The heat of the smmer goes on

The heat stays with us. 101 degrees today. I've lost count of how many 100+ degree days we have had this year. My vegetable garden has never looked this bad at this time of year. I must say I'm a little ashamed. I feel like I should have done better. But we are still getting a few tomatoes. Gotta love those Big Beef tomatoes. They faltered a little when the bad heat first hit but have made a comeback in the last week or so. None of the other tomatoes made it through this heat wave. I sure do miss my hierloom Lacy tomatoes. To me they are the best eating tomato of all. And they get over three pounds. My friend Larry Lacy gives me the plants. His family has grown them since the 1800's. We will have to plant from older seeds next year as neither of us grew a single one this year.



My wife was able to put up over 20 quarts of Blue Lake green beans this year. And out of one 3' x 8' raised bed, too. With this kind of heat, the failures have sure outweighed the successes. Fran, the lady that owns the feed store down the road, has been sorely missing the big Armenian cucumbers that I grow. She says it is her favorite for eating fresh. I know it's kind of a brag shot but here is a picture of one from last year. I've read where this cuke is much closer kin to honey dew melons then other cukes. Maybe that's why it's so sweet. There may be time to grow them for the fall. I've never tried but I think I will.



Hope springs anew with thoughts about a fall garden. But with these 100+ degree days I'm afraid it would be for naught. I think this heat would be a seedling killer. It's time to buy some shade cloth. I've never had to before but it's time for drastic measures. I'm not going without a fall garden.