Sweater Weather Again

Well, the heat only lasted two days -- that was enough for me -- and we are back down in the 45°F range again.  I like the cooler weather because the bugs aren't as bad.  I was able to get the barley, pie pumpkins, and mangels planted out in the field.  I also finished out the potato section with  Blue Hubbard and Sunshine winter squash, Vates collards, Danish Ballhead cabbages, Musselburgh leeks, more yellow onions, Pascal celery, Anthem dill, Marketmore cucumbers and a free package of melons (I don't know what kind of melon it is; I think it'll be too cold for melons to grow well this year, but it was a free pack of seeds so I planted it).  By the house I planted the Rutgers tomatoes in one of the garden boxes and put an Agribon shield around them because of the cold temps.  I also planted some Perkins Long Pod Okra, Genovese Basil (my favorite), sweet bell peppers, and more dill in the garden box, too, and covered all of those seeds with an Agribon row cover.  Already this morning the basil and okra are coming up!  In the big plastic pot near the garage door entry, I planted the Thai Hot, Tabasco, and Laos hot pepper seedlings.  This is the sunniest and hottest place around the house, but I'm thinking about putting an Agribon tent over these plants as well because the cold temps are shriveling them up.

I have one more garden area to plant and that is the garden space my brother-in-law said I could use this year because he is too busy with other things.  I was going to put some beans in that garden, but because Tom planted so many green beans, I think I'll plant carrots instead.  I also have some Jenny Lind melon seeds I'd like to try.  It is a nice sunny location so maybe the melons will be ok there.  I would have liked to plant some sunflowers, but it is too late already to direct seed sunflowers.  I also have some Gilfeather Turnip seeds for that garden, too.

So why are these plants not in the greenhouse?  Well, Tom broke one of the roof flashings and we were missing a hook from one of the roof cable brace kits so we had to order the parts and wait for them to come (they came in the mail yesterday) before we can get back to building the greenhouse.  And, of course, now we are busy trying to get everything planted.  Ugh!  If we can get the greenhouse built within the next two weeks, I'll try putting some more warmer weather varieties in it and grow them in pots.

Today I helped Tom plant out in his garden by Dad's house.  We planted Kennebec potatoes, green beans, collards and cabbages, and beets.  Then Tom's blood sugar dropped so we quit for the day.  Tomorrow we'll plant the corn and winter squash.

The bear is back and the deer are gone so maybe the gardens will have a chance even though I'm told that bears love melons. A woman on one of the gardening list servs I read said that she has successfully deterred varmints from her garden by using a simple fence made up of (of all things) video tape! I'll try anything!


We're supposed to get rain tonight and that will get the seeds off to a good start.

That's all for now. Keep safe and be well!