Spring crop failure

10 years ago

Well, after an extremely long and cold winter that saw the ground thaw only in early May, temps suddenly jumped into the 80s last week. It was surreal to see snowbanks on an 80 degree day. The ground dried out very quickly and we haven't seen any rain yet this spring. I planted spinach but most of it never germinated. I suspect it was too warm and dry, despite me trying to water when I could.

With the longest days of the year approaching ('bolt season'), I think I might just plow the beds and move on to planting my tomatoes and peppers.

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Comments (5)

myfamilysfarm
10 years ago
Sorry for your weather, sometimes you just can't plan on anything. Our area, after having a slow start to spring/summer, looks like it will a normal season, fingers crossed.
little_minnie
10 years ago
I know right! Bad spring. Some of my seeds are up great and others not. For the first couple weeks I didn't think it was time to water yet and it got drier than I thought. We had just had so much snow but it all soaked in. It is a hard call to know what the spring crops will do. I was still sowing peas yesterday.
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2ajsmama
10 years ago
Our temps have been jumping around so much it was hard to tell what to do - so I planted the kale and spinach I had started, didn't bother with the broccoli that had been in starter cells too long. Never did get lettuce, etc. in earlier this week but going to do it today (was potting up tomatoes and started hardening off yesterday). Getting some rain this week but don't exactly know how much/when yet, figured it might be a good time to seed. Might do the beans this weekend too since the soil out back(pen sunny area) is warmer than the soil (shaded) near the house where I put the kale.

SlmiyOkra - so sorry no spring crops for you. I just have to see what happens with mine. Temps here look like they're going to keep swinging from one extreme to the next, not even sure about putting out tomatoes next weekend, peppers definitely waiting til June. What are your lows (and lower highs) going to be? And have you moved yet?
Slimy_Okra
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi ajsmama,
Weather is very weird for this time of year - sunny every day, highs in the low 70s and lows in the high 40s, and it's been like this for two weeks now, with no change forecast. Usually it's cooler and wetter than this.
The move is planned for this fall. So I'm going to be farming, selling, moving and setting up for next year's season all at once, and I still have to keep my part-time job to pay the bills.
2ajsmama
10 years ago
We had 78 on Friday 10 days ago, and frost (freeze warnings but didn't see the freeze here) last Mon & Tues. 60 as a high this past weekend, and it's 64 right now (10 degrees warmer in the garage and the house where the tomatoes are) with next 2 days predicted around 80, then back in the 60's with lows in the 40's for the weekend.

We've had 2.5" of rain in the past 7 weeks (I forget how much in March but had some snow pack still), at least the spring is running into our pond again now and pond looks full.