Nothing is healthier for a baby than breast milk. Even makers of formula, who profit from mothers not nursing their children, state firmly in their ads that breast milk is best. Why, then, would someone choose not to breastfeed?
Often, the reason for this is that the nursing mother encounters obstacles and has nowhere to turn. Breastfeeding, which is one of the most natural things a woman can do, can be hard. This is why it is important to find a good lactation consultant.
In Southern Missouri, lactation consultants can be hard to find. Even harder is finding traveling lactation consultants. My sister, Jill Kremer, offers breastfeeding help to mothers in Lebanon, Springfield, and the surrounding areas. I'm plugging her services because she is my sister, of course, but also because I know, as a mom, how hard it can be to find a lactation consultant in Missouri who travels to you.
When I was a new mom, I developed a yeast infection that caused extreme burning and pain every time I tried to nurse. My son developed the same condition and we passed it back and forth to each other for a month before we visited a lactation consultant who gave us the answers we needed. I've known many more moms who have given up on breastfeeding altogether because they don't have the help or support they want and need. We all know that breastfed babies are healthier, but women who have breastfed are healthier as well. This is why it is vital to get the support you deserve. If you are in Southern Missouri, breastfeeding help is close by and will come to you. Visit Jill's web site for more information about the services she offers.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Half-Marathon Training Update
I had every intention of writing out my training plans and training reports every week. Really, I did. As I said in yesterday's post, I have been too busy with real-life stuff to blog it up over here.
The half-marathon training isn't going as well as I would like it. Illness, injury, and other commitments has shortened my training, but hasn't stopped it in its tracks. I have high hopes of a PR, but the more I have learned about this half marathon, I realize that it is very hilly and difficult. I may not reach my goal of 2:30, but I at least plan on breaking my last time.
I am able to run on Tuesdays and Thursdays for longer periods of time. Getting in five or six miles is no problem. Weekends are harder and I'm not able to stick with the training schedule precisely, but I can generally get in what I need. This week is a renewed effort on my part, mostly because I realize the half is only six weeks away! Still, that's plenty of time and I'm still very excited about it.
My gym has started offering early morning classes as well. Today, I took my first Body Combat course. It was good. A lot of people I know do Combat and love it, are even obsessed with it. I enjoyed it but I didn't find it overly difficult, either to follow the routines or to get through it. It was funny because I was talking to a group of ladies about it yesterday and they suggested that I might make it through 15 minutes before I'd have to leave. I wasn't insulted, I believed them. But no, it was actually pretty easy. The hardest part was understanding the instructor through the headset mic. Still, I got a great workout and a heavy sweat first thing in the morning. I had to forego work, but it was worth it. I also think it will help greatly with my marathon training. Cross training is always a good thing.
The half-marathon training isn't going as well as I would like it. Illness, injury, and other commitments has shortened my training, but hasn't stopped it in its tracks. I have high hopes of a PR, but the more I have learned about this half marathon, I realize that it is very hilly and difficult. I may not reach my goal of 2:30, but I at least plan on breaking my last time.
I am able to run on Tuesdays and Thursdays for longer periods of time. Getting in five or six miles is no problem. Weekends are harder and I'm not able to stick with the training schedule precisely, but I can generally get in what I need. This week is a renewed effort on my part, mostly because I realize the half is only six weeks away! Still, that's plenty of time and I'm still very excited about it.
My gym has started offering early morning classes as well. Today, I took my first Body Combat course. It was good. A lot of people I know do Combat and love it, are even obsessed with it. I enjoyed it but I didn't find it overly difficult, either to follow the routines or to get through it. It was funny because I was talking to a group of ladies about it yesterday and they suggested that I might make it through 15 minutes before I'd have to leave. I wasn't insulted, I believed them. But no, it was actually pretty easy. The hardest part was understanding the instructor through the headset mic. Still, I got a great workout and a heavy sweat first thing in the morning. I had to forego work, but it was worth it. I also think it will help greatly with my marathon training. Cross training is always a good thing.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Update: A Month Later
This blog has been dead for almost a month. I miss writing on it and I think about it often, but time is the biggest issue. I've said it a few times, but it's gotten more and more difficult to keep up with the blog. The biggest culprit is the number of assignments I have. I am regularly getting requests for work, which is awesome, but leaves precious little free time for fun things. Like this blog.
What's Going On?
The gardening project is all but defunct. The brutal summer made daily, sometimes twice daily, watering a necessity. After our trip to Florida, during which I obviously could not be as conscientious about organic pest removal, the squash plants were decimated by squash bugs. I finally yanked them all and planted broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts in their place. A week of extreme sickness during the first week of the school year meant that I did not tend to the garden as I should have. In one week, while temperatures were still extreme, the little plants all died. All of them. Now, I have okra plants still growing and a very small number of carrots are popping up. Everything else, even the kale that looked so good as it was sprouting, has died. The fall garden is a non-garden, so I'm planning on turning over all of the soil and anxiously awaiting next spring. Still, I may try to put out more seeds in the meantime. Time is the number one concern.
I am having a little more difficulty eating an entirely clean diet, but only a very little. Clean eating has become such a way of life that I automatically reach for healthier foods. However, there are many days that I need a quick meal instead of a healthy one. On those days, I have a pre-packaged, frozen dinner ready. I'm trying to have less of those so that I force myself to make something clean and healthy, but I've since found that if it's not fast, it just doesn't happen. Several days last week, I barely ate at all. As I age, that is having an opposite effect on my body. I actually put on weight when I'm eating very little. I don't know how that is possible!
Exercise is going as well as possible. Now that my husband is back at work, I can only get to the gym two or three days per week. It's hard, but it's working. I'm concerned about the 1/2 marathon in October, but I'm still confident that it will go well.
I also built a web site for my sister who is a lactation consultant in Southern Missouri. Breastfeeding is the healthiest choice for babies and their mothers. In Southern Missouri, lactation consultants are pretty hard to find. My sister, Jill, is a traveling lactation consultant. This means that she will provide breastfeeding help in Lebanon, Missouri, she'll travel to Springfield, MO for breastfeeding classes, or she'll go throughout that part of the state. When I was nursing #1, I would have loved to have a lactation consultant come to my home, so I think it's really a great thing that she is doing. Check out her website at https://sites.google.com/site/missourilactationconsultant/. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions about the site itself.
Also, the election is consuming me. Don't be surprised if you find a few political posts here. Though this isn't a political blog, I'm all over this election. No stone left unturned in my quest for the best possible choice for our nation's president.
I'll try to update more often, but I make no promises. These days, time is not on my side.
What's Going On?
The gardening project is all but defunct. The brutal summer made daily, sometimes twice daily, watering a necessity. After our trip to Florida, during which I obviously could not be as conscientious about organic pest removal, the squash plants were decimated by squash bugs. I finally yanked them all and planted broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts in their place. A week of extreme sickness during the first week of the school year meant that I did not tend to the garden as I should have. In one week, while temperatures were still extreme, the little plants all died. All of them. Now, I have okra plants still growing and a very small number of carrots are popping up. Everything else, even the kale that looked so good as it was sprouting, has died. The fall garden is a non-garden, so I'm planning on turning over all of the soil and anxiously awaiting next spring. Still, I may try to put out more seeds in the meantime. Time is the number one concern.
I am having a little more difficulty eating an entirely clean diet, but only a very little. Clean eating has become such a way of life that I automatically reach for healthier foods. However, there are many days that I need a quick meal instead of a healthy one. On those days, I have a pre-packaged, frozen dinner ready. I'm trying to have less of those so that I force myself to make something clean and healthy, but I've since found that if it's not fast, it just doesn't happen. Several days last week, I barely ate at all. As I age, that is having an opposite effect on my body. I actually put on weight when I'm eating very little. I don't know how that is possible!
Exercise is going as well as possible. Now that my husband is back at work, I can only get to the gym two or three days per week. It's hard, but it's working. I'm concerned about the 1/2 marathon in October, but I'm still confident that it will go well.
I also built a web site for my sister who is a lactation consultant in Southern Missouri. Breastfeeding is the healthiest choice for babies and their mothers. In Southern Missouri, lactation consultants are pretty hard to find. My sister, Jill, is a traveling lactation consultant. This means that she will provide breastfeeding help in Lebanon, Missouri, she'll travel to Springfield, MO for breastfeeding classes, or she'll go throughout that part of the state. When I was nursing #1, I would have loved to have a lactation consultant come to my home, so I think it's really a great thing that she is doing. Check out her website at https://sites.google.com/site/missourilactationconsultant/. Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions about the site itself.
Also, the election is consuming me. Don't be surprised if you find a few political posts here. Though this isn't a political blog, I'm all over this election. No stone left unturned in my quest for the best possible choice for our nation's president.
I'll try to update more often, but I make no promises. These days, time is not on my side.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
How to Kill Squash Bugs
My tiny garden has actually been quite prolific this year despite the extremely hot weather and my decidedly not green thumb. The secret has been a lot of research and constant care. This revelation brought to you by the School of Duh.
The latest issue my garden has faced is the dreaded squash bug. I am not kidding you when I say that there are a millionty billion in my garden all of a sudden and they simply will not die. I have checked out books from the library, I have read from countless agricultural-educational institutes. I have looked at random blog posts and forums. The ways to get rid of squash bugs are painstaking and enormous.
 |
| Yuck. |
Neem Oil
Some sources suggest that spraying neem oil will rid your garden of squash bugs. The secret is to spray regularly, about every two days, and to make sure that it's the undersides of leaves that are treated, since this is where the nasties lay their eggs.
Soapy Water
The go-to solution for organic gardeners seems to be a soapy water solution. All that's required is a bucket, some water, some soap, and a lot more time than a normal person will ever, ever have. Basically, you pick each squash bug off of each leaf and throw it in the bucket. Repeat 9 billion times and you'll have fewer squash bugs.
Isopropyl Alcohol
A solution of rubbing alcohol and water is supposedly a great option for those wanting to kill squash bugs organically. Unfortunately, if you use too much alcohol, you can also kill your plants, or so I've read. A capful of alcohol to a gallon of water is the general consensus. If you feel like experimenting, I'd love to hear your results. I'm not ready to try it myself.
Peppermint
I planted peppermint with my squash this year to keep the squash bugs away. I learned a very valuable lesson: you have to plant a LOT of peppermint for this to work. I do believe that the squash bugs would have stayed away had I planted peppermint throughout my squash plants. Instead, I planted it along the front border, which were the only plants that were unaffected.
Of course, there are a number of chemical sprays that are suggested for the treatment of squash bugs, both organic and deadly poison. I am choosing to not mention these because they have variously been accused of being ineffective and irritating to the skin. I would not recommend anyone use something on their food that is actually harmful to their bodies.
I actually managed to keep the squash bugs away by being very meticulous about applying peppermint to plants every few days. This kept aphids away as well. One week of vacation was all the bugs needed, though, to show up and basically decimate everything. I did read that if your plants are already healthy, the bugs shouldn't cause too much damage. I actually found this to be partially true. Despite the hundreds (at least) bugs on the plants, mine still produced more squash than my family can eat. I kept the plants around for a while, then picked the rest of the squash, and yesterday, I dug the plants up and covered the squash bug infested area in chili pepper. I plan on digging up the spot, adding a lot of compost and chili pepper, and using the former squash bed for my fall garden crops.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Half-Marathon Training: Week Three
The past two weeks have been really crazy. I had a HUGE assignment with a big, new client that took up almost every second of my day. I'm sorry to say that the first thing that gets pushed to the side when I have lots to do is this blog. It's not a money-maker and it doesn't educate my children in anyway, therefore it is the least important. I am sorry. But, though I do have several assignments in the works right now, I have a bit more time and I plan on getting back to regular, daily updates, starting today. This week's training plan:
Week Three Training Plan:
Monday: Run 3 miles
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Run 4 miles
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run 6 miles
Sunday: Rest
Week Two Training Report:
Monday (3 miles): Ran three miles and improved my time. I ran an average of about 11:30 per mile, which is a significant improvement on last week's 12 mm. I felt like I could have gone faster, but more importantly, I felt like I could have fun longer. After this run, I feel like I don't need to work on speed as much as longevity because I am definitely satisfied with an 11:30 pace if it is sustainable.
Tuesday (rest): No problem resting. With a sick child and a seriously large deadline looming, taking the day off was super easy.
Wednesday (4 miles): The three miles didn't happen. I simply couldn't get out of the house fast enough so I ran three miles as fast as I could (about 34 minutes) and vowed to get out of the house earlier on Thursday for a four miler. Starting to get concerned about Saturday's five miles because we are going out of town. I may try to do the five miles on Friday instead, which means three runs in three days.
Thursday (3 miles): Didn't get out of the house sooner. In fact, didn't get out of the house at all. One day left until deadline and every second had to be used for work. I admonished myself for not running, this is a commitment I have made to myself, but at this point even an hour was too much to spare with over a dozen travel articles due in one day.
Friday (rest): I planned on hitting Wednesday's four miles on Thursday, then again on Friday. Nope. I worked on Thursday until 1 A.M., then got up at 4 A.M. on Friday and worked until 4 P.M. Mind you, that includes being interrupted roughly every 15 minutes to break up fights with the kids, yell at the kids, feed the kids, hug the kids, read to the kids, and drink lots and lots of coffee.
Saturday (5 miles): Despite the fact that we had a planned weekend of rest and relaxation, I couldn't blow off another training run. I got up in the morning and I ran my five miles in less than an hour. At four miles I seriously bruised my ankle and thought about stopping. I then thought about what I would want my six-year-old to see if he were there with me. Would I want him to see a mom who gets injured and quits or a mom who gets injured and battles through? So I finished my five miles in under an hour and limped home.
Sunday (rest): Spent the day in St. Louis at the zoo, the mall, and the Science Center. I didn't run of course, but I walked a lot. And I also ate ice cream. And french fries. Healthy eating begins again on Monday!
Week Three Training Plan:
Monday: Run 3 miles
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Run 4 miles
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run 6 miles
Sunday: Rest
Week Two Training Report:
Monday (3 miles): Ran three miles and improved my time. I ran an average of about 11:30 per mile, which is a significant improvement on last week's 12 mm. I felt like I could have gone faster, but more importantly, I felt like I could have fun longer. After this run, I feel like I don't need to work on speed as much as longevity because I am definitely satisfied with an 11:30 pace if it is sustainable.
Tuesday (rest): No problem resting. With a sick child and a seriously large deadline looming, taking the day off was super easy.
Wednesday (4 miles): The three miles didn't happen. I simply couldn't get out of the house fast enough so I ran three miles as fast as I could (about 34 minutes) and vowed to get out of the house earlier on Thursday for a four miler. Starting to get concerned about Saturday's five miles because we are going out of town. I may try to do the five miles on Friday instead, which means three runs in three days.
Thursday (3 miles): Didn't get out of the house sooner. In fact, didn't get out of the house at all. One day left until deadline and every second had to be used for work. I admonished myself for not running, this is a commitment I have made to myself, but at this point even an hour was too much to spare with over a dozen travel articles due in one day.
Friday (rest): I planned on hitting Wednesday's four miles on Thursday, then again on Friday. Nope. I worked on Thursday until 1 A.M., then got up at 4 A.M. on Friday and worked until 4 P.M. Mind you, that includes being interrupted roughly every 15 minutes to break up fights with the kids, yell at the kids, feed the kids, hug the kids, read to the kids, and drink lots and lots of coffee.
Saturday (5 miles): Despite the fact that we had a planned weekend of rest and relaxation, I couldn't blow off another training run. I got up in the morning and I ran my five miles in less than an hour. At four miles I seriously bruised my ankle and thought about stopping. I then thought about what I would want my six-year-old to see if he were there with me. Would I want him to see a mom who gets injured and quits or a mom who gets injured and battles through? So I finished my five miles in under an hour and limped home.
Sunday (rest): Spent the day in St. Louis at the zoo, the mall, and the Science Center. I didn't run of course, but I walked a lot. And I also ate ice cream. And french fries. Healthy eating begins again on Monday!
Monday, July 30, 2012
Half-Marathon Training: Week Two
Week Two Training Plan:
Monday: Run 3 miles
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Run 4 miles
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run 5 miles
Sunday: Rest
Week One Recap:
I have been keeping track of my training each day and will hopefully be able to continue to do so. Last week's training, the first full week, went extremely well. I have great hopes for the future!
Monday (3 miles): I made the three mile run in 36 minutes. I want to say that is slow, even for me, but a 12 minute mile is actually not that bad. If I were able to keep up a 12 minute pace throughout a 13.1 mile distance, I would PR at about 2:37. I did try to increase my speed to a 10 minute mile but my right knee started screaming. I need to remember to stretch!
Tuesday (rest): I subscribe to Runner's World, though I don't read my issues regularly. I keep a stack of them under my desk and carry them with me to the gym when I remember. I usually prefer to read Oxygen, but in all honesty, I most often end up watching America's Next Top Model while I'm on the treadmill or elliptical. I like to watch the pretty girls get their pictures taken. It's my guilty pleasure. Anyway, I did end up reading an issue of Runner's World that had a plan for breaking 30 minutes on a 5k. I'm not planning on running a 5k, but I am planning on implementing some of the advice offered for increasing my speed. I managed one mile of alternating speedwork before I realized I have to start wearing socks to run. I hate socks, but I hate blisters more.
Wednesday (3 miles): I had three miles scheduled, but I ran four. I kept an easy, comfortable pace and paid no attention to my actual time until I was finished, then realized that I was running exactly at a 12mm. I want to hit 2:30 on my half, so I need to increase speed by a full 30 seconds per mile. Also, I talked over with the family what they would like to do, and we have settled on the Kansas City Marathon. However, I may have difficulty finding a hotel this late in the year. I've already run across a number of rooms that are unavailable. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. There are plenty of other races.
Thursday (3 miles): Just the opposite of Wednesday. I had three miles scheduled and ran two. I could have run three, but unfortunately ran out of time. Friday is a rest day, so I intend on running the three miles on Friday to make up for it. Also, I registered for the Kansas City Marathon. I called the Sheraton to see if they had any rooms left, to which her response was that they have two. Two rooms. I booked it right then and then registered for the race. Happy birthday to me!
Friday (rest): I ran my three miles from Thursday and another mile just because I felt like it. I came in at just under 12 minutes per mile. As long as I can devote one run per week to speed work, I am hopeful that I can improve my time even more. Four miles scheduled for Saturday should be a piece of cake!
Saturday (4 miles): I did not run four miles today. Instead, I ran five miles. I am a full week ahead on my training, plus I realized that I am on a 10 week half-marathon training schedule with 12 weeks to go until the half. Instead of waiting to train for a couple of weeks, I've decided that I will repeat weeks that are hard for me and/or focus on speedwork. I did manage to go under my 12mm by about 10 seconds per mile. Not bad. For me.
Sunday (rest): It was nice to have a rest day but I'm ready to run again. Running is definitely addictive!
Monday: Run 3 miles
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: Run 4 miles
Thursday: Run 3 miles
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run 5 miles
Sunday: Rest
Week One Recap:
I have been keeping track of my training each day and will hopefully be able to continue to do so. Last week's training, the first full week, went extremely well. I have great hopes for the future!
Monday (3 miles): I made the three mile run in 36 minutes. I want to say that is slow, even for me, but a 12 minute mile is actually not that bad. If I were able to keep up a 12 minute pace throughout a 13.1 mile distance, I would PR at about 2:37. I did try to increase my speed to a 10 minute mile but my right knee started screaming. I need to remember to stretch!
Tuesday (rest): I subscribe to Runner's World, though I don't read my issues regularly. I keep a stack of them under my desk and carry them with me to the gym when I remember. I usually prefer to read Oxygen, but in all honesty, I most often end up watching America's Next Top Model while I'm on the treadmill or elliptical. I like to watch the pretty girls get their pictures taken. It's my guilty pleasure. Anyway, I did end up reading an issue of Runner's World that had a plan for breaking 30 minutes on a 5k. I'm not planning on running a 5k, but I am planning on implementing some of the advice offered for increasing my speed. I managed one mile of alternating speedwork before I realized I have to start wearing socks to run. I hate socks, but I hate blisters more.
Wednesday (3 miles): I had three miles scheduled, but I ran four. I kept an easy, comfortable pace and paid no attention to my actual time until I was finished, then realized that I was running exactly at a 12mm. I want to hit 2:30 on my half, so I need to increase speed by a full 30 seconds per mile. Also, I talked over with the family what they would like to do, and we have settled on the Kansas City Marathon. However, I may have difficulty finding a hotel this late in the year. I've already run across a number of rooms that are unavailable. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. There are plenty of other races.
Thursday (3 miles): Just the opposite of Wednesday. I had three miles scheduled and ran two. I could have run three, but unfortunately ran out of time. Friday is a rest day, so I intend on running the three miles on Friday to make up for it. Also, I registered for the Kansas City Marathon. I called the Sheraton to see if they had any rooms left, to which her response was that they have two. Two rooms. I booked it right then and then registered for the race. Happy birthday to me!
Friday (rest): I ran my three miles from Thursday and another mile just because I felt like it. I came in at just under 12 minutes per mile. As long as I can devote one run per week to speed work, I am hopeful that I can improve my time even more. Four miles scheduled for Saturday should be a piece of cake!
Saturday (4 miles): I did not run four miles today. Instead, I ran five miles. I am a full week ahead on my training, plus I realized that I am on a 10 week half-marathon training schedule with 12 weeks to go until the half. Instead of waiting to train for a couple of weeks, I've decided that I will repeat weeks that are hard for me and/or focus on speedwork. I did manage to go under my 12mm by about 10 seconds per mile. Not bad. For me.
Sunday (rest): It was nice to have a rest day but I'm ready to run again. Running is definitely addictive!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Too Hot to Garden?
Most of the country has been affected by this summer's drought conditions. Heat has been unbearable and rain has been almost nonexistent. Here in mid-Missouri, temperatures have reached record breaking highs, with the first three digit temps in June since 1988.
Every county in Missouri has been declared a disaster. Farmers are already applying for relief and news reports abound regarding the increasing cost of food.
The hobbyist gardener has likely seen the effects of the drought in their own backyard. Gardens that normally require watering once every two to three days have needed watering every day, sometimes twice each day, since early June. Some fruits and vegetables suffer from sun scorch. Plants stop blooming and existing blooms wilt and die. Even the most careful hobbyist gardener can lose a multitude of crops simply because the temperatures are too high.
Is it really too hot to garden or can certain measures be taken to insure crops against the heat? This all depends upon the types of items that are being grown and the location of the garden itself. My little garden is located in a sunny patch in the backyard. This is an ideal spot for most summers as plants receive long hours of sunlight and no direct shade. This year, certain plants continue to thrive while others are not able to withstand the extreme heat.
Disclaimer: This is not a scientific study. This year marks my first successful garden and everything that I've found could be a fluke. Still.
Cucumbers continue to thrive despite the high temperatures. However, I have to remember to water the cucumbers twice each day. Otherwise, most of the blooms (male and female) wilt and drop. I've lost a number of female blooms on those days after I chose to water only in the afternoon. Even so, I have more cucumbers than I can possibly use, despite my recent exploration into the world of pickle-making.
Peppers and Tomatoes do not like extreme heat. While both types of plants like sunny spots, the extreme heat causes the plants to go into hibernation mode. This means that while they're trying to survive, fruit is not produced. You can have big, green, leafy plants in extreme heat if you keep them well watered. I haven't yet found a way to make them produce. However, my experience is that as soon as the temps drop, an abundance of tomatoes and peppers appear. I have read that you should try to shade your plants in high temperatures. I've done that with some of mine, but it really hasn't helped at all.
Cold weather loving plants like lettuce, spinach, and brassicas may not grow at all in the heat, or they may bolt immediately. This means that instead of getting large, beautiful, and tasty, they begin flowering far too soon. If you can't shade or find other ways to cool these plants, you may simply be out of luck. Except for lettuce, this is not personal experience. I have chosen to start these cold loving plants, along with some others, from seed beginning now in the extreme temps. Your best bet may just be to start over.
Squash plants can handle more heat than some of the others as they have a natural barrier against extreme sunlight. Like cucumbers, their large leaves protect them from the harsh light of day. However, I have also found that the pests that are attracted to squash plants, particularly squash bugs, are much more difficult to control in the heat. During cooler days, I was able to keep them at bay with peppermint. Now, I have had to resort to drastic measures, including uprooting a couple of badly infested plants and trimming leaves that were covered in eggs. This may just be a coincidence, though.
One plant that I have found that loves the heat is okra. It has taken me a while to figure out exactly how to grow and harvest okra, but now that I have, I have more than enough with just the four plants left that the rabbits/dog didn't destroy. If you live in a very hot climate, okra seems to be an excellent crop to grow.
The plants that I have that have not done well at all in the heat are the green beans and watermelon. I had great plans for my watermelon, but even with twice daily watering, the little green balls have completely stopped growing. The green beans became such a lost cause that I uprooted them and planted radishes and chard in their place.
Again, this is not a be-all end-all guide for growing in the heat. This is my first foray and just what I have learned. I hope it may help someone along the way. Happy gardening!
Every county in Missouri has been declared a disaster. Farmers are already applying for relief and news reports abound regarding the increasing cost of food.
The hobbyist gardener has likely seen the effects of the drought in their own backyard. Gardens that normally require watering once every two to three days have needed watering every day, sometimes twice each day, since early June. Some fruits and vegetables suffer from sun scorch. Plants stop blooming and existing blooms wilt and die. Even the most careful hobbyist gardener can lose a multitude of crops simply because the temperatures are too high.
Is it really too hot to garden or can certain measures be taken to insure crops against the heat? This all depends upon the types of items that are being grown and the location of the garden itself. My little garden is located in a sunny patch in the backyard. This is an ideal spot for most summers as plants receive long hours of sunlight and no direct shade. This year, certain plants continue to thrive while others are not able to withstand the extreme heat.
Disclaimer: This is not a scientific study. This year marks my first successful garden and everything that I've found could be a fluke. Still.
Cucumbers continue to thrive despite the high temperatures. However, I have to remember to water the cucumbers twice each day. Otherwise, most of the blooms (male and female) wilt and drop. I've lost a number of female blooms on those days after I chose to water only in the afternoon. Even so, I have more cucumbers than I can possibly use, despite my recent exploration into the world of pickle-making.
Peppers and Tomatoes do not like extreme heat. While both types of plants like sunny spots, the extreme heat causes the plants to go into hibernation mode. This means that while they're trying to survive, fruit is not produced. You can have big, green, leafy plants in extreme heat if you keep them well watered. I haven't yet found a way to make them produce. However, my experience is that as soon as the temps drop, an abundance of tomatoes and peppers appear. I have read that you should try to shade your plants in high temperatures. I've done that with some of mine, but it really hasn't helped at all.
Cold weather loving plants like lettuce, spinach, and brassicas may not grow at all in the heat, or they may bolt immediately. This means that instead of getting large, beautiful, and tasty, they begin flowering far too soon. If you can't shade or find other ways to cool these plants, you may simply be out of luck. Except for lettuce, this is not personal experience. I have chosen to start these cold loving plants, along with some others, from seed beginning now in the extreme temps. Your best bet may just be to start over.
Squash plants can handle more heat than some of the others as they have a natural barrier against extreme sunlight. Like cucumbers, their large leaves protect them from the harsh light of day. However, I have also found that the pests that are attracted to squash plants, particularly squash bugs, are much more difficult to control in the heat. During cooler days, I was able to keep them at bay with peppermint. Now, I have had to resort to drastic measures, including uprooting a couple of badly infested plants and trimming leaves that were covered in eggs. This may just be a coincidence, though.
One plant that I have found that loves the heat is okra. It has taken me a while to figure out exactly how to grow and harvest okra, but now that I have, I have more than enough with just the four plants left that the rabbits/dog didn't destroy. If you live in a very hot climate, okra seems to be an excellent crop to grow.
The plants that I have that have not done well at all in the heat are the green beans and watermelon. I had great plans for my watermelon, but even with twice daily watering, the little green balls have completely stopped growing. The green beans became such a lost cause that I uprooted them and planted radishes and chard in their place.
Again, this is not a be-all end-all guide for growing in the heat. This is my first foray and just what I have learned. I hope it may help someone along the way. Happy gardening!
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