Then it started getting really hot. The garden plot sits in complete sunlight from early afternoon until sundown. Between the black plastic, the cement wall and the blistering late afternoon heat, the young plants were beginning to fry. The plant growth seemed to come to a stand still. After going through a few ideas, Cori rigged up a great shade for the plot that keeps nearly all the plants sheltered all day long. It seems to have done the trick. Things are growing again.
So far, our harvest tally comes to 13 tomatoes, 3 cucumbers, 2 chile peppers, and 1 gourdish squash. The pumpkin and watermelon plants have a load of blossoms, but nothing seems to have set yet. We will see...
As for our citrus harvest, things were looking dismal indeed. The lemon tree has nary a fruit set on it. The orange tree has a handful of oranges growing. And the dwarf orange tree has a solo piece of fruit hanging on one of its very petite branches. But the dwarf grapefruit tree is laden. Yipee! We have read that it is normal for citrus trees to take a few years before they start cranking out fruit. I was so ready for gallons of lemonade... maybe next year.
The grapes have started ripening. We find purple ones here and there. We have taken to munching on them while we are out swimming. Grace will rummage around the leaves and find us the best ones. I doubt any of them will ever see the inside of the house.
1 comment:
What a great garden! Because we are renting this year we decided on a container garden. I don't know how the growing season is in Oregon, so we just planted a few things that might take and next year we'll add more. I love that you have learned to adapt to a not so garden friendly climate. I'm sure you'll get lemons soon. They are so good when they are not from the grocery store.
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