DONNIE JOHNSTON: What's Growing in the Garden
And some miscellaneous notes.
By Donnie Johnston
COLUMNIST
We received some much-needed rain over the weekend, more than four inches at my house that was spread out over five days with almost no runoff.
No, it did not make for a great Memorial Day weekend, but it was wonderful for agriculture and put a dent in the serious drought that has been plaguing the area for almost 10 months.
First hay will still be short, but the moisture gave a boost to the cornfields and the early soybeans that continue to go into the ground.
The scattered rains we have had during May has gardens looking good, but now is a critical time. The moisture and the warm nights are causing not only causing crops to flourish, but also weeds.
This is the moment that separates real gardeners from wannabees. Eighty-degree weather is here to stay and if you don’t keep those weeds under control on a daily basis, your garden will quickly assume jungle status. While noxious plants are small, you can handle them easily. Once their root systems become established, they are much tougher.
I’m eating fresh onions, and my potatoes, which survived two freezes, are about ready to grovel. Cabbage has been growing slowly and the heads are about three weeks away.
So far, I have only seen one Colorado potato beetle. Perhaps the reason is that three weeks ago I sprinkled the leaves with ashes from the fireplace (I also put ashes around the yellow squash to prevent bugs). Potato bugs, however, may make their appearance after this rain.
Green beans look good, and I have a beautiful stand of peaches and cream corn, which is now about 10 inches high. Watermelons and cantaloupes are about ready to take off as are the tomatoes. Had to plant twice to get a stand of okra.
Beets look great but I’m having a hard time getting cucumbers going. Not sure why. They just don’t want to do anything. Sweet potato slips also taking hold. Peppers need heat.
Cool weather slowed everything down, but growth is finally beginning to come. Summer crops need warm nights to flourish. On cool nights, growth shuts down and must restart the next day. With warm bights, growth is continuous.
Things look good, but one gully washer or hailstorm can destroy everything. And keep the rain coming.
I mentioned that I have not seen potato bugs. Carpenter bees are also scarce this spring, at least at my house. In one sense that’s a good thing because they can be destructive. On the other hand, they help pollinate, so they are needed. I have not seen a honeybee all spring.
Now a few miscellaneous notes.
My buddies and I were playing golf recently when we noticed a kid behind us who seemed to be hitting the ball pretty well. He was with his mother, who was not playing.
Around the 16th hole we noticed that he was playing from the white tees, unusual for a boy his age. Before the 17th hole, we spoke to his mother, and she said he was 10 years old and practicing for a tournament.
Now none of the three guys in my group remotely pretend to be good golfers, so we admired this young man’s swing.
“How did he do?” I asked his mother after we all had finished.
“Not too good,” she replied. “He had a tough time on the 15th and only shot a 34 on the back nine.”
A 34? We’d kill for a 40! And this little kid is shooting a 34???
Made me want to throw my clubs away.
Just a note of caution. I know pedestrians have the right-of-way, but don’t just walk out into traffic without looking. A few days ago, a lady just popped right out from behind a truck in front of me. Never looked either way. Luckily, I was paying attention.
Don’t assume drivers can see you or that they will stop. Be careful!
I remember watching Bugs Bunny and Woody Woodpecker cartoons as a kid and recall the commercials that hawked those sugary cereals and toys.
I watched a Bugs Bunny cartoon the other night and guess what I saw? Medicare and arthritis pain reliever commercials. Same “kids” watching but I guess the audience just got a bit older.
Times change.
Finally, it is called “tarps off” and it is the latest fad at Major League Baseball stadiums.
Men, mostly – but not always – younger, sit together in one specified section and take their shirts off.
Yep, whole sections of bare-chested men. Crazy.
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