Saskferco Community Gardens, Moose Jaw, SK

Thanks Ginny I will.......what is going against the ripening of the remaining watermelons though is the lower temperatures we've been feeling this month (La Nina influence is back?). They keep forecasting higher temps (without the high humidity :) but so far we've not hit them. If we do the three watermelons that are on the verge of ripening will be ready to pick.

Lilypon,

I can't imagine growing watermelons in zone 3. Great work! Do you grown beans? If so, are yours done producing? My pole beans still have flowers. I'm hoping they hurry and turn into beans before the cold weather decides to come upon us.

DigMontana where is Libby? What is your elevation? I've been talking to a lady that lives in Dillon, Montana (much higher elevation than here) and this is what she had to say:

"July wasn't bad where I live (in Dillon) as we never broke 100(37C) but the rest of Montana had record breaking heat. It used to be rare to hit 90F(32C), in Bozeman, but they had two weeks of over 100F(37C)"

and
"Wow, thanks for the info. It's hard to think of Canada being so hot, but I guess your elevations are much lower than here.

The problem is with trying to get a garden crop such as melons (or gourds) to mature, is the low nightime temps. We're fairly high elevation (~1595 meters) and it is normal for nighttime temps in the summer to fall below 10C, even if we've had 32C during the day."

Here, in Saskatchewan, the night time temps didn't drop at all in the last two weeks of July........the first two weeks were well over 100F but, at least then, they dropped down to the 60's and 70's at night. Our plants were given one heck of a boost since it was like they were growing in a greenhouse (or Florida in a non dry year).

Confusing having an American posting in Celcius and I'm posting in Fahrenheit. ;)


This message was edited Aug 22, 2007 1:07 PM

Moose Jaw's Elevation is: 1893 ft / 577 m


Now years ago we'd have cool nights and day time averages of high 70's/80's (without humidity) in August. Probably similar to what your location used to receive (and maybe still does at night).

Our elevation is 2096 ft. Our temps use to be like yours 70/80's. We don't even get as much snow as when I was a kid. We also had record breaking weather this summer. Lots of 100's and over.

I'am a long ways away from Dillon Mt. I'm 60 miles from the Canadian border, 25 miles from Idaho border. DM

Did you have high humidity too DM? or was it a dry heat that you had this year?

Trying to still figure out here why your beans haven't bloomed yet.........

Dry heat.

It may be the dry hot heat that's slowing them down......last year I grew watermelons, tomatoes etc and it was really hot (around 90 to 100F) and dry for 3 weeks after planting out (June, 2006). I found just about everything sat and sulked (tomatoes hardly grew until after we cooled off a bit and the watermelons hardly grew and just threw male flowers). The high heat and humidity that year never came until August......the veggies grew much better in those conditions (but it was too late by then to get a lot of the late set fruit to ripen on the vine).

I really would love to have a whole summer in the 70's low 80's (low humidity) and with nights in the 60's. I wouldn't have luck with watermelons/gourds but I'd love to see how our tomatoes would do (especially the setting of fruit) in those perfect tomato growing conditions.

I

Thinking of moving away from the prairies, are you? Sounds like Victoria (BC) weather to me. Then you only have to battle tomato blight (grow tomatoes under a plastic cover or some kind) SLUGS of various sizes, weevils for your lilies, RATS stealing your newly planted peas and bean seeds, IVY, weeds growing at least a foot per day..... Of course, there are a FEW pluses!!!!

inanda aka Ginny

Lilypon,
Thanks so much for the input! It really makes alot of sense. DM

Lilypon,
I went out to do some hand watering today and discovered one pole bean, so I hope that is a sign that they will start producing.

: D re pole bean DM :D...............now all us low zoners pray that frost stays away. ;S

BTW our DS is now ready for his 2nd year of Univ (Saskatoon) Yesterday we gots our son's stuff packed in a U-Haul, moved it up, put it all together.........do you have any idea how long it takes to put a Walmart computer desk, chest of drawers and an entertainment set together???? (hint........it averaged out to about 2 hours each and then at 2:00 a.m. the bed frame had to be put together). :b :b :b

On a positive note however he and his room mate are a block and a half from Dutch Growers :D Ü :D and they had a 50% off sale. I purchased a *very nice* sized, & both covered with buds, Lady Margaret Passion Vine and a Thunbergia Grandiflora for $5.00 each.....and for the same deal & price two HUGE clumps of Black Mondo Grass and 2 very unusual and beautiful silver veined grasses from Australia (it's the first time I've seen any of those exotic beauties in this province and I never expected those extremely reasonable prices (even without the sale :^)))))))). I know I said I was going to give up on tropical plants but I couldn't pass by on those unbelievable deals (esp since the hail destroyed all my beauties)

This message was edited Aug 24, 2007 11:44 PM

Hi Lilypon, more and more commercial establishments are growing "green roof" gardens for power saving reasons as well as ecological reasons. Thatched roofs, in ancient times were cover with Hen & Chicks plants as it was believed that they were magic plants that could keep lightning from striking the roof, setting their home on fire. These plants were dedicated by the Greeks to Zeus, by the Romans to Jupiter and by the Germanic peoples to Donar/Thor. Thunder and/or lightning was a sign of the displeasure of all these Gods. Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor, had these succulents planted on all his buildings and decreed that the buildings of other nobles be covered too. Even today, in certain parts of Europe, you can still see that some sheds have these attractive plants on their roofs.

I have enjoyed your notes and pictures posted throughout this growing season so that we could enjoy your community garden right along with you.

Phil

Hey and Hi Phil :D.....thank you for such an interesting and informative post. :) I really enjoyed learning from it and will now suggest that some Hens and Chicks, that have survived a couple of roller coaster winters outside here, be planted (I've lost more than a few but those that do make it are tougher than nails :).

I'm sorry I've taken so long to get back to this post ... between family commitments and the garden I (like everyone else here ;) have had my plate rather full lately.

Here's a sample of the final pickings....threat of F*R*O*S*T on Wednesday so anything showing nice signs of ripening has been picked (and if ripe has been processed). I'll have to get a pic of the pumpkins/watermelons later (we were buried in tomatoes so picture taking went on the back burner).

This message was edited Sep 9, 2007 5:10 PM