too much rain

[Bronxbackyard]

First post: Thanks to all readers

First unsupervised garden ever, first since 1970. Plot in friend's yard was/is questionable (didn't do any soil tests) but we did aerate the soil, put down about four inches of topsoil and later rotted manure selectively.

I am in the Northeast...Bronx, New York specifically.
Since late April when I planted, we have experienced unusually wet weather, with more promised or at least little sunshine relative to typical climate/location.

The garden [vegetable/herb mostly] started off well but has been limping along a bit, balanced sunshine and rain seeming to be the main issue. The tomato plants don't look all that hearty but most have flowered and about half are starting to bear suprisingly early fruit. Eggplants have flowered well but I lost the first tiny fruit already. Pepper/chilies are flowering. Cucumbers are flowering and shooting out tendrils but I do not see any stamens on the yellow flowers, cilantro is un-stop-able but the parsley next to it just sort of hangs in. Onions [transplants] are seeming to thrive. Basil is atypically weak looking.
Too late to make a long question short but is there anything a backyard gardener can do to adjust/compensate for overly wet and mostly cloudy weather?...with more anticipated in the next week and a half? Soil amendment? Home remedies? Ancient lore?

Thanks to all for your help for a born again gardener

[Newt]

Hi Bronxbackyard,

I enjoyed reading about your garden. I'll try and address your comments/questions in the order you wrote them.

Plot in friend's yard was/is questionable (didn't do any soil tests)...

Unless you think there might be a problem with the soil, a soil test isn't always necessary. Once you see how your garden grows this year, and any problems you might have from nutritional deficiencies, you might want to consider one from your local extension service.

...but we did aerate the soil, put down about four inches of topsoil and later rotted manure selectively.

There are different methods to aerate the soil, but for planting a new garden, adding amendments and turning them into the soil with a shovel or till is often best. Core or spike aeration is not recommended.

Since you already have soil I would have recommended you add organic material such as compost to improve drainage, tilth (texture), microbes and water retention. Since most compost is heated as it decomposes, it kills weed seeds, which topsoil often contains.

Not all veggies and herbs appreciate the addition of manure as it can be high in nitrogen.

I am in the Northeast...Bronx, New York specifically.

Lived in the Bronx when I was a little girl.

Since late April when I planted, we have experienced unusually wet weather, with more promised or at least little sunshine relative to typical climate/location.

Same here.

Eggplants have flowered well but I lost the first tiny fruit already.

Could be lack of pollinators such as bees. Poor or lack of pollination will cause early fruit drop.

Cucumbers are flowering and shooting out tendrils but I do not see any stamens on the yellow flowers...

Male flowers often appear first and drop off before there are enough female flowers.

...cilantro is un-stop-able but the parsley next to it just sort of hangs in.

Parsley is a bienniel, so it may be working on establishing it's roots before any flush of growth. I like to plant extra for the butterflies as parsley is larval food for the Black Swallowtail butterfly. I don't mind sharing it with the caterpillars.
http://www.kansasnativeplants.com/butterfly.html

Basil is atypically weak looking.

Maybe not enough sun?

Too late to make a long question short but is there anything a backyard gardener can do to adjust/compensate for overly wet and mostly cloudy weather?...with more anticipated in the next week and a half? Soil amendment? Home remedies? Ancient lore?

Not to worry about the long question. At this point there isn't much I can think of other then adding lots of compost to the beds before you plant the next time.

Newt

[Newt]

I forgot to include this link about cucumbers. Do be sure to read about the lack of female flowers. Too much nitrogen can also be the cause.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag552h.html

Newt

[Bronxbackyard]

I appreciate your input.
As mentioned, the manure was added only to selected (and established )plants...strawbs, onions. and on a seperate plot corn, with beans and squash going in on Sunday coming. I'm trying the Three Sisters method with the corn. It seems to make great sense on several levels plus i like the lore behind it.



I will look at the cucumber wesite.
I suspect the garden is really doing better than my impatient eye will see...and i do tend to be a bit obsessive.

Where in the Bronx did you live?

Thanks again...Your single ray of sunshine has already helped.

[Newt]

I appreciate your input.

You are so very welcome!

As mentioned, the manure was added only to selected (and established )plants...strawbs, onions. and on a seperate plot corn, with beans and squash going in on Sunday coming.

You did mention "selected", but I wasn't sure which veggies were "selected". Maybe I missed that part?

I'm trying the Three Sisters method with the corn. It seems to make great sense on several levels plus i like the lore behind it.

Interesting method of companion planting. You should find Eliot Coleman's crop rotation info helpful too. The first link is his site and about what he does. The second link, figure #4, is his crop rotation.
http://www.fourseasonfarm.com/index.html
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/organiccrop/tools2.html

I have other sites about companion planting if you would be interested. Just let me know.

Where in the Bronx did you live?

Although it was about 53 years ago when we moved to 'da Catskills, I still remember the address - 1662 Vyse Avenue. I left when I was in 1st grade in the school around the corner. I think that was PS 52. I found this article. It was a very different place then. I had many relatives within a few blocks as my grandparents had lived there. Yov've brought back many memories.
http://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/10/ny...onx-block.html

Thanks again...Your single ray of sunshine has already helped.

You put a smile on my face!
Newt

[Bronxbackyard]

While not familiar with the specifics of your old neighborhood, a quick look at the map tells me that you are better off where you are now. I will leave your childhood memories intact and as they are because that is the way they should be.

Going over to the garden today to see what rain damage can be undone, cut back the cilantro, seed the bean & squash in my corn patch and generally pay homage to the gods of sunshine in hopes for a turn of the prevailing weather.

Thanks for the page on companion planting. It's a keeper and will figure in more for next year's travail.

[Bronxbackyard]

Still no end of stormy weather.
Maybe I should abandon the garden and start work on the ark

[Newt]

I thought about you this weekend. I was talking to a cousin who grew up 'around the corner' on Bryant Avenue and mentioned your post. I agree that life is MUCH better for me now. I was sitting on my daughter's front porch watching the sun set behind South Hill Mountain in north western Maryland and the rain you have been having came to mind again. There was a slight breeze and it had been a wonderfully sunny day. I wish you could have had the same. Maybe I should send wood for the ark?

Newt

[Bronxbackyard]

Thanks for the offer of wood
- I'll consult the Bible to see how many cubits will be needed.

In the meantime, I will forge ahead w/ garden as if the weather was normal
- Five more days of gloom predicted
Tried to get squash and peas in the corn patch yesterday just as the skies opened up in Biblical torrents.
Maybe tomorrow before work.

[Newt]

Today I saw the 3" of hail in Bergen County in NJ! Yikes!!!

Here's wishing you more sunshine.

Newt