Rain again today. Just as well as we are staying home, for the second-hand-shop boys are coming to take the old couch away. In the sombre gloom of this rainy spell, there is; sadly, time for reflection...reflection over how things have been going in the gardens this season. Last year we had an extended spell of dryness right when the young plantlets were form their root systems and growing points. Poor results for some folks, and our harvests were a bit lower than usual. This year it is just the opposite—cool, windy and very wet. I am beginning to feel an unhappy and unlucky chap. Where to begin... Well, we planted the peas back when it was cool and the correct time to plant. Only two plants came up in the whole row! What bad luck. We waited and waited for the weather to be good enough to plant the toms in the greenhouse. Finally the day came, we planted. Over night some of the plants were damaged. We did not know if it was water voles or moles. I set all manner of trap sorts to try and catch these hufters. The next day—more plants damaged, but a mole trap had sprung. As I lifted the trap, I saw that I had caught one of my own tom plants! Tja—that was bad luck alright. Fooie! We had extra plants but were hesitant to plant those until the mole/water vole problem had been solved...meanwhile time ticked on, it was getting later and later in the season to plant toms. Our growing season here is quite short compared to the U.S., for instance. I did finally catch the mole, planted our extra toms and closed the door on the mole problem. Three days later new mole tunnels—Arrrggggggh! Who’s the lucky boy then?! We planted the beans and let them germinate on the window sill, along with the courgettes. Time went by ...one week, two weeks...two-and-a-half weeks, and nothing above ground. I shoved another bean down into the soil and in another two days the beans came up. Another three days and the second beans came up—two per cell it was then! Gad, what a waste. We planted some of those beans in the ground around our bean wig-wam’s sticks and the wind came whipping the new plantlets limp and what was left drooping on the poles was finished-off by the slugs. We were just not having any good luck, see what I mean? We did the same to the courgette plants and also wound up with two courgette plants per cell. It was enough plants and coming courgettes (assuming they reach maturity) to feed an army. Tch! Sigh. I must have been born under a bad sign or somethin'. The day was sunny and the corn had reached about 12 inches, so we carefully took them to the lottie in the auto for maximum security. They are so frail in the beginning. We got the allotment complex, took them out and loaded them onto a bolder car and pulled them down to our lottie. The Bride stopped to check something in Hettie’s garden and I plodded on. CRASH! I didn’t want to look. Yep—all the corn plants had fallen off the bolder car and what I saw was enough to make a grown man cry. I looked behind the bolder car, over to the side and there they were—broken...not a stiff neck in the whole lot. I tellya—I feel like a real bad luck boy. We went to the lotties to do some work in-between the showers because we were so far behind now that we had to start taking time when we could. While making the rounds we looked at the onions. In spite of all the rain and moderate temp they were beginning to shoot! It seems that hard luck and trouble are my only friends.. The broccoli plants were planted over by the canal this year (according to the rotation schedule). The broccoli plants were doing fine. We next planted some small B. sprout plants. The next day three were chewed-odd about half way up the stalk. The day after more plants were destroyed and all the loose leaves were also gone. We bought six new plants from the garden centre across the road from the complex, planted them and all was well for one day. The day after that the new plants were all damaged except for one...and to add insult to injury two of the broccoli heads were gnawed on and a third one's whole head was completely gone! The blues are setting well in now. Can my bad luck get any worse? When the strawbs were giving their fruit we noticed some floppy leaves. As the days passed there were more. My Bride was the one who first made the correct diagnosis. We contacted the chaps who sell us plants and sent some pics. They agreed with us that it is what we call verwelkingsziekte. I don’t know what its called in english, but it caused by a certain type of fungus—a verticillium sort. It is now patently clear—if it wazzn't for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all. Gonna wind this sad story up with a little music:
Sorry for your troubles with critters, weather and fungus. My grandad always said farming was the biggest gambling occupation you could have. Guess gardening falls into that category also. Wish you could send some of that rain to the West Coast of the states. One worry has been desertification because of modern practice and change of weather patterns. Me, I am just wondering what my water bill will be. August last year was a shocker
Sjoerd, you are not alone. Between the heavy rains, grass taking over the gardens, and trying to cope with soggy, boggy soil, this is the worst year for gardening we have experienced since moving here. We've saved some crops and completely lost others. But, there's always next season!
So sorry S, we had river Keiper flowing once again this week. Flooded every greenhouse and hightunnel. Left a layer of slimey mud and Sand everywhere and inside the shed, too. It rains and rains and rains... Day after day after day here too. I hope it gets better for you soon. Hugs.
Oh my SJ, what a travail you are having! I felt very odd clicking the 'Like' button on your post: 'liking' such a run of catastrophes is not right. I don't know what to say, between poor weather, critters & plain unlucky accidents, you and your bride are really having a time of it. At least the two of you are in it together. That's what my husband & I tell ourselves when disaster strikes.
Oh! what a string of bad luck. It would seem perhaps that Sjoerd has a bad case of "Murphy's Law". What can go wrong does go wrong. Or perhaps Gremlins?? Hmmmm....He needs a sign that says "Gremlins houden buiten", Gremlins Keep Out!!" That should fix everything. Jerry
I've been having the same sorts of luck here as well. This year has been a soaking, cold mess! We had so much water, that we couldn't get part of our grass cut and it got to the point we were going to have to wait and then have it cut and baled! We finally got that mess cut and cleaned up Friday. Saturday I was finally able to till the veggie garden - half was so wet I couldn't get in there until now. Veggies are finally planted ... 4 weeks late! My flower gardens are over run with weeds and I haven't been able to get out there either. Today is the day I will finally get to tackle that. I've had chipmunks, red squirrels in the roof, rabbits and loads of babies in the gardens, as well as raccoons and babies in the gardenshed, birds in the chimney ... ugh this wildlife! Banner year for blooms on the fruit trees though, but no pollinators. Haven't seen a single honey bee all season, only some bumble bees. Guess I should be happy I have them at least ...
Wow JEWELL--so sorry to hear about your dry spell. I do wish that we could send you some of our rain. Good grief, ODIF! Sorry to hear about your bad luck there, JANE-- I hope for better next year...but I am too angry to give up...I shall just keep soldiering along and re-planting. It is just awful there, CAROLYN. Chin up. CAYU-- you are so right...we are in it together. I am such a focused fanatic though, I just do not give up. I will continue playing catch-up and replanting until the season is over. Hopefully we will have some harvests. Too right, JERRY-- It is just a big mess. I take solace ion reading your post...I am not the only bad luck guy. I wish it wasn't so bad for you though, NETTY.
Wednesday night we had a big storm come through--rain, hail, and 60+ mph winds. We lost our barn--it was moved 6" off its foundation and the front is a complete wreck. We also had some of the siding and part of the roof ripped off the workshop. Part of the metal from the roof wedged under the gate to the barn lot, so husband spend most of a very arduous day getting that cut up and removed, and then resetting the gates. I've been picking up debris from the barn lot for two days. The contents of the barn are strewn all over. And did I mention a huge trunk of our Ashe Juniper split and we have it laying across the path, over the fence, and into the front yard. Luckily, the hens are fine, and we rigged a safe coop out of the remaining standing part of the barn for them. The cats survived, but were very jumpy the next day. Gardens? Forget it--the hail perforated the cucumber foliage and flattened everything else. I asked Mother Nature why, and she answered, "You were getting too cocky!"
Wow, oh my MG! Winds that moved you barn 6" off is foundation! Is the barn a total loss? We are having odd weather indeed.
Jimminy Crickets you all, I hate to admit that aside from hard work pulling weeds, our gardens are coming along well. Sjoerd, I did appreciate the music. I'm wishing I could share the abundance of lettuce, the freshly dug garlic. Almost everyone in our trailer park has enjoyed our lettuce at least once. My prayer is that each of you get a second chance and have better luck.
Oh wow, @Sjoerd...I am so sorry that those awful things are happening to you, all in one season. Did you ever tell me if you could grow hydroponically? That would give you some relief..not what you're used to however, but some joy just the same. I believe I would have quit by now, at least the outside growing. Sounds like most everyone is having a difficult run on here this growing season, because of the crazy weather. Half the country has cool/cold, wet rains, the other half is dry/some rain and HOTTTTTTT!!! We are in the extremely hot part..almost 100 degree days here...a/c running constantly...don't want to see the electric bill type of stuff. I feel so bad because I'm used to seeing most of your gardens on here by now and mine is doing really well for the first year. The winds, MG!!! We are so glad that you are okay though. That's scary stuff right there. Barns off of foundations!!! @Netty ... this is horrible and i'm sure that you are/were feeling helpless to a point. Wow...the wildlife and all the water. So Sorry!! Goodness Carolyn and Odif....nasty on both ends.
