putting down straw mulch
 

Right now soil temps are in the mid 60's,I always use a 6 to 8 inch layer of straw to mulch around all my plants in the garden.With all this cool weather we have had I'm not sure if I should wait another week as it's going to be in the upper 80's next week with low's in the 70's at night.Right now it's in the mid 50's at night.I put a black cloth cover on the ground and planted my pepper and cucumber into it to warm up that part of the garden and plan to remove it and then mulch.With so much rain we've been getting the weather has been at least 10 degrees cooler than normal.My tomato plants have really suffered because of all the rain.I had to replace 8 out 15 plants because they just rotted away.My garden drains well but we have not had this much rain in a long time.Clay soil about 12 inches down.I have been using straw mulch the last 10 years and cover crops in the winter to help build the soil.Crazy weather the last two years for April and May.Thinking of waiting another week,anyone in this part of the country or having the same weather who mulches having the same problem?

I am in PA and seeing the same weather. I also mulch with straw but mine is a bit thin right now and I need to add more.

You're are right to be concerned because I have a few areas where it is piled pretty deep because I pulled it away from another area to plant some beans and it is very wet under those piles. I also have lots of clay about a foot down.

I would wait until next week when the heat gets here to be safe.

Coming home around 2 this afternoon and the air temperature is 59 degrees,going down to 52 tonight and 54 tomorrow night.Looking forward to some warm weather.:yes:

It was 55 degrees here this morning at 8 am.

85 Saturday.92 Sunday.Right now 60 just plain crazy!:dizzy:

How does 94F at 34% humidity do for you.:lol:

Worth

Worth1,I always loved the heat,we get very humid summers here in Ohio.I have been a cyclist since 1980 and have done 100 miles ride on days when the temps reached 100 degrees.You have to keep hydrated for sure.The older I get the warmer I want to be.Funny thing is after I have had my knee replacement surgeries I seem to be cold all the time.Right now it's 60 outside,my wife is in the other room with the door open and I'm in the frontroom covered with a light blanket watching TV.:)I'll be on my mountain bike this weekend when it warms up,just have to put on some sunblock.lol

I like to go out and sit in the sun till it goes down and then come inside.
Then I cook supper eat take a hot shower and get under the fan
I must be the only nut here that does it.:lol:
What I wish is they would do away with daylight savings time.:evil:

Worth

I agree,just keep the time the same all year long.I think that started for the farmers,can't remember when it started but I don't remember doing it in the 60's.I'm 64,so old age has affected my memory.lol:lol:

[QUOTE=cjp1953;645657]I agree,just keep the time the same all year long.I think that started for the farmers,can't remember when it started but I don't remember doing it in the 60's.I'm 64,so old age has affected my memory.lol:lol:[/QUOTE]

My dad said it was so the doctors lawyers and politicians could get in more rounds of golf.:lol:

We should just get rid of standard time and always be on daylight time if it was my call.

[QUOTE=jmsieglaff;645661]We should just get rid of standard time and always be on daylight time if it was my call.[/QUOTE]
Daylight savings in the winter and standard in the summer.:lol:
I go to bed at 8:00 to 8:30 and the darn sun is still up.:evil:
Worth

Back then
 

[QUOTE=cjp1953;645657]I agree,just keep the time the same all year long.I think that started for the farmers,can't remember when it started but I don't remember doing it in the 60's.I'm 64,so old age has affected my memory.lol:lol:[/QUOTE]

There was no "light"per say.As all of us who work outside can attest you look at the sun for timing,to start your day and do the things you can see.Until the telegraph,trains who rode along side by side there was no standardization,no schedule,trains ran into each other,head on.So for now all of the tv sports finals,my Penguins,and kid curry are close to my time zone.No 11 pm games for me.When the wireless gets as fast as time itself,maybe we can all be in the same time zone.Go figure.

Ground temps around 70,rain in the forecast the next 3 days so I spread alfalfa pellets through the whole garden and put a thick layer of straw down.All I need is rain to break down the pellets.We have 90 degree temps and night time around 70.Great weather to put some growth on my plants.:)

Yes, it was 95 degrees here today and humid. No worries about the soil being too cold.

Hot and humid with warm nights,that will turn things around.Just need a balance of rain and sunshine.Maybe I'm asking for to much.:?!?:

[QUOTE=cjp1953;646773]Hot and humid with warm nights,that will turn things around.Just need a balance of rain and sunshine.Maybe I'm asking for to much.:?!?:[/QUOTE]never hurts to ask.:))

Yep,now we could use a little rain with this 92 degree day,looks like that might happen!:)

Well we got a downpour just now,this should help the alfalfa pellets I put under the straw break down.Cucumbers and tomatoes are flowering and I have peppers that are 2 inches long.:D

we had 1/2 inch yesterday but the storm you got today was just North of us. I could hear the thunder and the sky was a dark as pitch but it didn't cross 71... as normal.

Is that you?
 

[QUOTE=Redbaron;647104]never hurts to ask.:))[/QUOTE]


Long vacation ,welcome back.


As per original post.
Here in 10 b I like to stay with the larger bedding wheat straw,stiffer holds water in the straw,takes longer than the thinner coastal hays,alfalfas are bot to bad but clumpy.The thinner grasses seem to turn ugly black,clump unless separated,and are moldier than the dryer grasses.

[QUOTE=Worth1;645662]Daylight savings in the winter and standard in the summer.:lol:
I go to bed at 8:00 to 8:30 and the darn sun is still up.:evil:
Worth[/QUOTE]

I would vote for that or just using standard time.

[QUOTE=cjp1953;647123]Yep,now we could use a little rain with this 92 degree day,looks like that might happen!:)[/QUOTE]

It has been in the low 90s and very humid here this week, but it's getting hotter this weekend.

[QUOTE=clkeiper;647181]we had 1/2 inch yesterday but the storm you got today was just North of us. I could hear the thunder and the sky was a dark as pitch but it didn't cross 71... as normal.[/QUOTE]

I thought I was the only one that the rain would go around,last year it seemed that every time we had showers,they went North or South of me.:?!?:Looks like it could be wet for a couple of days as the air is unstable with this heat.I'm glad to have the straw down,don't have to worry about watering for a while after that soaking.

[QUOTE=cjp1953;647220]I thought I was the only one that the rain would go around,last year it seemed that every time we had showers,they went North or South of me.:?!?:Looks like it could be wet for a couple of days as the air is unstable with this heat.I'm glad to have the straw down,don't have to worry about watering for a while after that soaking.[/QUOTE]

Nope. It is very interesting to watch the storms here. they generally tend to run up the I-71 line. it rains on that side but not this side of 71. you can drive over a bridge over 71 going to Medina and it is raining on the N side of the bridge but not on the bridge. seen it many times. We had 1/2 rain on Tue. A friend of mine was at my house when the storm rolled in... she lives 1 mile E of me. She got torrential downpour and hail... a customer stopped yesterday who lives another mile E of the friend and they had ZERO raindrops.

My daughter lives off of Farr Rd,don't know if she had rain but it seemed to be southwest of us and that would be in your direction as well as hers.

I think daylight savings time was proposed by Ben Franklin to save candle wax for half the year.
We don't use many candles today. Not having to deal with schedules like airlines or trains I think 10 minutes a month would be good, who cares if they are 10 minutes early or late ? Cows would appreciate only a 10 minute wait for milking instead of an hour.

Think I read someplace Ben Franklin came up with the time change idea to save on candle usage.