Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot.

[ness]

Man, I've been watering the heck out of stuff just to keep it looking so-so. These raised beds sure dry out quickly. My heirloom tomatoes are really looking feeble. Brandywine, Black from Tula, and Cherokee Purple all stressed with sparse foliage. Tomatoes are smallish and oddly shaped. Celebrity hybrids are doing better. Huge fruit set early on and they got some good size, but they're stalled out. I've brought a bunch in to ripen and get them out of the sun. Gonna rig up something to shade one side with a lot of fruit exposed.

Multiplier onions and garlic are curing. Some cucumbers, but nothing spectacular. Beans are a real disappointment. Rattlesnake pole are throwing off a few. KY Wonder pole nada. Dragon Tongue bush are throwing off oddly shaped and colored pods.

Anybody having any luck in this heat and drought?

[lee G.]

Mine is doing the same as yours ness, no luck at all this year.

[BilletHead]

I have a good crop right now Ness but it isn't going to last long at this rate. We usually have tomatoes to take out West on our two week flyfishing in the high country in August. It isn't going to happen this vacation for sure. Our garden is kind of in the timber and does get some shade from the sun but the constant heat will take it's toll. Cabbage is already stalled with some the size of baseballs. Probably out to go ahead and pick. Assorted peppers are doing the best and I think they will be ok. We take a chance every year like the big time farmers. Wonder if we can get crop insurance like them ?

On a good note we have become friends with farmers around here. When they plant there corn they usually plant some big and I mean big patches of sweet corn somewhere hidden in their field corn. Have had three calls from three different farmer friends for us to help ourselves. We have eaten so much it is crazy good. Mrs. BilletHead took corn off of at least fifty ears today. We throw about two cups and a good pat of butter in a bag and vacumn seal. Repeat until we are out and smash flat, stack and freeze. It sure tasts good when the snow is a flying.

BilletHead, full of corn

[ness]

Sounds like a sweet arrangement, BH. Best I can do is hit our local roadside stand or farmer's market. Got some excellent sweet corn from some Mennonite farmers a couple weeks ago. Ate a LOT of it. Gonna have to get more soon -- it's gonna shut down.

Already thinking about my fall garden

[Quillback]

Yep this heat is starting to take it's toll. Getting the weird shaped tomatoes myself, and when they ripen, they ripen unevenly. Plants have pretty much stopped growing, and the leaf wilt is getting bad. Beans are about done, I think I'll spade them in. Squash is still doing well and the cantaloupe should start getting ripe in a couple of weeks (i hope).

[ness]

Welp, we got rain last night. Anybody else?

edited: not sure how much we got -- the weather station near us showed 2-1/4 this AM, but now it shows zud.

[Quillback]

Rain? What's that? It didn't even get cloudy here, let alone rain. No rain in sight in the forecast either. But, glad to hear you got some, I'm worried about pheasant numbers in KS this year if this heat keeps up.

[Wayne SW/MO]

With less than a 1/2" since April, I'm fighting to keep a few green things alive, along with the birds, deer, rabbits and squirrels.

[BilletHead]

Well bless your heart Ness you fortunate fellow! Rain! I watched the storms track up your way. Our weather man said they would peter out before they got here. He was right. We froze 32 cups of corn this morning. Picked tomatoes and peppers too. Then off to the corn patch for more picking. I owe these farmers big time. They let my wife and I harass there ducks and geese. I suppose I do a little service taking out some geese though Also make sure they have gooseberry jam, smoked cheese, mess of crappie now and again, goose jerky too.

Mrs. BilletHead is making salsa right now. I have some hot peppers in the dehydrater now. I dried herbs, basil and rosemary last week. Here is this mornings harvest.

The BilletHead who needs more vacuum seal bags.

[KCRIVERRAT]

I don't have a garden up in KC, but I'm in Cassville taking care of the in-laws place while they're on vacation in NYC. Baby sitting Labs and the garden for the week. Dry as a bone here too. Father-in- law is a gamer, he's 82 and still in great health but he ain't been watering enough. Busy dousing the garden and the mother-in-laws flowers twice daily. Garden and flowers are looking better. Tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, and jalapenos are doing great. Dug the last of the potatoes this morning. Green beans are about done, got a small row to check the next few days. Getting a few decent green peppers, but not many.

And as far as green beans go... I like the concept of "pole beans". I'm sure some of you do that. Not near as back-breaking.