I thought I’d stop complaining about politics for a few days to begin complaining about Mother Nature and her lack of respect for me and my gardening skills. We seem to have the start of a summer with no moderate weather conditions.  For most of the month of May we had warm days and very cold nights.  We also were taken by surprise by a late frost or two that hit us with almost no notice.  The days were warm but the wind had a cold edge to it that just wouldn’t let up.  The frost ended up costing us a few dollars when it killed a number of the recently purchased cucumber plants.

In past years that would have set me off but I guess when you can’t do control something you have to move along and not let it make you too crazy. I replanted the cukes again after being assured by a nursery owner friend that we were safe from another frost.  Do we get a few days of moderate weather?  No effing way.

A week ago I was sitting on my deck relaxing and talking with my sister in Pittsburgh.  It was warm but still had a bit of chill in the air.  My sister was complaining about the heat wave they were suffering from and that the temps had been in the eighties for a few days.   We here in Maine usually receive the exact weather as Pennsylvania just three or so days later.  We had a day of moderate rain and then our heat wave arrived just as expected.  For three miserable days the heat was almost unbearable.  It was too hot to sit on the deck until late afternoon and sleeping became a freaking nightmare.  All of this weather and it wasn’t even June yet.  On top of the stifling heat the sun effectively roasted and toasted a large section of the garden.

So I make another trip back to the nursery for a few more replacement plants.  A number of other plants were slightly damaged as well but we were still hoping for a little rain to help them survive.  Three days later they died as well as did some of the latest replacements.  This kind of stuff is expected these days with weird weather patterns slowly becoming the norm.  It gives me a whole new understanding and appreciation of how it must have been back in the day when your life and your families life  depended on having a successful garden and crops.  Those old time farmers must have had a great deal of faith and a lot of guts.

Once again I replanted all of the cucumbers, watered them in, and prayed the weather would moderate a little with just enough rain to keep them healthy.  It was now the first of June and I hoped for the best.  Another mistake for sure.  I monitored the weather and soon became aware of possible thunder storms heading our way.  It began to rain and it poured for hours.  It was so bad that some of my newest plantings were washed out of the ground.  I’m beginning to get the idea that the gardening gods are messing with me.

If your going to garden you must be ready for almost anything.  Patience is required as well as a supply of really good cuss words.  They don’t actually help the situation but they do have the ability to make you feel a little better.
I’ve just replanted the cukes for the third and hopefully last time.

At the rate the grass is growing it should be knee high in a matter of days. That should give me something new to stress about.  Mother Nature is definitely not our friend so far this Spring.