This weather!

[SeanInVa]

Good news - many of the ones I thought got taken out are recovering!

Bad news - what I thought were whiteflies before are actually aphids. And they have infested everything! I've been trying to capture lady beetles I find in the yard and bring into the greenhouse/tunnel lol

Still saving seeds, and about to pull several more fruits.

What a shame! But I thought Virginia was warm.

It is, typically. But, we do get cold enough for frost in the winter. And apparently some freak cold snaps in the spring.

[Diane Whitehead]

What a shame! But I thought Virginia was warm.

Our temperature yesterday was 27 C - 80 F. Very unusual for May - typically we will get that hot only one or two days in the summer.

[dfollett]

It happens. Frost bit me last year. You'll still be OK 4 of 5 years.

[SeanInVa]

Hey everyone. Just a quick update - I know I've not been active much the last month or more. My job is pretty demanding, and I've also been getting ready for this growing season, and we have this little virus going around - maybe you've heard?

My 113Xs and 150Xs are fruiting well, and I'm saving seed from several. I will be starting these seeds soon! More to come on that

Dan sent me several more varieties, and I sowed them, literally, the day they arrived back on the last day of February. They were growing well, and looking fantastic! And then....
Mother's Day weekend.

I had brought the micros out to enjoy the sun of the weekend, and the forecasters were calling for cold, but not freezing weather. 39F was the forecast. I should have known better. The last four times they've forecasted high 30s, we've frozen, and it's bit me.

Well it bit me again. I left the micros out, transplanted but in trays, next to the planted lettuce and Saturday night we apparently got down to 31F. It looks like I lost all of them!

Looking at the temperature records for the closest airport, which is about 25-30 miles south of me, we've not had freezing temps in May in 20+ years. In 2002, we had a string of days go down to 36 and 37F.

I'm giving them some time to see if I can save any, and time will tell, but I fear they are all gone. While Dan sent plenty of seeds for those he had lots of, there were some where he sent all he had. Thankfully I only sowed about half - so I can continue on - but it's a 1.5 month setback and a bit of a heart breaker. I also lost a row of squash and zukes, and a row of cukes, and a few dwarf tomatoes.

I always thought it odd that some of the older gardeners in this area waited until mid-may to plant out. I suppose now I know why!

I'm still putting together some pictures and notes of the fruiting micros, and hope to have more reports posted soon!