremely wet, even the butterflies were scarcer than usual. I'm thinking of seasonal plants for the holidays now...amaryllis, poinsettia, etc, and beyond that Spring. I planted crocus in my front yard yesterday with the grandsons.
Can't tell I also live in NJ as you people know. Of course I only have a balcony garden,and I did get lettuce and 4 tomatoes. I've already started looking at gardening books for next year. For my first year I'm happy.
Ah Droopy, Chin up! I'm glad to see you posting. I got quite busy for a time there, and didn't have the energy and time to Stew much. We all seem to have to deal with Mother Nature and her whims. I'll bet your garden did have some wonderful successes. It's just tough when plants can't grow in ideal conditions. This was a bad tomato year for me, I have been growing toms for 30+ yrs. without much trouble, but this year they were crumby wimpy plants with yucky tasting toms. Very disappointing. (I blame the weather!) I put in several new shrubs this year, and with TLC, they are doing great. I'm proud of a Weigelia, a Barberry, 2 Lilacs, 3 Dogwoods, a Smokebush,a Boxwood, a Hydrangea, and a Sweetspire. My annuals were fun and pretty, and I only just am saying goodbye to them as the weather changes here. As we are all saying, it'll be better next year!!
Nice to hear from you Droopy. You are missed around here whenever you are absent I guess the days are very short in Norway these days?
Droopy if I had horses I would give up gardening and just spend all my time with them. I have always been horse crazy since I was old enough to whinny. Our garden did ok this year. But now we have been getting rain, rain, and more rain. I would love to send some of it to Texas. I to am praying that we do not have a winter like last years. Snow I like. But not 4ft. of it at one time.
Hiyah Droopy, What a thrill to see you back on here. It has been a cool and moist season here as well. I had planted extra of everything and staggered various veg as well. The result was that I did have enough to fill the freezer, but nothing like what I had had in the past. The flowers did pretty good, but were also not as prolific as usual and they things are blooming again now, some of them. I am going to be looking foreward to your pics when you get the chance. I am wondering if anyone up there has dared predict how the coming season will be doing. The weather persons here are keeping mum. BTW--We are starting our skating season next week or this weekend, in Heerenveen. Sven Kramer will be back. Look out you Noor's!
Nice to see you here again Droopy. Well I can understand your your situation as I am now going through ... rain and more rain, muddy here and there, transplpants destroyed by the shear force of the rain drops and winds ..... severe flooding in my aquaponics .... UGGHHHH!!!!! Only consolation is that I am able to catch up with my computer games
