Washington State Weather

[DrakeMaiden]

Hey all you Washingtonians, I thought you'd appreciate a little nugget from our local newspaper:

As Kitsap Master Gardener Sharon Howard puts it, "Gardening is never a sissy sport, but this year it is exceptionally brutal.

While it doesn't really help, maybe we can take some comfort that at least it is a shared misery? :/

 

[Nubsmum]

HI, I am in Oregon and I can relate to the misery part. This year I put in a larger garden than normal to offset high veg prices and it is fun as well.:tools

However now I am bracing for the hot

I have at least been enjoying some nice salad so I came up with a plan(place evil laugh here just for fun-mwahhhhh) I am going to the dollar store later today to get some of their white plastic tablecloths(ya know, the real thin cheapo ones?) Anyway, I am going to cover my peas and lettuce and maybe some other things with these during the hot part of the day. I have my garden in boxes that are just about this size.

Also, I was looking into getting some red mulch for the toms. I looked at how high it was and thought, why can't I use the same cheapo red table cloths from the dollar store? I am sure they won't last for more than one season but the red mulch is like 9 dollars here and it says it only lasts about three years. Might be worth a try anyhow.

Well, hang in there. It sure looks like an interesting year for sure. Our only saving grace would be a late summer. Sometimes we do get that here. The cruel trick would be an early frost and fall. My cukes, squash and toms would not stand a chance as they are now just starting to take off.

:rainbow-sun

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Hey Nubsmum!

Yeah, here comes another freak heat wave! At least now we are in late June and would expect such an event.

I am interested in your tablecloth turned shadecloth. I am doing a similar experiment with my poor squash transplants that I was flumoxed about whether to transplant last night or wait out the heat. I covered them over with some landscaping fabric, for lack of anything better on hand. I have no idea if it will work, but it seems to allow some light through. I just hope it doesn't disipate extra heat (???). It isn't touching the plants, but I would think that if a breeze is lacking, the air might get hot under there.

I don't think red tablecloths will work for your tomatoes. Save your money. The idea with the red plastic is that it translates heat into the soil. A cotton tablecloth would probably not do much for retaining heat, as it is more permeable to warm air escaping.

Good luck to you and your bigger than usual garden!

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Also, I'm hoping for an indian summer too! I love them, but this year we could REALLY use it!

 

[Nubsmum]

Actually the tablecloths are plastic. They are like any you can find at a party store. You can get them in all colors. I had already went out and bought them so I will give it a whirl. I picked out white ones to use as the shade cloths over the more sensitive plants. I figured I could vent the ends kind of like a small makeshift cloche. At least during the hotter parts of the day.

I think your landscape cloth would work fine for shadecloth. Maybe let the plants have direct sun in the am and late in the pm but cover during the hottest part of the day. Real shadcloth is not cheap. I love to use what is laying around.

I am going to track down a book called "the four season harvest" We made cloches early in the season so I could start some plants early. Just too cold anyway, but they will come in handy so I can grow some things like kale, swiss chard and some late broccoli and such this winter. I have read that if you plant the cold hardy varieties you can have this most of the winter and they can even stand some frost.

Enjoy your weekend and keep cool!!:dance

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Nubsmum -- if the tablecloths are plastic I would think they'd work fine for keeping your tomatoes warm.

I read that white plastic mulch can keep the ground cooler (and moister) for cool season crops. So, what to do? Use them as mulch or shadecloth? Maybe both?

Yeah, I rigged the landscape fabric so that my transplants get morning sun, but filtered mid-day and afternoon sun. We'll see.

"Four Season Harvest" is an awesome book. Go get it!

Stay cool down there too! You guys tend to get it a little hotter than us.