Too Much of a Good Thing
May was a wet month with 15.6 inches of rain… most of it coming in the last 10 days. It is still raining and is supposed to continue for another week. The pool and my fountain have run over repeatedly, and my garden is way too wet.
Holes for Drainage
When the new raised garden boxes were built, holes were drilled into the bottoms of the containers.
Drain Holes in Raised Garden Box
The holes were drilled into the bottom to allow the water to run through. It prevents pooling in the bottom.
However, when it rains all day and all night for days on end, and the sun shines very little during that time, the soil is still too wet. This causes injury to the different plants in my garden.
Water-filled Bell Peppers
The red and yellow bell pepper plants are full of peppers that are beginning to change color, but peppers cannot stay on the plant until they have ripened completely.
Yellow Bell Pepper
Too much rain has caused several of the peppers to rot hanging on the plant. They look okay, but when touched, the bottom falls away and the water collected on the inside drains out. To save the peppers, I am picking them as soon as they show a little color.
Green Bell Peppers
If I can’t catch them soon enough to keep the bottoms from going soft, I will begin picking them green. Green peppers are just as good and way better than having them rot on the plant.
Rotting Squash
Rotting Yellow Squash
Too much moisture causes a fungus to develop on the squash and zucchini leaves and causes any new squash to rot before they are even two inches long.
Splitting Tomatoes
Tomatoes with Split Skins
Too much rain causes the skins to split even on tomatoes just approaching ripeness.
Yellow Pear Tomatoes
Even the tiny yellow pear tomatoes have splitting skins.
The split skins do not ruin the tomatoes if they are picked and used right away. There are too few tomatoes to merit canning them, so I have made pasta sauce and salsa. I’ve given away a lot of tomatoes, too.
Since it is supposed to rain all next week, I will have even more. An old friend sent me a recipe for tomato soup. I’ve never made my own, but I am going to try it. I don’t want any of my veggies to go to waste.
Tags: above ground garden · Construction of Raised Garden · Pepper Plants · rain · Tomatoes · Vegetables · yellow squash · zucchini2 Comments
My squash plants are small (not more than 6 leaves) and has flowers. What is wrong?
I am in oklahoma, and we have nothing but rain right now.
Christian,
As you can see in this article, my plants bloomed, the tiny squash would set and then rot. At the time, we had huge amounts of rain that were causing a fungus to grow. I am guessing that you may have the same problem of fungus caused by too much rain. Check with your local agricultural extension center. They can confirm this, or they will be able to tell you what is happening in your area. Good luck with your garden.