I'm having very good luck with the wind and running sprinklers at the distant garden. Of course, I'm paying attention to the hourly forecasts because that's the most windy valley location that I know of
. Several years ago, I was entirely on my own out there with the property owner out of the country. However, I was using the field sprinklers then and they could darn near knock a person down with the force. Still and yet, I used to watch them throw water only about 15 feet from the pipes during windy days!
I can't tolerate that much wind with the smaller, impulse sprinklers. And these days, I have to again do it all by myself and there are miles to drive and several hours to the running of water. Yesterday, there were 30mph wind gusts after the watering was finished, even worse than Friday afternoon. Both mornings were almost quiet and the sprinklers are doing an adequate job. Nothing wilted, at least, with twice a week watering and temperatures to and above 100°f (38°C) each day.
Gotta git out there for something other than a few minutes of weeding/harvesting and then, running water. Every day until Friday (when I can run sprinklers again
) looks even more windy. I hope Friday is like that but it ain't too pleasant to be there with 25mph ++ winds. At least, it doesn't have to be an 8 hour gig so one of these
quieter mornings may work out and the temperatures are suppose to be lower thru the remainder of the week.
Steve
should build a 10' high stone wall around that 30 by 200 foot garden! yeah, right 
So apparently the smooth luffa (or at least this variety) is more Northern-adapted that the angled luffa I've tried previously. This is pretty early for a gourd (the bitter melon have yet to flower) so I'm hopeful that at least a few luffa will make it to maturity; the young ones will be either given away, or used for soup. The flowers are very large & showy, I'm looking forward to seeing the plants in full bloom.
