Need garden encouragement---wind!!!

[luvsdirt]

Anyone from zone 7 Texas planted melons or pumpkins yet? I've planted bush cukes, yellow squash, zucchini, onions, bell pepers, tomatoes. The winds are extremely high 30-40+ with lots of blowing dust almost daily. No rain at all this spring. It's pretty easy to become dis-hearted about the whole garden thing. Will ya'll share how you are coping with the difficult weather conditions and gardening?

 

[journey11]

I was just standing there staring at my 2500 sq. ft. of weeds today and thinking the same thing... We can't get a break from the rain long enough to till (or mow grass.) :/

My plan is to build more raised beds. I can have more control over them, then perhaps not all will be lost when the weather in the future proves ridiculously uncooperative. At least I'll be able to get out my early spring crops. They'll appreciate that nice soil and the ground temps warming a little earlier too. Tilling and walking in mud will no longer be a problem! They will be easy to put up plastic low tunnels to protect the plants too.

I've put in two 3'x16' beds so far. I'm aiming to put in at least five more before summer is over.

 

[digitS']

A lot of it is probably, what we are used to? Of course, some of us are not used to gardening. So, weather that we wouldn't even give a second thought, has us tearing our hair out because now it is damaging our plum blossoms before they can set fruit . . . or, something.

I am so tempted to rant about our weather. Yes, it snowed for a couple of hours this morning. Normal high temperature is 61 ~ it has been that warm once this year. There were 40mph gusts yesterday afternoon and only 45. I've got plants coming out of the woodwork but not out-of-doors! There's no chance to harden them off let alone get them out into the garden ~ even the cabbage and broccoli.

Dad had a saying: "Do something, even if it is wrong." So, I do something - move the plants around. It makes me feel better. I've actually been gardening so long, I can't help but think that sometimes, I might just do the right thing. It could be by accident.

Isn't that about all that can be expected? The best we can do. Doesn't understanding that give us some peace?

I feel it does.

Steve

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Steve - I enjoyed your last post. You described me to a tee (or a tea, or maybe a "T"). Sometimes I can keep despair at bay and sometimes it sneaks up on me. I have vocalized "do something, even if it's wrong" many times throughout my life.

We have had rain and high wind for 10 days in a row. Yesterday was a little better and today promises to be beautiful. But everything is either under water or soggy. Last Wed. and Thu. we could not get away from our house as there is a dip in the road both east and west of our house and the water was 3 ft. deep in one and 1 ft. deep in the other. It's kind of funny how we can stay at our place of several days in a row without wanting to go anywhere but if the roads are blocked we feel the strong desire to get out for no real reason.

Edited to correct typos - I'm pretty shakey today.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

I know it is really hard especially when the elements are beating the crap out of you, but since you live in Texas you have a lot of options. You can plant another garden and you can do a fall planting. The weather is not always going to be like this. In Ohio we have had the wettest April since Noah was on the ark. We are having your troubles in reverse. I live on the top of a hill and I have standing water in my yard because it has no one to go anymore. If it is dry for a week (and it is supposed to rain tomorrow and the next day and the next, see a pattern?) I don't know if I could plant in my garden. I don't even have my onions in yet. All my plants are in flats but I don't know if I will get it in the garden in time.

My frost free zone is from May 21st to about the 2nd week of Sept. My options are much more limited.

 

[lesa]

luvsdirt- what I know about weather and gardening is that it is usually a frustration! Too dry, too wet, too windy, too cold, too hot!! Hang in there- better days are coming...
Steve, "do something, even if it wrong" is one of my favorite sayings! Learned it from a dear friend, and adopted it!
Smiles, it has been the 2nd wettest April, in history here. I feel like I'm getting moldy! We are scheduled to have 2 days of sunshine. I'll have to work myself into exhaustion and I still won't be caught up!

 

[luvsdirt]

Thank you all, gardening friends! I will have to adopt the theory of "doing something even if it's wrong" ,too! I can see that we all are having weather issues - too much wind, too dry, too wet, too cold - but we will push on ...I've gardened for years but seems like weather just gets in the way...haha! My poor onions are all laying over on the ground from high winds, but they actually are unhurt! :tools

 

[wifezilla]

And if it is not the weather, it is the cats over here. Last night I rushed outside to get everything covered since we had a frost warning. Unfortunately, Zeus thought I was making him a fort when I threw a sheet over the Chinese Cabbage bed. He could not understand why I tossed him out of "his fort" and then weighted down the sheet with bricks

 

[thistlebloom]

And if it is not the weather, it is the cats over here. Last night I rushed outside to get everything covered since we had a frost warning. Unfortunately, Zeus thought I was making him a fort when I threw a sheet over the Chinese Cabbage bed. He could not understand why I tossed him out of "his fort" and then weighted down the sheet with bricks

Ditto the cat thing. I planted my carrots in half barrels on the patio and covered the sown seed with frost cloth. The cats thought it was very sweet of me to give them a little bedspread to lay on.

 

[Carol Dee]

I do not have a wind problem. But thought maybe you could erect some type of shade/wind break. Akin to a snow fence here in the mid-west. Just a thought. :tools