Cindy, I wondered the same thing about using a detergent as a spreader-sticker. I just looked up info about that and here's a little from this site: "Avoid using castile soap or dish soap as an adjuvant. You may hear that adding dish soap to organics such as neem oil or spinosad will help improve absorption, but that’s not the case.

Soaps contain an array of chemicals that may negatively react with the chemicals in the product you’re using (whether it’s natural like neem oil or synthetic like pesticide) and can burn or damage your plants.". I'm sure that my DH has added it to herbicides, but damage there wouldn't be a problem.

Most of the storms went to the south of us yesterday but we did squeek about 1/3rd inch of rain. To get a good 1 - 2" of rain it seems like you need to suffer with downed trees and power outages these daze.

Well, you definitely got more rain there than we did here. Our rainfall was barely 1/10." And the week ahead looks to be dry, too. Maybe some rain by Friday, maybe not.

Started watering the veggies about 20 minutes ago.

It is a beautiful day here. Not looking forward to Monday - high is predicted to be 90.

Just picked today:

Pie tomorrow.

Things are looking up here on the rain expectation front. There's a good chance every day this week with possibly an all day rain event on Weds. I'll believe it when I get wet outside. Will take a chance this afternoon and finally mow the lawn which has become rather crispy. The deep well has kept the gardens going but there's nothing lile a good soaking rain to give the plants a real needed boost. Good luck up there Cindy, keeping fingers crossed.

Our rain chances for tomorrow have dropped drastically, by almost half of the original projection. Thursday is looking promising though.

However, we did get some rain last night that wasn't in any forecast that I saw. Ended up getting 4/10" and it was very much appreciated.

Just came inside from digging the last of my garlic.

That dirt was bone dry. Dry, dry, dry. You could not even tell that it had rained last night. We need more!! (But the garlic smells delicious!)

So far this morning we've gotten about 2/3 inch of rain with blustery conditions. It's like a tropical storm out there today and the lights have blinked a few times. I had to pick the first near ripe tomato before it splits. Might get 2 more inches before it's over.

Not a drop of rain in June around here and now it is above 100 degrees every day. Squash is just about gone, tomatoes hanging in there, bell peppers struggling with Blossom End Rot, asparagus is mostly looking good, and the strawberries are producing berries already

Last I checked, we had 2/10" of rain. Winds are blustery here, too. Was hoping for more rain. Maybe tomorrow.

It's just so very cool, temp wise, and has even dropped since this morning. Was 65, now it's 64. Had to put on warmer clothes to take the chill off.

Up to 1 full inch now, lights are steady but it's still blustery out there. The rain & wind comes in waves so it's getting soaked up good. My early corn is now tassling so hope the pollen doesn't wash away or the stalks topple over if we get 3+". Still worried about the tomatoes popping, so many are huge now and soooo close to turning. But all-in-all it's a miserable & glorious mess out there :-) .....oh it's turned cooler here too Cindy, but that should keep the bad lightning storms away. Hope the rain picks up - up there.

It's even colder here today, vgkg. 63 right now. Our rainfall isn't keeping up with yours. We've only had 3/4" so far the last few days. Today's forecast is calling for close to an inch.

I'll take it!

It only drizzled here overnite so the total is now 1.1". Since it was relatively dry this morning I went ahead and hand pollinated the early corn and picked 2 more near ripe tomatoes. Weeding is much easier now too. Hope we both get at least another inch Cindy, the prospects are looking good. The garden is very happy today. Temp is 69F as I type and the sun is well hidden.

Just poking my head in here to say, 'hi!' to all my old gardening buddies. Lots going on in my life right now and somehow the garden keeps happening.

I'm trying to change my email address in my profile, but it won't let me. Says that email already exists...I'm pretty sure it's ME, but I don't know, and I can't get past that. Anybody have any tips?

So far, according to a Weather Underground station in my town, we have had 1.76" of rain this month. I'd say that is generous - my little rain gauge has registered maybe 1" total. I'm in the western suburbs of Chicago. Pots are drying out every day. I've been trying to water my in-ground tomatos deeply three times a week. They have to be watered by hand - no hoses allowed at the community garden plot hydrants. Still no carrots, cukes or watermelon seedlings. But I have been snacking on shelling peas and a handful of strawberries.

Getting good broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, lettuce, and the last of the strawberries. First corn is tasseling AND first pair of JBs showed up.

A sudden cloudburst dumped another 3/4" on us this morning, all within 15 minutes. There were puddles in the garden (a rare sight these daze) but they vanished quickly. So far the grand total has been about 2.25". It's not over yet, another few days of Hit & Miss storms are on the menu. My melon vines are spreading out nicely now, they needed a boost.

No winds with this rain so the corn is still standing up strong. Planted corn plot #4 yesterday along the 2nd half of the pea trellis. Squash and cukes coming in heavy now. Started 6 more tomato plants from seed for a late fall harvest. So far the early tomato plants show zero sign of blight which is unusual by late June, all are extremely vigorous plants this season and they're loaded up.

itsmce - Glad you posted. Missed you!

Just emptied my rain gauge and it had 1.2" of rain in it!! Glad to have it. There's more rain on the way this afternoon.

Just got pummeled by another cloudburst, topping off at 3.1" now and another round is close behind. Definitely a 4" an hour downpour, glad it lasts only 10-15 minutes at a time. Gotta go out and fetch a few more tinted tomatoes asap.......

No rain here this afternoon, unlike the predicted forecast, vgkg.

And it's supposed to be raining now. It's not.

I gotta be more careful about what I wish for. We're now at 3.75" and more is streaming in the pipeline later. 3 waves of heavy rain so far with some sun in-between, but the ground loves it, all soaked up. We're about 8" behind for the year so we're catching up fast. Only one cornstalk fell over and I picked 2 more pinkish tomatoes. No real complaints here as long as we don't get that 8" back all at once. It's really only my 2 cheatin' tomato plants which as ripening up now, the other 14 plants are loaded down with still maturing greenies so this will plump them up nicely, as well as the pears now.

We did get rain overnight 8/10." I didn't hear it so it must have been slow and steady.

The weeds sure are happy.

Colorado Potato Beetles are attacking some of my tomato plants. I did spray with Spinosad but it pretty much washes off with this rain.

I just picked nearly a quart of black raspberries a while ago...eating some now.

The Pink Ping Pong tomatoes are pink and orange on the same plant

Yesterday's berry harvest.

Thankfully all the other downpours have passed us by so that 3.75" total is it for now. Major storms are expected tomorrow though and these could be brutle with power outages, ugh. Took some pics today after everything perked up...

Early Corn....

Cukes...

Tomato Plants...

Another tomato plant with small fruit at 5' level.

More pics....

Sweet Potatoes...

Watermelon Vines....

Later Corn along 1/2 the pea trellis...the other half was just planted...

Some of the Zinnias...

And lastly.....

Cantaloupe Plot covered with pine needles, got a slow start but mostly ok now...

Same plot, different angle.....still a couple struggling.

Ending with Figs...

Everyone's gardens look great. Lush and green.

Looks like we are going to be getting another rain event this coming Tuesday, maybe even more on Monday. I'm ready for a breather from the rain. This coming Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are looking dry - at the moment.

Up until the last week or so it has been a relatively mild summer here. That’s about to change though. Tomorrow, mid 90s, but the Wednesday and Thursday we’ll be topping the century mark. I suppose it’s time, but I’m not ready.

i picked beans this morning. Not quite a pound. They’re blooming nicely, so if I can stay ahead of the spider mites, it’s looking to be a good bean year. Last year was dismal for beans, so I am looking forward to eating a bunch and I will hope to can a canner load or two also.

We got in our first good inch of rain! We haven't had a good rain since the beginning of May so a couple dreary wet days is much appreciated. And we got some more coming in the forecast. Keeping my fingers crossed it does not pass by us like a lot of the other area rains have for weeks. On a flip side, we also have full haze from the Canada smoke. Smells off and you can taste the air today in a rather unpalatable way.

I've completely lost the four sweet peppers. They came from a local nursery and the ones I got there last year also underperformed. So I'm not sure I'll be buying veg plants from them in the future. All the homegrown peppers are doing well. Tomatoes are needing tying up. A goodly handful of greens are almost ready with their seed crop, a couple of them are ready but right now it's too wet.

Last nights line of storms gave us another 1/2" of rain while nearby areas had flood warnings, downed trees, and some power outages so we got lucky here. Picking enough cukes now to make pickles and giving squash away almost daily.

Greetings Gardeners! Sorry I have missed the action this month so far...it has been a challenging time since March 10 when my bride had brain surgery. She is OK and making progress but recovery is gradual to say the least. It has been a revelation to me how much work she does on the average day around here!

The garden grows, and although I get further behind every day it is always welcoming to me. I'll post some photos from my phone from out there later.

We have eaten asparagus a couple of times a week for the past 2 months and it is forming ferns now. The garlic is still a couple of weeks from ready; I planted way too much for us to use and promise to cut back this fall (never happens). No tomatoes to pick yet but lots of small ones in hoop house. Snap peas ready to pick again today. Squash and pumpkins growing nicely, some with first flowers. Planted out pole and runner beans yesterday along with second batch of bush beans. We should be eating green beans soon.

I have always had rabbits around here but they are becoming a nuisance. I guess they like dahlia shoots as much as the slugs!

Len, I have rabbits too. They like to feed on clover leaves. Also, I have some red pepper that I mixed in water in a quart pumper and sprayed the plants with that. Also plain red pepper sprinkled works but is more awkward to get good coverage.

Had to put up the electric fence. They had come and checked out 2 or 3 ears.

Len, I'm sending well wishes to you for a speedy and complete recovery for your wife.

Len - Will be saying a prayer for your wife.

Len, all the best to your wife-hoping for a full recovery

Len - Hoping your wife recovers smoothly.

Best wishes Len

Anyone growing Dwarf Tomato Project tomatoes ? Here are some of mine, growing in Earthboxes. I especially like the striped ones.

I have a terrible time adding text here This one is Hossinator; not Dwarf Tomatoe Project

Thanks very much everyone for good wishes for Pam.

I took some pictures this morning to share:

I have poppies everywhere, Guess I had a seed pod or two in my compost.

Second harvest of scapes:)

More poppies

Going to rebuild this corner, Move the Shasta Daisies, and make a mounded bed for the new Rose on the pavement.

NT Half runner beans ready to climb

Lazy Wife Greasy beans looking happy

OKAY I'll stop, only 3 more😊

Don't stop Len keep em' coming, a Great set up you have there. Also wishing your wife a quick a full recovery from her surgery.

Here I've lost 4 squash plants to SVBs but that's expected. Still getting plenty of squash from the remaining 6 plants, by this time of the season squash can become too mush of a goo thing.

The heat is now officially turned on here, humidity too + smoke. Looks like after today there's going to be a long stretch of 90's with spotty rain chances. Some more garden pics below from this morning...sure glad we got a ton tomatoes setting before this heat hits...

One of my cheatin' tomato plants, have already picked 8 off of this one...

One of the later tomato plants, most are loaded down, just a wild carrot/bloom mixed in...

Some typical jalapeno peppers for the next batch of chili.....

Some yellow summer squash...

Some more pics...

More later tomato plants, about 6' tall now...

Brandywine close-up...

Ambrosia cantaloupes looking good...

A Honeydew survivor...

Lot of rain here this morning from thunderstorms...no wind. I am guessing I got more than most around here...maybe 2 inches.

It is finally raining here-probably not much, but at least it cooled it down a little

Wow, vgkg. Your tomato plants are loaded. Mine are just now flowering.

For those of you concerned about your air quality, you can always check here:

https://www.airnow.gov/?city=Reston&state=VA&country=USA

I check it multiple times a day. It "appears" that it changes every hour though it may be more often than that.

Nice peppers, RD.

My tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and eggplants are all growing well, but I just sighted a ground hog wandering through the garden. I haven't seen any damage, and I chased it away with loud yelling and a shovel banging on the fence. Hopefully, it will stay away for at least a while. I also let my cats outside, though I know they're no match for a ground hog. They might act as a deterrent. Knock on wood.

Martha