It's been a weird, weird start to the spring season up here. Let's just say we have had lots of rain. Yay!
The challenge has been that the amount of overcast days we have had has been unusually high. Even the days that didn't rain have tended to be grey, grey, grey. On top of that the days above 16C have been unusually low, and the result is that the garden is 4 weeks behind and counting.
The problem with that is.. up here we are normally 4 weeks behind Melbourne. Thus now we are effectively 8 weeks behind. Since up here in the hills we are still regularly getting days in the teens rather than the 20's I am rather fearing for the fate of Tomato Season.
So what happens when your garden is 8 weeks behind?
Your broad beans just start getting to size a usable size just when you need to rip everything out to plant your puny little tomato seedlings.
Needless to say I procrastinated about making a decision on how to handle this. The tomato seedlings rather than the tall robust specimens I am used to planting out are just throwing out their first true leaves at 16 weeks. Being kind a reasonably motivated snail could probably sneeze in their direction and they will fold like a house of cards but the reality is if I wait another 4 weeks to put them out I will then be effectively 12 weeks behind. The last time that happened I was pulling out green tomatoes at the end of the season never having had a ripe one off the bush.
So I did it. I grabbed the secateurs and pulled out half the broad beans. Doing it almost made me cry. I really enjoy broad beans. More importantly my hopes and dreams over winter, when everything just stops, sit with those pillars of green reaching for the sky. When those hopes and dreams only amount to 700g of beans it makes you doubt yourself a little.
I know there is nothing that I could feasibly have done this season to give me my desired result but it doesn't stop it stinging a little. Farming sometimes presents you with only unpalatable options. Living with the seasons means that sometimes things just aren't going to come out my way. I have to let that crop go and focus my energy on the potential ahead of me. Planting diversely means something will thrive, awesome lettuce this year, and through that experience I will learn a little more. That knowledge will give me the ability to cope a little better when the next challenge rolls round.
6 comments:
Oh crappy crap... that is sad. I am thinking more about pulling some broad beans to make space, as we have such a huge abundance of broad beans, we don't need so many plants in. Shall I send you some of our broad beans??!! That is a total sting... but I think when you are eating and processing lovely juicy, ripe tomatoes this season, you will be glad of your decision.
I totally agree with you, gardening, seasons, weather... makes you realise that humans are not in control here on planet Earth, like we might like to think we are! It's humbling, and it makes me even more grateful for the work the farmers do.
I am also planting a big diversity (see my latest post!) knowing that because I am just beginning and needing to learn alot about all different sorts of issues, I might not give something the attention it needed. I do try to make sure the things we really want to eat (squash delicata, spaghetti vegetable, yellow button squash), get looked after, and everything else is a bonus...
Here's hoping your tomatoes harvest can take the sting away...
Thanks Dixiebelle,
Diversity is the key. Maybe the fact I have probably 15 different types of tomatoes this year will work in my favour.
:-D
Belinda
We are behind too because of the wet, gloomy, coolish weather. I am hoping that maybe we will have a bit more warm weather at the end of the season to make up for it. The soil moisture is at a high level too to keep us going over summer so there is still a good chance for a good harvest.
I always err on the side of diversity and then think that it might just be easier planting all the same variety of tomatoes etc but then the garden would look as boring as the vegies on the supermarket shelves.
Happy gardening
Tracy
I pulled out the broad beans too because I was worried about running out of time.
You could try Black Russian and Siberian tomatoes, they are supposed to be more cold tolerant so could extend your tomato season into the autumn. It didn't work for me but I think that was because the patch was shaded in the autumn.
I will try again this year in a sunnier spot.
Hi Tracy,
I am not really getting much choice on the tomato diversity this year. I need photo's of as many varieties as I can for the seedling C.S.A. and the only way for that to happen is to grow them.
Hi Greenfumb,
Sorry to hear you had to pull your broad beans too.
My two favorite cold tolerant, short season varieties are Siberian and Break of Day. These two I can be pretty sure will perform well any year.. the others we will just have to see.
Kind Regards
Belinda
I just wrote a post about what Christmas means to me and I thought of you immediately because Christmas to me isn't about religion, it's about winter- and then I thought about how Christmas comes in the late spring for you!!
It's so strange how you can see global trends in the weather- our warm season came about 8 weeks late as well this past year which meant only a fraction of tomatoes even on the bigger farms- and none for me. i think when you're faced with seasons that aren't behaving you have to do just what you're doing, you have to cut losses as quickly as possible and then figure out how you can turn it to your advantage.
I got some broad beans but not nearly as many as usual. Everything that loves cooler weather thrives- the only tricky part is getting enough sun to bring out the blooms for pollinating.
I hope your season picks up soon so you can get some of your favorites, even if a bit late.
And look into every possible green tomato canning recipe you can and get ready to experiment with the "opportunity". I pickled green tomatoes for the first time this year but I'm scared to try them because I limed them and the texture kind of freaked me out.
I'm wishing the sun will arrive for you now!!!
Post a Comment