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lilacs_of_may

Watching the forecast

lilacs_of_may
15 years ago

I have a ton of green tomatoes, and I'm impatient for them to ripen up. The 10-day forecast shows no indication of frost or freeze. The low temperatures will stay above 40, so that's good for the tomatoes.

The zucchini, which has been producing quite handily all along, seem to have sped up production. Right now I have two ready to cut and another 5-6 developing, on two hills (five plants). Either it's hit its stride finally, or it knows that fall is coming so it's hurrying up to produce as many as possible.

So how are the rest of you trying to beat the clock?

Comments (11)

  • jclepine
    15 years ago

    I have had freezing temps consistently for a while now and I'm a little fed up! The leaves have all died and just the fruits are hanging around and waiting to ripen. I cover them every night with a sheet and clip it in place if there is wind. I'm almost ready to just clip them and bring them in to a dark room ala Skybird's suggestions.
    fed up over here!!
    J

  • digit
    15 years ago

    Different plants have differing responses to the cold and lack of sunlight. Green beans surprise me with their ability to mature a crop in cold conditions . . . right up until they freeze and die!

    My tomatoes have experienced at least one very light frost. I know that it frosted yesterday morning because I could feel the ice when I rubbed my fingers over the weeds around the garden.

    Basil isn't in that garden or I'm sure it would just be black stumps today. Some of the cucurbit vines were already beyond the growing season but those that weren't appear to have suffered no damage. The pepper plants and beans are still green.

    The tomato plants have (what should I say?) lost interest in life. You can tell . . . foliage has shrunk and the vines have lost there "perkiness." There's still quite a few green fruits in the patch and I expect to see them start to turn color this week since temps are supposed to stay above 40°F.

    The lack of sunlight is also having an effect, I'm sure. Even tho' we've all just passed the equinox, do we really think that the plants are getting half a day's worth of sunlight? This lack of light and the fact that most plants become inactive about 45° - 50°, means the garden is pretty much just biding its time until killing frost.

    Lilacs, you may want to withhold water from your tomatoes - right down to wilt. Whatever growth that is taking place now will cease and fruit should begin to ripen.

    As far as forecasts go, I'm inclined to trust NOAA more than others. For current conditions, wunderground.com has a contributing weather station about 1 1/2 miles from the veggie garden and up-to-the-minute data. Unfortunately, when I try to check on the dahlia garden 8 miles away . . . on the other side of a small city . . . I still get that same little weather station. Nevertheless, you might get lucky with wunderground.com and be able to stay in your comfortable home while checking on the backyard. Of course, it won't be quite the same as reaching down, and touching the grass.

    digitS'

  • meteor04
    15 years ago

    My garden may look like heck, but it sure is still produceing! Still geeting tons of scallops, toms and cukes. You can see the writeing on the wall. Had a minor frost this morning, and my mammoth sunflowers are done for, be cutting them down soon.

    It's rather sad watching my final garden here winding down after spending the last 3 years buildng it up and learning what works and what doesn't. Oh well, yet another reason to hate the ex...

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    15 years ago

    You had frost, Meteor? Wow! I only got down to 44 on the full shade side of my yard! And, I understand about exÂs, but hang in there, it will get better. And you WILL have a garden again. Just think of all the fun you can have planning the new one when you get it!

    I just spent an hour out cutting leaves and suckers off of my tomatoes so they will, hopefully, have more energy to put into "finishing up" whatÂs still growing. Had to wash off several layers of GREEN to get back down to flesh color! Mine are still doing very well this year. The more suckers I cut off, the more determined they seem to be to keep growing! Give up, already! I did have a couple duds, but IÂm trying to find time to get over to the tomato thread to report by variety name.

    Jennifer, with as cold as you get up there, I think you might as well concede the summer and cut yours to bring in and hang somewhere. Less work than covering them every nite, and I think theyÂll probably ripen as well inside as outside at this point since youÂre out there in the higher climes! I still have lots of greens ones on all of them, and IÂm gonna try to keep them outside for a couple more weeks yetÂand hope they donÂt freeze while IÂm gone sometime! NOAA is showing us above 40 every nite for the next week, and after next Saturday IÂll be off for a whole week, so IÂll be around to do emergency surgery if necessary, and then IÂll have to reassess before I leave again.

    I REALLY donÂt want summer to end yet!
    Skybird

  • lilacs_of_may
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I have The Weather Channel desktop weather on my computer. I watch that as well as the local news. I also have an outdoor thermometer by my tomatoes. I went out early this morning, and my outdoor thermometer said 43, even though the local weather said 48.

    Most of my tomatoes are all wilty, even though they don't need water. I wonder if they're rootbound. They keep producing greenies, though. One of my zucchini plants has some yellow leaves, and it looks like it wants to die back. They're producing like crazy, though.

    I had to give up on the broccoli. My Nutribud had a nice head forming, then the aphids moved in. I've been spraying with Spinosad and Pyola, but that broccoli head is a goner. Next year I'll either plant lots more and spray weekly, or give up on brassica entirely. I don't have much luck with it.

    Leaves are turning yellow all over the neighborhood, right on cue. The minute my peach tree dumped the last of the peaches, it started dumping yellow leaves.

    I hope I don't have to give up my garden. I'm trying to work something out with the mortgage company so I can stay in my house. They seem willing to talk. I'm sure they don't need to have yet another broken-down house dumped on them to try to sell.

    Of course, if I could get a decent job, that would solve all my problems. I've NEVER been this long without a job!

  • lilacs_of_may
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    According to 9News tonight, Denver's average freeze date is October 7. That surprises me. From what I've seen online, and from my experience, I think it's almost always in September. Or maybe I'm thinking of the frost date?

    Freeze temperature is, obviously, 32 degrees F. What counts as frost temperature or does it change depending on humidity, garden conditions, etc.?

    According to the Weather Channel info I have on my desktop, lows are still in the 40s for the next ten days.

    Come on, tomatoes! You can do it! Mama wants some pasta sauce!

  • magnoliaroad
    15 years ago

    Frost temperature is 36 degrees.
    Freeze temperature is 32 degrees.

  • lilacs_of_may
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks, Magnolia. Looks like I may still have a week or two of zucchinis. (Want one?)

  • lilacs_of_may
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Or not. Lows in the 30s Monday and again next weekend.

  • digit
    15 years ago

    How a garden can have a "frost" without a "freeze" is a little perplexing. I think I finally have something of a handle on this idea (correct me if I'm wrong :o).

    When the gov'ment issues a "frost advisory" - the meteorologists are expecting between 36°F and 33°F. They know is some locations (sometimes, quite small locations) water will freeze and therefore, the water in plant tissue will freeze. Freezing, of course, will require the temperature to drop below 33°F.

    I lost a little confidence in the gov'ment meteorologists' gardening advice when I learned that they measure corn-growing temperatures on top Mt. Washington in New Hampshire and in Barrow, Alaska. Some of 'em couldn't hit a cow's arse with a grain scoop.

    Since yesterday morning, I can testify that 30° with a 12 mph wind will "freeze" a garden. Beyond this, I'm not sure I want to go.

    Steve's digits

  • lilacs_of_may
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    My garden seems to come through a 38 degree night unscathed, but this weekend they're calling for 28, which by any estimation is a hard freeze. I'm hauling the tomato plants inside and cutting off what few zucchini remain. The broccoli might survive. If not, well, the aphids claimed it a couple weeks ago. The potatoes are still green and healthy, but it's time they got dug anyway.

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