Michael Swol, whose birthday is today, received a packet of Dorset Naga peppers from England yesterday. They are supposedly 30% hotter than the famous ghost chilies. I hope to plant them this afternoon in the greenhouse. They are supposed to take up to 4 weeks to germinate. I wonder who will be brave enough to test them against the ghost chilies and how will they be able to tell if they are hotter. Which ever pepper they eat first will probably burn out the lining of their mouth.
We got what felt like a major rainstorm last night. The reading on the rain gauge was only 1/2". A normal garden needs about 1” per week of rain. The raised bed gardens need more and this time of year the wind seems to blow a lot, which dries out the soil quickly.
The arugula had started setting a few little flowers, so the ones with flower-stalks were pulled up and put into the compost. The rest of the arugula was harvested to about 2” above the ground. It is hoped this will slow the bolting process.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://davidsegrest.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Rain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rain. Show all posts
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
The Just and the Unjust
The Bible says that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. I’m not sure what I am in that case, because it is not falling on me or my yard. At my office in Charlotte it rained all afternoon. At my house, there was not a drop in the rain gauge. The grass is brown and there are huge cracks in the yard. It is a good thing we have a leash law, or someone could lose a small dog in the cracks.
The garden is being watered every day except for the speckled lima beans. They are staying green and healthy, but they have no beans. There is no sense wasting water on them. The crucifers, except for the little plants I bought, are doing great. Of the bought plants, 3 out of 16 have survived. All of the ones from the greenhouse are flourishing.
About 4 cucumber plants survived the spotted cucumber beetles. They are growing pretty slow, but if they make cucumbers they will be ideal candidates for saving seeds. They are either resistant to the beetles or they don’t taste good to them. Either way works for me.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The garden is being watered every day except for the speckled lima beans. They are staying green and healthy, but they have no beans. There is no sense wasting water on them. The crucifers, except for the little plants I bought, are doing great. Of the bought plants, 3 out of 16 have survived. All of the ones from the greenhouse are flourishing.
About 4 cucumber plants survived the spotted cucumber beetles. They are growing pretty slow, but if they make cucumbers they will be ideal candidates for saving seeds. They are either resistant to the beetles or they don’t taste good to them. Either way works for me.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 2, 2010
Sweet Summer Rain
I love it!! It is too wet to get in the garden if the rain falling at my office is falling at home as well. This is the perfect rain. Hard enough to get stuff wet. Soft enough not to smash everything down. The vegetables will sink their roots into the blessed water and live. As soon as the sun pops out, it will suck all of that water up into the plants and swell up the fruits. This is all the rain that is called for until July 9. It might be enough. The weather man probably doesn’t know anyway.
The mustard greens are starting to go to seed. We are tired of them anyway. I think I will pull them off this weekend. The potatoes come off too. There are either potatoes down there or not. I am ready to fill the beds with compost and dirt and plant something else. It is hot and early for mesclun and spinach, but maybe, I’ll plant it anyway. Worst case, I lose my seed.
About ½ of the sunflowers are still standing. They look to be at least 10’ tall. The little flowers are turning to the sun. They are only about 4” across right now. If the rain doesn’t knock them down, the sun will make them grow. There is a little 2 year old boy in the house behind me. I can’t wait to give him one of those big sunflowers.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The mustard greens are starting to go to seed. We are tired of them anyway. I think I will pull them off this weekend. The potatoes come off too. There are either potatoes down there or not. I am ready to fill the beds with compost and dirt and plant something else. It is hot and early for mesclun and spinach, but maybe, I’ll plant it anyway. Worst case, I lose my seed.
About ½ of the sunflowers are still standing. They look to be at least 10’ tall. The little flowers are turning to the sun. They are only about 4” across right now. If the rain doesn’t knock them down, the sun will make them grow. There is a little 2 year old boy in the house behind me. I can’t wait to give him one of those big sunflowers.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, June 3, 2010
First Across the Finish Line
Michael Swol sent an email this morning with a picture of a red tomato. I know it is true, because I saw the tomato in his garden when it was green. I am still green myself, with jealousy. I assume he took the picture yesterday, June 2. I don’t know of anyone who has picked a real tomato (not a cherry or grape tomato) yet, so I am assuming that this is the first in our circle of friends.
The rain gauge showed 1.4” of rain in the garden overnight. The corn was no worse off than before. No better either. The largest tomato is about the size of a ping pong ball now. The yellow squash picked yesterday was the largest yet; but still pretty small. The sugar peas and broccoli are still producing; but they look like they may be finishing their short but productive lives.
The little tomatoes that got started in the greenhouse Friday are poking their heads up. The basil has not. These will be for the upside down pots that can be brought into the greenhouse at the end of the season. Earthworm castings were harvested this weekend to make potting soil for them.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Friday, November 13, 2009
Greenhouse Weather
The garden is my pressure valve. We are into the 3rd day of really cold rain. The greenhouse has been my salvation. Potting soil is getting mixed. Cups are getting labeled and filled. The tomatoes have been planted in the indoor raised bed, the lights are set up. The lights were not cutting off automatically. I was ready to take the time back. I realized this morning when I went out to cut the lights off, that they were not plugged into the timer. It should work better now.
Why can’t the rain come while stuff is growing in the garden? The empty rain barrels are full now and overflowing. All summer city water had to be used. The rain is knocking the leaves off of the trees. That will help the leaf blowing process move along as soon as they get dry. The pin oaks are still about ½ green; so they will dump after everything else is cleaned up.
The rain is helping the greens and salad greens in the garden. The ground is too wet to pick them. They just get pulled up. When the soil dries a little there will be plenty to do there. The greens will need picking. The raised beds are full of compost. They need dirt now. More lumber has been scrounged. There is enough to build 3 or maybe 4 more beds. It is better than Prozac.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Why can’t the rain come while stuff is growing in the garden? The empty rain barrels are full now and overflowing. All summer city water had to be used. The rain is knocking the leaves off of the trees. That will help the leaf blowing process move along as soon as they get dry. The pin oaks are still about ½ green; so they will dump after everything else is cleaned up.
The rain is helping the greens and salad greens in the garden. The ground is too wet to pick them. They just get pulled up. When the soil dries a little there will be plenty to do there. The greens will need picking. The raised beds are full of compost. They need dirt now. More lumber has been scrounged. There is enough to build 3 or maybe 4 more beds. It is better than Prozac.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 11, 2008
The Garden is on Autopilot
The Garden is on Autopilot
I hope. I have weeded & mulched and set up watering systems. All my wife has to do while I’m in Shanghai is pick the vegetables, maybe turn the watering system on and support new watermelons. Sorry, I haven’t written. I am not getting much garden lore here. Despite the climate, a lot of the food is preserved. I think that is because that is what the Shanghainese like, not because the fresh stuff is not available. When my wife and I were here in 2006, we got really sick; so I am not eating any thing with the peel on or anything that might have been washed and not cooked. I am passing up the very best. The few raw vegetables here look really delicious.
It has rained in Charlotte every evening since I left so yesterday was the first time my wife could get into the garden. She picked 9 tomatoes and patti-pan squash the size of dinner plates. The watermelons are soaking up the water and growing huge (for sugar-babies). She says the mosquitoes are doing well also. I have been spared the details; but I will bet the weeds are benefiting from the rain. More work for me. More material for the compost pile.
At least she doesn’t have to water. The irrigation really just keeps the plants alive. It doesn’t seem to make them grow and glow like rain does. Sorry for the long quiet spell. Monday is my day off. I will try to explore and report on the famous gardens (vegetable) of Shanghai.
David Segrest practices international real estate and writes an international real estate blog. Email is david@segrestrealty.com , Web page http://www.segrestrealty.com/ ,Blog http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
I hope. I have weeded & mulched and set up watering systems. All my wife has to do while I’m in Shanghai is pick the vegetables, maybe turn the watering system on and support new watermelons. Sorry, I haven’t written. I am not getting much garden lore here. Despite the climate, a lot of the food is preserved. I think that is because that is what the Shanghainese like, not because the fresh stuff is not available. When my wife and I were here in 2006, we got really sick; so I am not eating any thing with the peel on or anything that might have been washed and not cooked. I am passing up the very best. The few raw vegetables here look really delicious.
It has rained in Charlotte every evening since I left so yesterday was the first time my wife could get into the garden. She picked 9 tomatoes and patti-pan squash the size of dinner plates. The watermelons are soaking up the water and growing huge (for sugar-babies). She says the mosquitoes are doing well also. I have been spared the details; but I will bet the weeds are benefiting from the rain. More work for me. More material for the compost pile.
At least she doesn’t have to water. The irrigation really just keeps the plants alive. It doesn’t seem to make them grow and glow like rain does. Sorry for the long quiet spell. Monday is my day off. I will try to explore and report on the famous gardens (vegetable) of Shanghai.
David Segrest practices international real estate and writes an international real estate blog. Email is david@segrestrealty.com , Web page http://www.segrestrealty.com/ ,Blog http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Progress Report
Progress Report
I am once again separated from my Garden. I am in Miami in an air-conditioned environment. It is really too hot in Charlotte to be in the yard anyway.
The grape vines are really going to town. I had no idea they would grow this fast. The tomatoes are over my head and have tomatoes the size of tennis balls already. We are eating squash and zucchini. The spaghetti squash is literally climbing the wall. It is at about shoulder level now. The patty-pan squash finally has blossoms. The watermelons are growing; but slowly. There are tiny cucumbers on the cucumber vines. We have cut some broccoli but they are small. If we don’t cut them they will go to seed.
We haven’t had any rain for weeks. I have been watering with my Rube Goldberg system every 2 or 3 days; but that only keeps the plants alive. It does not really make for healthy growth. We had a thunderstorm last night; but it was only thunder and lightning, no water. In Miami we had a nice storm yesterday afternoon. The sky is overcast now. Everything here is really green and lovely. The flowers are blooming in Coral Gables.
David Segrest practices international real estate and writes an international real estate blog. Email is david@segrestrealty.com , Web page http://www.segrestrealty.com ,Blog http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
I am once again separated from my Garden. I am in Miami in an air-conditioned environment. It is really too hot in Charlotte to be in the yard anyway.
The grape vines are really going to town. I had no idea they would grow this fast. The tomatoes are over my head and have tomatoes the size of tennis balls already. We are eating squash and zucchini. The spaghetti squash is literally climbing the wall. It is at about shoulder level now. The patty-pan squash finally has blossoms. The watermelons are growing; but slowly. There are tiny cucumbers on the cucumber vines. We have cut some broccoli but they are small. If we don’t cut them they will go to seed.
We haven’t had any rain for weeks. I have been watering with my Rube Goldberg system every 2 or 3 days; but that only keeps the plants alive. It does not really make for healthy growth. We had a thunderstorm last night; but it was only thunder and lightning, no water. In Miami we had a nice storm yesterday afternoon. The sky is overcast now. Everything here is really green and lovely. The flowers are blooming in Coral Gables.
David Segrest practices international real estate and writes an international real estate blog. Email is david@segrestrealty.com , Web page http://www.segrestrealty.com ,Blog http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
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