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Aug 16, 2010
Scorched in Texas
Hallie Moore  Guest Blogger 2010

Our plants were producing, looking healthy and green, and we were enjoying, literally, the fruits of our labor. That was in May/June, when the Texas summer was enjoyable and temperatures were topping out in the low 90s. Well, that time has passed.

Come July and now into August, the weekly forecast has all days in the triple digits. Our newly planted grass in the backyard is turning brown and our plants are suffering from the heat and intense sun.

We have had to watch and wait and water and wait and watch some more as our plants, no matter what we try and do, turn brown and wilt away. The only plants that seems to be handling the heat are the peppers. Go figure.

As the novice gardeners that we are, and newcomers to this Texas summer (it’s our first summer here) we had no idea what kind of battle we would be in for. And battling we are.

The tomatoes have pretty much stopped producing anything. Every now and then we get a couple cherry tomatoes that we can salvage and eat but our large tomatoes are just not growing. Sad but true.

At this point, we are trying to determine if we should just call it quits on this summer’s veggie garden or keep fighting and duking it out with the heat that doesn't seem to be backing down anytime soon.

For now … we will keep our boxing gloves on and do what we can to keep our veggies alive. Here's to a break in the heat sometime soon.

Reader Comments (1)
Home vegetable gardens evolve with the seasons -- from cool spring temps thru the harsh summer sun, and back to the cool of fall. This means there are plenty of opportunities for harvest and a variety of crops to choose from! The trick is knowing what grows best in your climate and when.

Tomatoes like the warmth, but in the Texas heat they'll stop bearing fruit during those periods of high day and night temperatures. To keep your garden going, you can move on to hot-season crops like okra and collard greens.

Your best resource for crop timing? Your local university extension office! They have great regional information and can pinpoint the best times to grow to maximize your harvest. To find your nearest extension, try the USDA's helpful webpage: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

The Burpee Home Gardens Team
Monday, August 16, 2010 | Burpee Home Gardens Team
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