From highs in the 50s or low 60's, we've got 86 degrees today and lows in the high 50's. Horrible, no chance for the body's thermostat to adjust gradually. Sure, we have some hot days now and then in the spring, but not a bunch in a row like this. My pansies don't like it. I can't believe I have the AC on in early April (thermostat is on 72). Look like no break for the next five days or so, except thunderstorms mid-week.

Barefoot, y'all must be steaming in Miami. Sheesh!

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

Answers

OG, if you ask nicely I may stop dancing. Blessings, David

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

It's you again??? All right already, PLEASE stop it! Do the Highs-in-the-Mid-60s dance.

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

Wilted Old Git,

I know what you mean. Week before last we were lows in the 20's and high's in the 30's or 40's. Last week, we were up in the high 70's or mid 80's. Today has been another beautiful, yet warm day.

If it's this bad now, I almost hate to think what summer will be like.

We got a lot of wind last night, and some trees are down in the neighborhood, but no rain. We need some springtime rains now, to offset the dry hot summers we have. If we don't get the rain, how am I gonna keep my veggies alive? (They say no watering in drought!)

Digging in the garden, one very tired Sheeple

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

For your veggies, Sheeps--places like Lowe's are now selling various brands of potting soil which have moisture-releasing thingies in them. You can also buy the moisture-holding-then-releasing granules from garden catalogues to mix in your own potting soil. I'm using this potting soil for my raised beds and pots (where I can afford it!). The rest of my pots and beds have good thicknesses of mulch on them. Those large bark nuggets are good for putting on top of soil in your pots, plus the squirrels and chipmunks aren't so prone to dig in them.

I like to put stuff in pots, then when the hot weather gets here I can move them to sites where they get some afternoon shade. When they die down, I put them in an obscure corner and replace them with something else that's in bloom.

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

we are having a heck of a blustery, winter storm here in so cal. in the desert last week where they were complaining about skipping spring and going right to summer (90's). it's not summer anymore!

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

BWD,

OUCH! Don't ya just hate it when it won't settle for one season?

OG,

It'd be real expensive to do a 20'x40' area with the moisture retention grandules. I've added peat moss, and compost that I have had going for a year. This place actually gets some afternoon shade due to a huge maple tree. It has produced way more veggies than I can use, so I'm going to plant smaller amounts of more varities.

The past two years I've given away more peppers, cukes, and squash than you can imagine. Carrots, onions, and lettuce are all mine. My strawberries are blooming, and my chives, thyme, marjoram, and rosemarry are recovered from the winter. I'm surprised that the rosemary survived the snow and ice.

Today, my son asked me if he could have his own little garden, so I said sure, only if he worked the ground. We'll see how that goes. I bought some huge tomato plants today, which already have blooms on them. They'll go in the ground tomorrow morning.

We went to purchase some flowers, but there wasn't much to be had as the others beat us to them. I'll catch them on the next shipment. I did however buy two pots of Calla Lillies, and some bulbs. I'll be a planting fool tomorrow.

Please forgive any type-os, as I've had about 3 glasses of Maple Syrup wine and well, everything isn't working as it should at the moment.

Cheers!

Sheeple

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

I am trying not to fuss, last year the heat and lack of rain was very bad. This year I have promised not too fuss. This not to fuss is very, very hard!

-- Anonymous, April 07, 2001

Oh no, you couldn't possibly do a 20 x 40 area with those granules! My garden gets smaller every year as the creaks get louder. I'm growing only tomatoes, lettuce and Malabar spinach (highly recommended) this year. I'm going to dig up the strawberries--too labor intensive, I'm afraid. I might plant a strawberry pot but that's it. I just can't get out there and work like I used to.

Now that newspapers are using vegetable dyes, you can use them as moisture-conserving mulch--providing you put heavier material on top to hold them down.

Shade, feel free to complain here. I certainly do!

Note on Malabar spinach--it's not really spinach but it tastes like it; it's actually a vine. You just pluck off the leaves as needed. Quite ornamental too, pretty lavender flowers. Best of all, it loves heat.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2001

Speaking of newspaper, I've always heard that it is good to use in the ground as well, as it will break down and loosen up the soil. Have you heard that?

I'm thinking about running a ton of the stuff thru the shredder and adding it in as well.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2001

Newspaper is great for use as mulch, just not the glossy paper like coupons and ads and junk. you can shred it or use it flat to keep weeds down, but as Git mentioned, put something on it so it don't blow away. We used several layers 10-15 in one spot and soaked it thouroughly, when it dried it was like cement, and nothing got through it weed-wise. It was great. I don't recommend doing that all over as it also block the water, but at the time we didn't care as we were trying to kill the stuff anyway.

As to the weather down here, it has been beautiful but a bit dry as rain goes. They did lift the watering ban [phase 3] and we remain at phase 2 for now. It's just about 1 pm here and the temp is 82 according to Weather Bug

Our pineapples are coming along nicely, the bananas seem quite happy, too. The Mamey tree is promising a bunch of Mamey this year, and the maters are doing well, too. Our garlic plant is blooming like an idiot. Our Rosemary is doing great, too. And the Hog plum has fruit on it for the first time this year.

West Indian pumpkins are on the way, and maybe even some watermelons. it's a bit late now for strawberries for us.

-- Anonymous, April 08, 2001

We are running behind this year. In order to catch up, it is important that spring be cancelled. We will proceed directly from mud season to high summer.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001

First real day of spring today here in the Catskill Mountains. Birds so loud outside at one point that I asked Mr. Firemouse whether it was real birds or some sound file on his computer. He looked at me kinda funny. Hey, at least I didn't ask him if it was "meat birds"...

I'm taking a break from tidying the barn. Not a working barn anymore, just an old smallish one of the sort where you throw everything in in the fall and shut the door and then wonder in the spring why you can't get in more than a foot or so. Found what I assume is a dead rabbit, which I am steeling myself to go thrust into a trash bag. At least I think it's a rabbit, from what is sticking out it's mostly a spine and what looks like rabbit feet but I guess not the lucky kind. I'm afraid I can't get that old Bugs Bunny opera cartoon out of my mind, where Elmer Fudd is singing "Kill the wabbit, kill the wabbit..." to the tune of the Ride of the Valkyries.

-- Anonymous, April 09, 2001