Hi Novice, This year for me has been way better than the last several, weatherwise anyway. It sure beats blasting heat and drought. My biggest hurdle is time. I simply don't have the time to maintain my flower and vegetable gardens. I am seriously considering not putting out vegetables anymore. The vegetables I can buy. The flowers are an addiction that I have to have, weeds and all.

I have to agree with you Novice. Our garden has not produced as well for us. The beets did great, over 50 jars of plain and pickled. But by now I usually have 50 jars of green beans and only have 19. The tomatoes are loaded but have not started turning yet, I have to watch them close and pick them before I really want to or the birds will peck them. The yellow squash and zucchini are doing fair. Also the eggplant and peppers are slow.

Wanda

It sounds like it's not been so great for vegetables.

For me, it's been a blessing. I have been collecting perennials for a new bed that's going in this fall, and all this rain and cool weather has made the task of keeping them alive a lot easier. Not to mention it has extended the season...I'm still buying stuff and putting it in, without fear of losing it in the blasting heat. :)

On the down side, BUGS! Good grief. I've had chiggers twice this year. And I've had more nasty fungus and mushrooms coming up in the mulch than I have probably seen in my entire gardening life.

I too have been purchasing perennials. Our local Lowes has an area they call--Distressed Plants. I stop by there to see what they have often. Some of their $15.00 plants, I got for $5.00 and a few for $1.50. If you have a Lowes and their garden section does not do this, talk with the person in charge of plants. Saves us and saves them.

And "BUGS" have been awful!!

I am classifying it as 110000% blessing! lol. It has cured my pepper issue (flowers were just dropping off most plants, not producing peppers...now I have 15-20 already growing!). All plants seem to be producing fine now, even the Bells
(though it's almost too late for them :-\ ).It also helped a few other things like my Yellow Wax Bean bed has 15-20+ sprouts coming out now, my maters seem to be ripening better, etc., etc.. =)

It's been great for our garden so far. It's reduced the amount of watering needed a whole bunch. I went away for the week and didn't even need the timer for the irrigation system. I use raised beds which dry out faster and the extra moisture helps.

I've been enjoying the weather but the bugs are more noticeable!

I like the sound of the "Distressed Plants" discount! I don't think I've seen that at our Lowe's. Maybe next time I'm in there I'll mention it!

It's turning out to be a not good year for my garden. Tomatoes have been hit by late blight. (bought transplants at the local Co-op) and summer squash is slow producing. That's 2 things we really love in the garden. The only thing that has done super well this year has been the bell peppers. I've already picked a lot of them and they're still producing. Looks like we're in for another rainy week. :(

I'm changing my vote. This rain has gotta stop for a bit! 3 days in a row without rain would be great!

I would like to change my vote too. It's getting a bit exteme!

Yeah, we got the veggies out late, so some things just aren't going to make. But the watermelons look ridiculously happy, as does the corn.

I'm like you, though, Connie - I've been transplanting a ton of things to the new area of the garden we are working on - I'd NEVER have been able to do that in a normal year. I am just thanking God AND my lucky stars for that one - I do hate replacing plants.

But as others noted, there have been a few casualties - mainly due to fungal diseases - and naturally, I didn't get the roses on a good spray routine this year due to work and travel earlier in the year. Ah, well, you win some and you lose some. The blackspot is pretty bad, but since the rain and cool weather seems to have halted the Japanese Beetles in my garden (I think all the grubs must have drowned or froze to death - lol) I've actually been able to enjoy the yellow roses blooming all of this month for the FIRST TIME EVER. Now that's a first I could learn to love!

I've been teasing all my former colleagues out in Portland, Oregon, though, that I stole their weather as part of my severance package and brought it back East when they laid me off. Let THEM enjoy the summer heat wave for once! Hehe.

April,

It sure does seem like Pacific northwest weather here. I'll take the temps and about 1/4-1/3 of the rain. I'm not picky. They say the sun is coming back...