We know if we
don’t get rain, things don’t grow and many die.
If we get too much rain or at the wrong times, things can rot and many
die. Throw in crazy winds, hail and
other calamities and we’re talking serious plant failures.
I’ve found for
every odd weather event, there’s a plant out there loving the conditions. And, another performing poorly. It’s not just the Midwest, although we are
the bread basket of the world. Every
area that has crops and residential yards is held in the “mother nature” grasp
of weather related issues.
The plentiful
early spring rains brought us out of drought and many plants responded by a
return to growth and health. Although
many farm fields had some flooding related loss, the crops are perhaps the most
beautiful I’ve seen in years. This is in
spite of the moisture related insect population explosion.
Plants that tend
to have mildew suffered spring damage but most have improved with the dry
weather of summer/fall.
Daylilies
suffered last summer more than they showed and even though the early rains
improved their conditions, they have not performed up to potential this
year. Not as many scapes or buds and
most haven’t rebloomed.
Japanese Beetle
populations “seem” to be down this year and it’s been attributed to the massive
rains smothering the larva. We can only
hope.
Green beans are
having a banner year while tomatoes are slow to turn ripe due to the lack of
hot days and nights. My cabbages look
like huge ruffled flying saucers while my pepper plants have just started to
produce.
Some Hostas are
drying up because of the lack of moisture especially if they get any direct
sun. They enjoyed the early spring rains
but demand moisture though out the summer to be perfect.
Some plants will
perform well if they have just the early spring rains: Hydrangea, honeysuckle, maple trees,
horseradish, spirea bushes, ornamental grasses, yucca, Blackeyed Susan, to name
a few.
Weather related
tolerance is why we recommend a variety of plants for your gardens. Something will always be happy even when
something else pouts. Having a series of
plants blooming from early spring to frost insures your yards will be full and
beautiful.
As far as
gardening, sometimes you have to deep water to have continued produce. Sometimes you simply have to deal with late
production.
I do want to
mention one good alternative if your garden isn’t producing what you need: Beagle Creek Farm (find them on facebook and
at www.beaglecreekfarm.com ) is organically grown produce from Sarah Hahn. Order on a Sunday on facebook and pick up
either at the farm or in downtown Galva on Tuesdays. I’ve had the most fun with some of their
heirloom vegetables including some wonderful beets.
Pickled Beets
This recipe for
“pickled beets” has been passed down over the generations in my Shenk family:
Cut tops and
root ends off clean beets. Cover with
water and bring to a boil. Simmer until
tender. Cool enough to handle and slip
off skins/discard skins. Slice beets.
Pour out cooking
water and add enough white vinegar and sugar in the same pan to cover the
beets.. Use more if you are cooking lots
of beets. Add 1/2 teaspoon each cloves
and salt and 1 teaspoon dill weed. (Add
more if you are cooking quantities.) Add
sliced beets, bring to a boil and let simmer on low for 10 minutes. Cool (do not drain) and refrigerate over
night to blend flavors. My family always
added to the cooled mixture several peeled whole hard cooked eggs. Every time you get in the refrigerator, swish
mixture around to allow the flavors to touch it all.
I use these
pickled beets as a side dish or they add zip to potato and pasta salads.
Enjoy the bounty
of what’s producing this year; next year it may be a whole new weather and
growing experience.
.jpg)
.JPG)
