Gardeners get by, no matter what the weather

Is the weather going to be nice? What a silly question to ask a gardener, really. Ask us in September and we’ll be better able to answer that question!

Some people judge the weather by whether or not their immediate plans will work out. Gardeners, we judge the weather not by the measure of comfort it brings, but by its effects on our vegetable garden. Are the tomatoes lush and well-formed? Are the cucumbers sweet or bitter? Are the squash vines lackluster and spotted or perky and needing to be guided on an acceptable path among the other garden delights?

The fate of our garden crops (and in turn the fate of ourselves) is tied directly to whatever weather is cast our way. Looking back on the growing season, we’ll often say, “It was quite a tomato year,” or “It was a terrible year for green beans.” More than anything, these statements relate to the weather.

Temperature and precipitation, in particular, play a pivotal role in determining whether our garden will produce bounty or barely a thing. If the weather is hot and dry, we have stellar artichoke and corn crops. If it’s hot and moist, the peppers and tomatoes abound. If summer temperatures stay cool and rain abounds, the broccoli, cabbage and greens produce with vigor.

We improve our soil diligently with “garden-healthy” amendments. Peat moss and leaf litter incorporated in spring help elevate the level of organic matter in the soil. Composted manure adds much-needed nutrients. Products such as shellfish compost, green sand, lime and bone meal may add micronutrients, alter the soil’s pH, or add chemical compounds that are important for plant growth or help suppress unwanted soil microbes.

To some extent, we work with the soil on behalf of our plants to hedge our bets against the weather. Likewise, we augment the weather in innumerable ways. Hours spent irrigating the garden are a fine replacement for inadequate rainfall. Covering crops early or late in the season with a row cover, plastic or minishelters may alter the temperature effectively around plants. Planting a garden between buildings or on a south-southeast exposure may significantly affect the growing environment for plants.

Of course, we can’t really wait until the end of the summer to judge the weather completely. Certainly some garden tasks do require pleasant weather. This spring, rototilling the garden has been a challenge. Too much rainfall saturates even the best garden soil to the extent that it would be ill-advised to beat the earth with an abusive tiller.

So far this spring, many would say the weather hasn’t been on the side of the gardener. But don’t lose hope. If you’re thinking that it’s too late to sow some seeds for summer produce, think again. And then dash to your local greenhouse or nursery and purchase the necessary items for at least a salad garden. Shop the seed cart for some lettuce, radishes, carrots and beans. Seek out whatever tomato and pepper seedlings you can find.

If you’re thinking summer’s too short to plant a garden at this point, think again, please! Winter’s too long to go without some fresh summer vegetables.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, 512 North Ridge Road, Montville 04941 or e-mail dianagc@midcoast.com. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Include name, address and telephone number.