June 2020 - Seasonal Lessons

Back again for the veggie update! I think I mentioned in my first "reset" post that we will be learning some lessons this year, as we adapt from our previous sheltered gardens to a brisk coastal hillside. What I think we're learning now is how/when/if we can grow warm-season vegetables up here! 

When nighttime temps moved firmly into the fifties at the end of May, we thought we were home free. Memorial Day week was a great time to plant beans, squash and cucumbers; they all germinated quickly in that warm soil! Then the weather cooled again, and now any given week can be a mix of foggy days and sunny. Living within sight of the ocean, we should expect this. So here's the situation.

"Tendergreen" green beans look just pitiful. They get yellower by the day, and this week the leaves are actually starting to look burned. Is this what beans look like when they don't stay warm? I'm not sure. 

The three bags of shelling beans, planted 10 days later, have healthier looking leaves, but are looking yellow as well. And we have other variables to consider. Could the planting mix have a nutrient deficiency? It's the first soil mix I've bought in bulk (I usually buy in bags). Our well-water is very high in iron, I wonder if that could be an issue? But I keep coming back to temperature; everything in the garden seems to have paused during this June gloom.

Same situation with the squash - this is almost three weeks after germination for most of them...

And same with the cucumbers; a couple are making a valiant effort, but others are sulking. (Yes, I will be thinning them). The tomatoes are hanging in there, but they aren't growing very fast either.

On the other hand, the peas look wonderful and have just started blooming.

Parsnips are also progressing; almost time to thin again.

The carrots look lovely, and the thinnings tell me they are well-watered and sweet. We harvested the last of the spinach last week, and I planted Sugar Baby watermelon in that bag (which needs heat, so...we'll see how that goes!)

And finally, the cannabis is growing like a you-know-what, so not everyone is being fussy.

What do all these lovelies have in common? They prefer (or don't mind) cooler weather. Beans, squash, cucumbers and tomatoes DO mind. And they let you know.

So I'm guessing that the best timetable for this garden will be to shift to more cool-season varieties (like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, etc.) planted earlier in the year, and start the heat-lovers later. Our growing season goes into November/December, so we'll have time. 

In other news; I found something cool buried in the grass behind the greenhouse! It looks like an old ranch gate. The wood is quite soft and fragile, but the heavy steel posts are good as new. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. [Update! My dad, who knows about such things, says this is a panel from a stake truck (possibly the tailgate). So there!]

Although, as often happens, the first place I put it after cleanup looks kind of cool. 

Thanks for listening to me figure this out!