Saturday, August 04, 2012

Dry Weather Gardening


Five things to do during hot, dry weather to keep a vegetable garden alive and producing:

1. Work hard to keep out all weeds.  They use a lot of moisture.

2.  Water regularly--about a half-inch at a time, in the early morning to reduce evaporation.  We try to not let the garden "dry out" too much (we have sandy soil) as too dry and then too wet leads to problems (blossom end-rot of tomatoes for example).  Too much watering leads to mildew and other wet weather problems.

3. When I finished harvesting the early sweet corn, I cut the stalks into little pieces so the remaining corn plant would not draw moisture. Same for when the green beans finish bearing.

4.With hot weather,  crops mature quickly--and can over grow almost while you watch (especially zucchini  and cucumbers). Harvest regularly.  Overgrown crops draw lots of moisture.

5.  Do a rain dance--regularly, with vigor and enthusiasm.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Gardening is never a sure thing.  Mother Nature is full of surprises.

CHECK THIS OUT:  You can preorder my new novel, THE TAMARACK RIVER GHOST (fifth in my Ames County Series) from Amazon.com.  See press kit at this link for information about the book: http://uwpress.wisc.edu/Presskits/Apps_RiverGhost.html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

August 5-11, The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life.

September 7-8, Southwest Wisconsin Prairie Festival, Folklore Village, 3210 Co. Hwy. BB, Dodgeville, WI.  Keynote talk, Saturday, Sept. 8, 1:00 p.m. “People and the Prairie.”

October 13, The Clearing.  Writing Workshop: Writing From Your Life.

1 comment:

jowiegert@hotmail.com said...

The Center Valley Grade school will hold it's 125th anniversary on Sept. 14th and 15th. It has been restored by former students and interested folks and is now on the state and national historic registers. Having read your book on one room schools I thought of you and to make a long story short.....would you be interested in stopping by to see the school? It's on W5704 Center Valley Rd which is north of Appleton on hwy A and left on Center Valley Rd. I attented school there in the 50's..I can be reached at jowiegert@hotmail.com