Rain Rain Go Away

Things have been awfully wet this season.  Total rainfall since April 1 has been about 22.5 inches (1.5 inches in just the last 24 hours) for a total of 6 more inches than last year.  This is within the normal five year range. 

What is interesting is the number of hours of rain - 560 total hours give-or-take.  Ordinarily it rains about 7% of the time while this year it has been raining about 15% of the time.  While total rainfall is within normal limits the casual observer is left with the impression of more than normal rain as a consequence of the length of rain events.  And it stays wetter for longer periods of time.

It has also been cooler of late with overnight lows in the fifties.  The end result of all of this is that the garden has been unable to properly dry-out.  Anecdotally, I haven't had an opportunity for more than a month to engage the rototiller in the garden.  The soil is too sticky.  Moreover, the trails here at the Platz have locations with standing water in them.  The ponds are full to the brim and Silver Creek is running at full-bore.  The upshot if all of this is that conditions are too damp.

The net effect is that crop losses have occurred.  About two-thirds of the onions succumbed to root rot and had to be discarded.  The jury is still out as to whether or not the surviving onions curing in the shed will make it.  Monday I pulled all the tomato plants.  Both plants and fruit were suffering from cool wet conditions.  Tomatoes can easily handle wet - if you can accumulate some warm days in the 70s and hopefully in the 80s.  That ain't happening.  My salvage harvest included a mix of ripe, semi-ripe and green tomatoes.

At least they are now safe in the warmer and drier garage.  I fear for the potatoes.  

Current conditions notwithstanding it has been a good gardening year.  From all outward appearances there is a robust crop of pumpkins that will yield their tasty, hull-less seeds before too long.  Been a while since that's happened.
Green peppers and carrots in abundance.

In the aftermath of President Trump's signing of an executive order putting him in charge of the weather - if you like science you can learn more here about how universities monitor weather conditions here on the peninsula.

 Vive le Jardin Magnifique!