Yesterday was the saddest day of my life, I started. Prepping for anything that might come our way . We just moved to South Texas from West Texas n I put all our canning and all our food in a climate controlled storage and yesterday I was robbed and they took over 10,000$ worth of food and the cameras were not even working when we were told it was a security storage and the deadbolts did not even work either so sad ! I had soo much canning that I learned to do from alot of y’all on here and I started in 2019 what a waste I’m so depressed! I don’t know if I have the strength to start over pray for my husband and I we really need it thank you !
I am so terribly sorry… My daddy used to say that kind of thing comes back on you. Prayers for your recovery and that the Lord comforts you with assurance that he will make sure you have what you need.🙏🏼🦋
I am so sorry this happened to you 😢 it's horrible that people would do something so dishonest but won't put in the hard work and money to do it for themselves . I pray God will restore that abundance to you and bless you even further .
At least it's not 1980! I saw on Fox Weather a report on Scranton, Pennsylvania that had SIX! consecutive days of 90 degrees or higher temperatures. The HORROR! We would call that Autumn in Texas. 😆😆😆
Approaching miserable here too in Central Florida. Forget about tomatoes. Planted more in April and they didn't even flower. I know your summers are worse than ours and I can't EVEN imagine. Blessings
I hear this and it makes me grateful that I have been following the Carnivore Diet. Gardening in Texas...I ADMIRE successful Texas gardeners!! If you can do it HERE, you can do it ANYWHERE!! 😉
Hey Jill from the Ark-La-Tex! Last NIGHT was miserable! At midnight the heat index was 90. I checked the Accuweather Extended Forecast. From today until at least August 6th… the daily heat Index will range from 102-110. I couldn’t even get a spring garden growing. Hoping for a couple of Winter items. Planted a couple of pumpkin seeds with the 5 year old Grand. Many Blessings to y’all 🤗
I feel ya! My tomatoes are toast except the ones I put in the shade. They have no new floweres but, are still alive. At 5:04pm CST in Southwest Tennessee it's currently 97 with a heat index of 109. It's AWFUL. Stay cool! EDIT: I planted a bunch of sunflowers. I am growing cucumbers under them. They are doing fine. My peppers, most of them, are kickin it hard. Peppers for days!!! Squash is already gone. Going to replant somemore. Probably maters too!
Hi beautiful Jill this is "da ja vu" I remember that heat wave of 2023 and here you are again. I pray you and all of Texas get relief from this heat soon. I'm on the east coast and we have been feeling the heat but not like y'all. I pray God turn on the faucet and let it rain. Be still and know that I am God who will work all things out for your good. Love ya Jill, Greg and pop you are all in my prayers. Opps can't forget about hank 🐕🦺❤ "It is well with my Soul" also your hair looks really pretty. 🙏
The heat wave of 2023 does not compare with that of 1980. It is part of a 43/44 year-long cycle. The information is there - but the media is more focused on trying to scare people with "Climate Change!" which was "Anthropogenic Global Warming!". 😀
It's the same here in south Alabama, very dry and very hot and humid. I'm watering my garden every day but it's still suffering from the heat. We hit 100 today with 90% humidity so I know the tomatoes won't be setting more fruit. I'm taking the half ripe tomatoes off the plants and letting them ripen on the porch rail. With the birds and critters needing water they will ruin the fruit if I leave it to fully ripen on the vines. We haven't had any measurable rain in weeks but I'm praying and believing God for a good soaking rain. Be careful in this heat, I was outside watering until 8 pm and I was drenching wet with sweat when I finished. I felt like turning the hose on myself lol.
Yep, in Florida, the temps back to 100.We do get some rain from time to time, but no soaker rain.im not going to worry about it.I will just do a fall garden I have the time in Florida .I did get my quota of tomatoes and SOME peas.I am picking Okra every day😅 and my peppers are doing OK for ME! And I have a little to share.God is good! Praying for rain for ALL who need it.
We are in the same boat here in Georgia. Close to 100° Humidity isn't as bad as normal because we haven't had any rain, which is not the norm for us. Hasn't rained in about a month. My garden is hanging on only because I am watering every morning. Have tons of bees. And cucumbers are actually good.
Hasn't rained here in southeast Alabama in weeks. Wait I forgot we had a 15 second drizzle a few days ago, just enough to cause mildew on my winter squash.
So glad to have a fellow North Texan to commiserate with during this heat. I don’t have near the garden that you guys have but I still love the garden. Thank you for your inspirational videos, Jill!
Jill, sorry to hear about your squash and zucchini shortage. Wish we were closer. Up here in far North Texas I have them coming out my ears! I would give you several. Some of my plants had to be replanted due to being killed by the hail storms a couple months ago and are just now coming online with little fruits. What was I thinking planting so many of these dang plants!!???!!! LOL My tomatoes are getting about 35-40% ripe on the vine and I go ahead and pick them and ripen them the rest of the way in a paper bag on my counter. Got lots of tiny cukes on the vine. Hoping they mature in time. Try to stay cool in this weather. Especially starting next week! YIKES! I agree people should be very careful in this heat and humidity.
Hey Jill & Greg. Hot, Hot, Hot. We are starting our seeds in our mud room. This fall we are going to focus on lots of greens and root veg. Mustard, collards, beets, carrots. The grow tables will start lettuce around November for greens. I'm starting a new career and going back in the corporate chef world and will be traveling. Great salary that we need to make it the next few years. We will plan a visit this late fall. God bless.
Just got through watering. My cucumbers vines are dying even behind 70% shade cloth. The only thing I have really thriving right now are the grasshoppers.
My plants are struggling as well here. I tried to keep a shade cloth on most but with the wind gusts, it just knocked over my corn stalks. Seems Idaho won't be harvesting potatoes so I took it upon myself to bury some for next year. My tomatoes are small and green. I do have squash which are pretty big, but not getting my cukes to get past the flower stages. I have 2 palm sized bell peppers but the rest are pebbles. They said we would be getting rain, but haven't seen any yet. My other plants are panting for more water, but I can't give them any just yet.
It’s here in southwest Tenn too. Supposed to be heat index of 108 today. I have no well and have to haul water in. Today me and the dogs are inside just trying to stay alive. Insect pressure also hit like crazy. I’ve never seen so many tomato hornworms larva
Yes, my tomatoes took forever to start turning. Squash so so. Planted purple hull peas and they came up in 4 days, did water them. Everything is burning up now, melons even look sunburned. Yep, just like normal Texas Summer! Made me think to start planning for fall.
I definitely want to plant a Fall garden. It’s dry and hot here too in West Central Georgia. We are on a bored well and are being conservative with water. I’m catching rinse water in the sink and pouring in buckets on the porch. Any water bottles not finished, even ice in glasses are being poured in the bucket. It did rain Monday morning off and on for about 45 minutes. I put plastic totes under over hangs of the house. I filled up five 5-gallon buckets by putting a bowl under gutter down spout and catching water and pouring straight into buckets ( down spout is low to ground). I ended up catching 21 gallons and watered right at roots. Then I’m watering after sunset ( I know that’s not ideal) but it does help with evaporation. Shade cloths, large patio umbrellas in the afternoon. Anything to help. We are praying and hoping for rain soon 🙏🏻 “Tip”- Cherry tomatoes are doing fabulous! I am picking twice a day and freezing. They will cook just as well as larger tomatoes and will can and freeze the cooked tomatoes soon 🤗 Already have 3 gallons of cherry tomatoes 🍅NOTE-My rinse water I catch is from just rinsing my hands with NO soap, or rinsing off vegetables. The goal here is to have just plain water ( a little dirt is not a problem ☺️)
I picked my last tomatoes today. Vines look terrible from the flooding rain and now the blistering heat (Kaufman). I don’t know that I have the energy for a fall garden. Since my DH passed away I really don’t use that much food. I mainly grow for organic reasons but it’s getting harder at my age. Probably a dozen cukes and 6 yellow squash. Not a good year. Some green beans.
How, where do you put your seed starts? In the house? Under shade cloth. I’m in North Tx too and it’s so hot!!! I hate to start them in the house but the garage and everywhere outside are just stifling!
91 and HI is 105 so about the same here Jill. House is 83 right now, Yaaaasay.🥵 Still mulling over my choices for Fall but definitely making another deck garden, this one will be bigger (that's the plan anyway). Y'all stay cool and safe now, ya hear?? 💞
Yes, I got my chores done by 10:30 am. We are West of Tyler, Tx. I think mu cucumbers will not give me anything. I have just gotten tomatoes from my earliest yielding plant, but I have several plants that I hope keep giving for a while. Really trying to keep my young trees from dying. It has happened before when it got scorching. Seems to burn right thru your clothes. Take care.
Just pulled up my tomato plants and had no luck with squash or zucchini either. Growing cowpeas, green beans and sweet potatoes now. Cucumbers still producing under shade cloth here in southeast Texas. Peppers did not do well either. Crazy hot by 9 am with high humidity. Not giving up yet though. Thanks for your advise for starting plants now. Just planted more sweet potato slips yesterday.
Former East Texan now in SO Colorado....I have tomatoes on the vines that have been there since the end of May and they are not ripening. My major issue this year is grasshoppers. They have totally destroyed my onions and working on my bell peppers. Also I have never had such an infestation of tomato hornworms, dealing with those daily. I am having to self pollinate my squash and zucchini and they are producing. Thankful I don't have to deal with the humidity but this dry heat can be just as bad (102 today). We have had very little rain and a neighbor told me I would not be able to grow a thing.......Ha! things are growing but struggling because of the pests and no rain. I will be thankful for whatever I get from my garden this year.....Y'all stay cool!
My tomatoes have done fantastic this year, but are slowing down now. Most are in mostly shaded areas and are not burnt to a crisp yet but the ones in the sun I pulled up over the weekend because they were fried. I did find recipes that use green tomatoes though so nothing is going to waste. My cucumbers are also still doing good. I have two little bumblebees that I see every morning on them. 😊 My herbs are doing well too. The only thing that was a bust so far was the squash. Stay cool. This heat is brutal.
The weather has been so manipulated , it's out of control & done on purpose I said we will be lucky if the garden we grow makes it. Don't give up & Pray for the best and yes the bees are few & far between. god bless
I’m praying you get our rain. My God…everyday, and if not day, night for sure. The storms are strong too. Sick of it. Prayers for rain Jill…stay safe♥️
I’m new to Tx we’re just a little north east of Dallas so I’m learning have raised beds got a late start according to what has said My plants look good no squash but cucumbers still look good tomatoes look great
97 degrees here in middle Tennessee today with a heat index of 101. We're watering every day. We are trying out a shade cloth for one section of our garden this year to see if it makes a difference for production. If I have an open section of garden when I'm pulling out stuff, I'm putting in okra as it doesn't seem to mind the heat as much as the rest of our stuff. We started our first round of fall seeds yesterday, indoors. And our cucumbers aren't doing well at all. Like you, I'm just grateful for what we do have in the garden.
I have lots of sunflowers and other perennials in my garden. I have tons of bees differing varieties. Maybe allow some of you beds to have these. I'm in OKC area.
We have a few things holding on in containers,but they are in shade most of the day.Our squash all but failed. there are two small acorn squash trying to grow. The only thing in the ground at this time are some cow peas.I ran some soaker hoses on them being we only have about a hundred and fifty foot row worth,and they can take this heat .Most of the foundation of our home is now landscaped in rock three feet out ,but the barn is not and is exposed to a large pasture.Also we live in heavily wooded area here in Upshur County and prone to wild fire as well. Thankfully we have had plenty of rain this year so far,but things dry out fast. The DOT should be sending the tractors soon to mow the ditches on our F.M. before the 4th. Mid August me and The Mrs. are going to Colorado to camp in the mountains for a couple of weeks and visit our youngest son.Hopefully it will be a little cooler when we get back home.
Yes I’m been going out late in the Evening.. My peppers are suffering. They’re either smaller or they’re almost dropping. A lot of them are dropping their flowers. It’s just so hot.
A lot of rain! Had a break today to mow. We had 90's for three days in a row 🥵 . I'm picking Kale and Swiss Chard and Romaine for salads so far. Stay cool and take breaks!
I’m in zone 3B. bean seeds are just breaking ground. We get one shot at growing our garden because of the short growing season. We have had so many tornadoes this year so far. Your so right the sun intensity is severe.
Funny you mentioned about the bees cause I have not seen ANY bees and usually they come around my garden to pollinate. NO BEES AT ALL????? This is very unusual for Long Island cause they are everywhere. It’s hot and humid here as well and we finally got rain last night with thunderstorms.
I have drip on my tomatoes and they are hard as rocks. No juice at all. And they didnt taste very good either. I am new to growing them but they at least had tomatoes on them this year. BER as well. So back to the drawing board. Maybe this fall will be the one.
Ripening was a problem for me. Humidity is always so bad with the 105 heat index. No breeze here. We don’t get breezes often. It’s 12:30 am and I’m sweating outside from this sauna. Can I do it all again, since most of my plants are now playing out? It’s a lot, a lot to do single handed. I may try only because I’m hard headed🤣. My melons tendrils have dried up too early so I don’t know that these small melons will even be ripe. No greenhouse and everything is full sun early morning until about 7:30pm. Too much is changing. Will be hotter every year. We go from last minute frost to 85 here. No spring anymore. Adjustments will be needed for future planting.
I am planning my fall garden. My Opalka tomatoes are struggling. I have cut them back a bit and waiting on the tomatoes to finish ripening. Plan to pull them out or cut them back even more. Blackeyed peas have aphids. So planted a second round and will treat for the aphids and ants. I have a volunteer cantaloupe that is to doing well and waiting for the melons to ripen. Peppers are doing okay. Sowed some okra. Not much in the garden and will begin again late July or early August for the fall garden. I generally pack out the garden and go all the way through the summer and into fall. This year, planned it more like you had stated last year as 2 seasons spring and fall garden, so that I would not have to fight the heat during July. I know it will be hot in August but a month off for rest with minimal garden chores, sounded like a good plan. When the "fall" garden is ready to harvest, I am hoping it will be a bit cooler.
91 and humid here in upper valley Oregon. coolin down for a week maybe a drizz, then we wont get anymore rain til mid Sept. No tomatoes til end of next month for us. Stay cool and pray for a good season.
This is my 3rd year here and i can't grow potatoes - so weird. I've been using my laundry room to grow lunchbox peppers with success and some herbs. The hail we had destroyed my sweet potato plants, and tomato plants... its exhausting trying to garden in this state.
We aren’t as hot as y’all but we are definitely hotter than normal here in East tn. No rain for a few weeks now. My tomatoes aren’t ripening and it is frustrating! I’m picking them as soon as they do begin to turn. And picking any off that are undesirable. My Pickeling cucumbers are coming on ok. But my straight 8s are taking forever. Sowed them directly. They came up. But the vine isn’t growing much. Lost all my vineing pumpkins and spaghetti squash to vine borers. I’m putting out more zucchini’s today. Patty pans are doing good. Fall- I need to sow some cabbage and cruciferous vegetables in flats this week. Definitely put up what you can it’s slim pickings this year
Also NTX here. My garden all looks good except the tomatoes. Their leaves are starting to yellow. I have some small fruit on the bushes but I’m thinking the time for them to grow more is pretty much over. I will be putting up shade clothes over my tomato beds so hopefully that will help.
This is my first yr. Of growing, potatoes, I made a huge mistake and sprayed my Japanese beetles wots of soap, and water, it looks like I killed them is there anyway I can save them thank you so much .God Bless. Nancy in Michigan
Yes tomatoes not ripening. I thought it was because of the stink bug problem in having. Im in bosque county planted 7 squash plants but only harvested a handful. cucumbers are good had lots of bees now they are gone. don't know what that's all about. Really my biggest problem is leaf footed bugs and stink bugs.
Due to pest pressure I’m letting everything in my greenhouse die and hopefully they will leave with nothing to eat. Will start seeds soon for the fall. Planning Tom’s, kale, Swiss chard, broc, cauli, cabbage, collards. Bought net bags to go over my containers so the bugs can’t get to anything. Will still have to deal with white flies which are horrible right now and aphids. Will try beans again but the kadydids eat the blossoms so we haven’t gotten any so far this year. Frustrated beyond belief. I hate that you are starting the heat suffering again. God bless you Jill and I pray a heavenly golden dome of impenetrable protection over you and your property rendering you invisible to any evil formed against you and yours.
My beans are not producing in San Marcos, TX but I was told to wait for the fall harvest. My cucumbers are great but they are Biet Alpha they are self pollinating.
Hello from utah . Its blazing here looks like end of august and fall .grass terribly dry . Cannt do a garden, but its ok because its so hot and dry itcwould just burn up or use way too much water . Take care . Keep safe .
Does anyody ever do a second crop of potatoes? The biggest problem i have had is just really poor germination of lots of different things. We have a skunk that is eating tomatoes like crazy. He really prefers the beefsteak and the brandywine. Of course. Im thinking I might plant some dry beans-pintos maybe- where i dug potatoes. Its just so miserable out there that its hard to get motivated
Shade cloth seems to be helping tomatoes in North Florida (9a), but yes, taking forever to get them to ripen. Squash crashed quickly and fighting pickle worms on cucs. Corn coming in and melons are few but seeming to be doing ok.Seems early to start fall seeds. When do you plan to place outside for fall? I think we aim for mid to late August but I’m still learning fall timing. Was thinking of starting more pepper seed now since they are slow getting going for me.
Pulled my tomatoes and beans out of the garden. My tomatoes never ripened on the vine either. Worst garden ever this season. Starting my tomatoes for a fall crop. Peppers are the only thing that is still flourishing.
It has been pouring here, almost daily.. Well, here around us. 2 days in a row it got so dark, with thunder and lightning.. It sprinkled for a few seconds. But, no measurable rain in a while. Still watering everyday. Yeah, my tomatoes sure did take a LONG time to ripen. It's time to pull my plants. No cukes. The only zucchini that gave anything was the grey from survival seeds. NONE of the others did anything. Vine squash would get about 3 inches around and stop. I don't know what's going on. ALL of my plants were incredible this year. Just no fruits...No bees either. I'm planting some dwarf sunflowers out front this week. And will be planting Floridade tomotates for the fall. They will set fruit up to 100. I just never bothered because they are smaller...B-U-T...when you aren't getting much, smaller sounds good about now!😆😆Ok I lied.. those blueberry cherry's I got from you.. BOWLS at a time! 🤣🤣
Im in southern east texas. Mators no go. But blackberries humungus. And im used to this heat 10 yrs ago we went thru a 5 yr drought had 2 yrs no rains. Now rain off n on. Im close to the gulf of mexico. The heat isnt different. We have had worse heat before. Remember. Hydrate hydrate. Oranges canned. Gonna make ketchup soon. Found lots of number 10 cans. Take care of yourself.
It’s just awful. 116°heat index with about 13 million % humidity. We’ve been in drought but finally got some rain. Gully washing thunderstorms two nights in a row
