South African here. Last year was a terrible year for us. Our spring starts Sept and Autumn ends late April. Lesson learned was that it is a race against time. Start planting immediately after your last frost date, but cover your crops at night to protecting them against cold snaps. Mid summer you shouldn't have food growing, it's much too warm and the pest pressure is too high. We started our second crop planting in February again and covered it with shade net allowing the crops to cope with the extremely warm days and prevent trans-evaporation. If you plant lavendar and plant you pumpkin between the lavendar it will help to protect them. Insects are responding to smell more than sight. They scientist calls it olfactory receptors.The lavendar also hides the pumpkin very well if you allow it to run next to or underneath the plants. Rosemary also work. It's also important to use mulch. Mulch is even more important than feeding your veggies.
@KristelViljoen thanks for all the great tips. The lavender with the pumpkins is especially intriguing. I will have to try that. We do have to grow in mid summer, unfortunately, because of our high elevation. We are just over a mile high, and our growing season is short. Although we are accustomed to it, our weather has been strange last couple of years and has thrown us off. With all the good tips, such as yours, we feel like we will be more prepared with every passing year. Thanks, and I hope this upcoming season is better than the last.
Your honesty is much appreciated and YES it is their plan to make things harder and harder. I would strongly recommend a permaculture approach to your garden. We need to create true resiliance. Here in Italy things aren't better: too dry and hot in the south and too wet in the North. Keep rolling, we are here to endure those kind of sufferings and rise our heads above the ater once again. You might wanna consider focusing youir energies also on a winter garden. When my summer garden is bad I usually do very good in the cold season. Blessings, regards!
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Sounds like similar conditions over there. We will keep trying. Thanks for the tips. I might try some colder weather gardening. Blessings to you as well.
We had enough rain, then it stopped for awhile. And now it is rare. I've noticed what the sun is doing to the trees, leaves are wrinkling up. The way the weather is going you may wake up in July to a foot of snow. You guys take care.
@joehackney4828 ha, man, I hope we don't wake up to a foot of snow in July. But it might the way it has been going. Interesting that you bring up the sun, I've been talking about that lately. I've been telling my wife that the sun feels much more intense this year, like more than the ambient temperature would suggest? 🤔 it has been weird to say the least. Hope all is well and take care also. 🙏
On your broken pumpkin vine use sticks as a brace and use scotch tape the clear stuff! I used that on my watermelon the kids stepped all over and the watermelon bounced back and its been extremely hot over 100 degrees everyday here in Florida. Its too hot here all my tomato plants are in survival mode just dropping flowers not even fruiting at all! I got everything under shade cloths 50% and still not helping plus watering twice a day! Its been rough!
@patwatersvlogs859 I thought about taping it together, but thought I was crazy. But now I'm gonna try it. Thanks. I'm getting the feeling it's been rough for everyone this year. Hoping weather changes for you down there and gardens bounce back. That's just too hot.
@@dusttodusthomestead I thought I was crazy until a few days passed and it worked seen someone do it on another channel I thought the same at first but my watermelon has gotten bigger and started flowing again
@patwatersvlogs859 Well, the vine is still alive and growing! Growing slower but still going. So, I have high hopes and will see what the coming weeks bring. Thanks for checking back in! 👍🏻
I look at your garden and I see a diamond in the rough. I'm in Tucson. This year I grew squash in straw bales. It worked awesome. I have a source for free straw. It's a church. They have a harvest festival every year and throw away all the straw they purchase. Best part is when the bale erodes, your are left with compost. Maybe that's something you could do. (I use quail poop to prep the bales).
@joelrobertson71 thank you. Squash in straw bales? That is super interesting. Like in a straw bale? Not spread out on the ground? I need to learn more about this. I have some straw bales almost every year, so I could do this, perhaps.
There's a ton of videos out there on it. Basically it takes about 12 days to prep the bale. When my zucchini bit the dust, I broke apart that bale and composted it. It had been a few days since I watered, but the bottom was still moist and had earthworms at the bottom. We hit 111 this June. So I know hot and dry. Luckily monsoons have come early to southern Arizona. I think we may be the only spot in the country with rain. Gardner Scott RU-vid is where I first found out about the bale thing. I also do a lot of self wicking tubs. Best way to grow tomatoes here.
@joelrobertson71 Thanks. This is so cool. I can't wait to look it up and try it. I can imagine in Arizona you guys definitely know hot and dry beyond my understanding. Glad you're getting rain. I'll check out some videos this evening. 👍🏻👌
I changed things up last year and continue to do so...Next 5 -10 years are going to be challenging in the garden dept...Using electro culture...Ruth Stout potato and onion method....Shade cloths.....Planting in shaded areas etc....🤔
@@dusttodusthomestead ....Yes...Now we are having heavy rains....Its bouncing from so baking hot you can not stand it to cool temps with a lot of rain then back to the heat...Praying for a decent harvest this year....Hot hitting 106-110....Then cool like 49-59 with heavy rain....Its crazy....🤷♀️
@annetteparker5276 wow. That is extreme. We're kinda doing that, but without the rain. June seems out of wack this year. Maybe July will settle down a bit for everyone.
You said it perfectly, we do have the exact opposite problem where I’m at. Trying to dry stuff out and a few of my plants roots just rotted away. Sadly been a pretty cold start to my summer here. Although oddly this year my watermelons are doing amazing with this cold weather…better than anything else I have planted.
@Trebbell Glad to hear your watermelons are doing well even with the cold weather. It's amazing how much different things can be. Maybe the summer will turn around and end well. 👍🏻
Yes it looks tough. We talked about opening the sides on the green house. I think a tarp would do it best. Except for the bugs having fun with the plants. Would soapy water help get rid of the bugs. Don't want to kill them. Do you use any insecticides at all? Hope you can salvage something out of them.
@genewileyopa I've tried several organic methods of getting rid of bugs, including soap. Unfortunately, with these false chinch bugs, it only kills the ones it contacts and then after the new ones come in. There were literally millions on property. I read that regular insecticides were relatively ineffective on them as well. Although we almost never use insecticide chemicals and prefer not to anyway. However, the bugs are starting to dissappear, thank goodness. I will be putting some tarps up for shade, and the sides of the greenhouse will open up as well. Thanks. I hope our next update will be a positive one. 🙏👍🏻
Hey Josh. I’m hearing your discouragement and disappointment. It’s extremely frustrating. I greatly agree with someone’s comment about “their plan”. I believe what’s said about control the farmer and food supply, you control it all”. My way is to give it to God. He’s got this. Don’t give up the faith that He and He alone “controls” the outcome. I’m still sending prayers up for you and all the other farmers for God to stay operational in your lives. Stay tough. Don’t give up. 🙏 all the excellent advice being given could be God giving you answers. ❤
@marcamp5450 hello there 👋 I believe in everything you have said here. Sometimes I have been guilty of trying to impose my will on the outcome, more times than not actually. That method rarely works. Haha. Best to give it over to God and to follow His lead. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. You're right, so much information pouring in on these comments. I'm sure the info will be very useful here on the homestead. How is the weather up there? Thanks again. Until next time 🙏
It’s Canada Day. Been raining all night and all day today. Only 15 C. Forecast to rain almost every day coming up. I’d switch with you if we could. But we don’t get to choose unfortunately. Trust and keep going forward. Take care. Thinking of you and your family. ❤
Oh Josh, not good. Drought and bugs are just ruining the garden, plus the frost, just crazy. Hopefully ya can salvage them. Meadow is moving on❤I hear.
@OpenAirAdventure Yep. It's been rough. We're hoping for a turn around. The bugs are leaving.....but I've discovered the rabbits have started eating my plants in the last couple days. Haha, good grief 😪😂
What steps have you taken to improve your soil? It looks like it would benefit hugely from cover crops, both during growing season as companion plants, and especially between growing seasons. I see no mulch. Grass clippings go a long way. If you or someone you know has pets that use straw bedding, their waste makes great compost, straw makes a great mulch. You need to cover that dirt and feed it A LOT of organic matter. No till might help you out. When you plant, dig a hole twice as big as you need it, fill with compost and/or worm castings then plant. Same with trenches. Cardboard makes a fantastic base layer if you go the route of a truckload of compost or mulch. Don't use landscaping fabric. If you don't mulch, please for the love of god get a soaker hose or some other base-irrigation system. Ollas if you can. I even saw plastic water bottles with a string off a dollar store mop fed through the cap, dripping consistently at the base of the plant. Practically free. Some of this was said already but I had to give my 2 cents. You've got a lot of potential l! It's not too late.
@Wonderland_Homestead I have actually done a lot to the soil. It was really bad in the beginning and still has a long way to go. We've had some native grasses growing in there last year and early this year, which I had tilled into the soil. We've used manure from our cattle, which is usually mixed with straw and hay. Some of our unique circumstances are also adding to the issues. I think I may have added too much manure in there this year as even the weeds aren't growing. Our water is high alkalinity, and the soil tends to lean alkaline as well. From my understanding, cow manure is alkaline, and that may have set me way to alkaline for things to grow. So now I need to make it more acidic. We have a layer of clay underneath as well. Thanks for all the great tips. I know I need to implement some of them for sure. I have made some mistakes this year that, along with the weather, have set me back alot. What kind of cover crop would you suggest? It would have to be during the garden season as it turns cold like a switch around here. 👍🏻
@@Wonderland_Homestead thanks, sometimes I feel like giving up, but my nature is to keep going until I get it right. So, I will press on and do the best I can.
@ethanhowdle5546 it is in rough shape. We have been working on it the last 3 years and is getting better. But maybe a total replacement might be what's needed. 🤔 thanks 👍🏻
Step 1: Pray. God commands all, no fertilizer can compete. Step 2: Due diligence, seeds...seeds...seeds. Backups for the backups. Step 3: Relax and find peace in the failures and learn the lessons contained within. God teaches in mysterious ways. Step 4: Mulch and compost. 😂 I decided to turn an old dusty patch of the yard into a garden. Rabbits, earwigs and all sorts of issues. Crappy soil...Let's take a moment and grow ourselves. :) God bless you.
@Trivdgun- lot of good stuff in this comment. Thank you. I will take a moment to relax and find peace. To listen to what God is teaching us. God bless you as well and thanks again for the encouraging word. 👍🏻🙏
@improvisedsurvival5967 yeah our soil is not great around here. We have been working it for 3 years and has gotten better. But a long ways to go. So, hummus? Can I get that at any feed and garden store?
@improvisedsurvival5967 that's good. We do have some places in this state with good soil, just not where I'm at I guess. Haha. We'll keep working it until we get it right. 👍🏻
I'm not trying to be mean...but your garden is really sad. First off you need some mulch on that soil. You can retain sooooo much more water by having a layer of mulch laid down you also don't have to weed nearly as much. 2. You need a fan circulating air through that green house. You're cooking those plants in there. 3. Use some kind of IPM! Something like EM5 or essential oils. Spray them on once a week until they start to flower and produce. 4. It looks like you're mono cropping...you really should have some kind of cover crops and or companion plants. Your outdoor garden really seems like an industrial farm on a small scale, which really doesn't work all that great. Especially without A TON of irrigation and pesticides. Gardening is lots of learning an adapting. Just looking at your garden I can tell why its not producing much in the heat. Its not a good garden. I'm sorry if thats mean, but it is what it is. Good luck and god bless!
@chedubetcha69 can't get a fan out to the greenhouse this year, probably. So, I have to open windows and the door and let wind cause a draft. I might have to just add shade cloth in greenhouse this year and hope that works. I will look up and research this IPM as I have not heard of that before. Curious on how I am mono cropping and industrial farming? Could you elaborate? Thanks for info
@@dusttodusthomestead look up things like companion crops and cover crops. They can provide shade, help pollinate, provide more bio diversity and help manage pests. Your plants are all segregated to individual rows one after another. It’s just a very industrial way to do things. Like I said above, you should plant with diversity. Especially with crops that will complement each other. I would imagine you’re growing for personal consumption? So why grow the way they do for production? I mean you have fudging tires around some of your crops, that alone is just downright nasty. Keep those things away from your food. Can you imagine the chemicals that are leaching off those into your soil when you water them? Above all else, get some mulch on that soil! Spread out some compost and worm castings and put out a fresh layer of mulch. You need worms and microbes in the soil. The soil just looks so compact and tbh rough. How do you expect to have healthy soil if the 90+ degree sun and wind is baking it to a crisp all day. Let the mulch do that and trap moisture underneath it in the process. Plus it provides a layer of protection for said worms and microbes. If you need to build some wind breaks. If you have crops that are intolerant to frost, put them in raised beds. The soil will stay warmer longer. Or keep those crops in the greenhouse. Doesn’t make much sense to have that big green house relegated to what, four pumpkins? lol you could fill that green house up with A TON of other crops. There is so much good information out there on RU-vid that will help make your garden more one with nature and much more tolerant to drought, heat and the cold. ~cheers.
@@chedubetcha69 thanks for the info. I never thought about the tires leaching into soil, I was just blocking wind with what I had. Would straight straw work as mulch? I do have some of that.
I wish you could send some of that heat this way to Scotland. Temps have been about 5-10c lower than normal and there’s been barely any sun. Everything I’ve planted is way behind where it was the last couple of years. I feel like I’ve just wasted time.
@dragon4989 sounds like we are having the opposite problems. I would gladly send a little heat your way if I could. It's been frustrating, and I feel like I've wasted my time as well. I don't want to give up. Hopefully, the weather will change to a more garden friendly pattern for the remainder of the summer. Hoping it turns around for you. Thanks.
