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Post by chaosisapony on May 12, 2022 3:48:17 GMT
I am so frustrated and discouraged with my garden this year.
First, I planted everything and all was well. Then I woke up one morning to a surprise frost and 75% of my plants were dead. I cut back all the dead tomatoes and slowly most have grown back. I repurchased and planted the dead cucumbers and bell peppers.
Then we had another cold snap with rain and tons of wind. In May! That doesn't happen here, ever. But no worries, I'm prepared this time and covered the garden for protection. It stayed covered for three days. I just uncovered the garden to discover that most of the cucumbers are dead (looks like the cover was whipping around in the wind and snapped the delicate stems off. And one of my replacement tomato plants is just... gone. Vanished like it never existed. I'm guessing a mole/vole/gopher like creature got that one. But to not even see the dirt disturbed is just weird.
I'm so bummed. I have worked so hard to have a nice garden space for veggies and I feel like it's becoming a black hole of cost and labor.
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Post by mom on May 12, 2022 3:50:10 GMT
Oh that sucks. Im sorry.
My flowers are kinda going the same way as your veggies this year. One second they are all doing good and blooming. The next minuet the wind is whipping them and the heat is frying them. Not sure if I will have anything make it to June at this rate.
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Post by chaosisapony on May 12, 2022 3:58:08 GMT
My flowers aren't doing well either. I have a well established hydrangea that is in full bloom this time of year. This year it is bare sticks and maybe 20 leaves.  |
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Post by calgaryscrapper on May 12, 2022 4:02:08 GMT
We plant all of our tomatoes under the eavestroughs on a south facing wall of the garage. Last year we bought yards of frost cover (from the garden centre)to cover the plants if it is real cold. We will not be putting the tomatoes outside in the ground until the end of May. Within the next couple of weeks we will harden them off by taking them outside for a few hours a day then back inside.
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Post by papersilly on May 12, 2022 4:14:46 GMT
I know how you feel. The only thing I'm growing this year are cucumbers. It's looking a little shaky right now but I'm hoping they will strengthen and grow.
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Post by gar on May 12, 2022 6:45:35 GMT
I didn't get around to planting many veg seeds this year but a late-ish frost while we were away on a short trip had devastated all the buds on my gorgeous hydrangeas  |
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Post by elaine on May 12, 2022 9:27:44 GMT
Ugh! How frustrating!
I’m not trying to grow anything this year, other than a Japanese Maple I planted in the front yard last week. It rained for 4 days after we planted it, so it is actually happy for now.
Our huge azalea hedge did really well flower-wise because we didn’t trim it last year, but we will need to do some serious trimming this year now that the blooms have come and gone.
Our hydrangea isn’t even close to flowering.
This has been the coldest May since we moved here 18 years ago.
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teddyw
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,072 
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Post by teddyw on May 12, 2022 11:08:29 GMT
We will be moving so I’m attempting to grow everything in pots.
Sadly my flowers are blooming like crazy in my yard. My bleeding heart is huge. I did notice a ton of tulips did not come back which is weird. Maybe squirrels got them.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 19:39:01 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2022 11:15:27 GMT
Very cold spring, things are late and stunted here....and if you have a gopher or something then maybe just get few potted plants and give up! so sorry.
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Post by lisae on May 12, 2022 11:21:57 GMT
I'm sorry. It's so frustrating. We have had a cold spring too. Our frosts were very light but it just won't warm up and stay that way!
Last year, we had two very cold snaps that just killed everything. Even the azaleas and roses suffered.
Hope you are done with cold and can get some plants going that bring you a bumper crop when summer finally comes.
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keithurbanlovinpea
Pearl Clutcher
Flowing with the go...
Posts: 4,302
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on May 12, 2022 11:56:46 GMT
I feel like it's becoming a black hole of cost and labor. This is 100% why I gave up gardening after three failed attempts. People always talk about how easy it is, how relaxing, how fulfilling. Bullcrap. LOL |
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Post by huskermom98 on May 12, 2022 12:10:57 GMT
This has been a cold & wet spring for us (can't complain on the wet too much because we need the moisture) but DH hasn't even been able to till the garden much less plant anything yet. It didn't help that he had to take the tiller in for some work, but even without that not sure he could have gotten it done because of the soil conditions. It'll be interesting to see what our garden does this year...
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Post by craftedbys on May 12, 2022 12:20:40 GMT
I am so sorry. I know how frustrating it can be.
I spent so much time and $ trying to start plants from seeds and the only things that actually grew is some sugar snap peas, although I have leaves, no pods right now, so still not completely successful.
You have cold, we have heat. We had snow and ice in March and April was incredibly wet. On May 1st Mother Nature looked at the calendar and said "oh, time for summer" and we have been in the 80s and 90s since. Ugh. My lettuce and spinach can't deal. Pretty sure they will be gone soon.
DH decided to trim the azaleas in the front of the house last summer and cut the fronts too short and they didn't bloom back this year, only on the top. I have Azaleas with mohawks.
My neighbor complemented me on how pretty the flowers were in my front beds.
Most of the bulbs I planted last year came up and bloomed but only for a very short time, but still have the green leafy parts.
So I went to the Dollar Tree and got a bunch of fake flowers and stuck them in there among the green leaves. Now I have a colorful bed that won't die anytime soon, especially if DH continues to water them because he doesn't realize they are fake!
I hope you are able to salvage a few plants and can enjoy puttering in your garden. We all need to putter more.
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on May 12, 2022 12:33:40 GMT
I’m chuckling at “azaleas with mohawks” because my husband is an overly ambitious pruner too. He tends to make every shrub the same shape, too… square.
My flowers in pots are thriving so far, but my herb garden is off to a rocky start. Something’s been nibbling on the basil and the peppers.
The flowering shrubs in the yard are doing so-so. Only the gardenias are doing really well.
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Post by Jamie on May 12, 2022 12:36:11 GMT
That was us last year, I'm hoping for a better year this year. I'm in MN and the heat rolled in early May last year and never left. Within a matter of weeks all the flowers that I planted were dead. They couldn't handle the heat even with watering like I needed. Same with the garden. I think Hubby gave up on that pretty early and just let whatever grow grow, and what didn't oh well. Bout this years flowers and stuff for the garden last weekend. Going to plant this weekend and hope it all makes it this year.
And I just noticed last weekend it doesn't look like my hostas made it in the backyard. There were 10 new plants I think that went in last spring that did well all summer, and so far not seeing any sign of the peeking through. I'm hoping it's just because it took so long to warm up this year and they are OK. The ones in the front I can at least see peeking through, but they have been there for 7-8 years now
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quiltz
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,840
Location: CANADA
Jun 29, 2014 16:13:28 GMT
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Post by quiltz on May 12, 2022 13:05:16 GMT
So I went to the Dollar Tree and got a bunch of fake flowers and stuck them in there among the green leaves. Now I have a colorful bed that won't die anytime soon, especially if DH continues to water them because he doesn't realize they are fake! When I had a home in the rural area and had a b&b, I always bought the fake flowers at 70% off from Michael's and put them in my smaller flower gardens and walkway garden close to the house. Daffodils and geraniums were perfect for when deadheading and the gardens had such curb appeal. They lasted for many years, as they were a quality fake flower. |
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Post by amp on May 12, 2022 14:26:40 GMT
I feel your pain. A couple years ago, I planted 300 crocus bulbs in my front flower bed. I was so excited when Spring came around, thinking they would be the first to bloom. I'd check every single day to see if they were sprouting. Only one came up...and quickly disappeared (they suck it down from below). The voles got every. single. one of them. So now, I either plant in vole cages or flower pots. I've also planted a bunch of iris, which they don't seem to like. This Fall, I'm going to plant more crocus...in pots. Stupid voles! So when one of them somehow made it into the house last weekend, and the cat treated it as a cat toy until it died...I only felt so bad...at least it ate well before it left this world.  |
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Post by librarylady on May 12, 2022 14:49:00 GMT
The unique freezes have apparently killed my Asian lilies. One was a beautiful yellow and the other red. No leaves have come up, let alone a bloom.
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,570
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on May 12, 2022 14:50:32 GMT
Gardening, vegetable or flower, can be enjoyable and relaxing but it can also be frustrating and a lot of work. A lot of work for little yield sometimes with vegetables. Finding varieties that work well in your region, soil, light. Then fighting mother nature, weather and pests.
I'm getting excited, a couple weeks and we can start planting here! I'm going to go start shopping for bedding plants soon.
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Post by greendragonlady on May 12, 2022 14:58:36 GMT
Sorry about your garden/flowers.  What planting zone do you live in? Where I live I don't put anything tender out until Memorial weekend. I live in zone 5b. Hydrangeas can be tricky, depending on the type. If they bloom on old wood and you have an unexpected freeze, it can kill the parts that would bloom this year. People nicknamed Endless Summer hydrangeas "Endless Bummer" for that reason. |
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Post by greendragonlady on May 12, 2022 15:10:06 GMT
I feel your pain. A couple years ago, I planted 300 crocus bulbs in my front flower bed. I was so excited when Spring came around, thinking they would be the first to bloom. I'd check every single day to see if they were sprouting. Only one came up...and quickly disappeared (they suck it down from below). The voles got every. single. one of them. So now, I either plant in vole cages or flower pots. I've also planted a bunch of iris, which they don't seem to like. This Fall, I'm going to plant more crocus...in pots. Stupid voles! So when one of them somehow made it into the house last weekend, and the cat treated it as a cat toy until it died...I only felt so bad...at least it ate well before it left this world.  Most critters don't eat daffodils, so that's an option! |
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Post by Linda on May 12, 2022 15:39:28 GMT
((((Hugs)))) that was my garden last year...coming along nicely and the the deer or bunnies had a lovely midnight buffet. I coaxed most of it back and something went digging...and then it rained ...for over 2 months straight and everything left drowned.
I'm trying again this year but on a smaller scale so I'm not out as much time/money if it all fails again
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Post by workingclassdog on May 12, 2022 15:42:03 GMT
I don't plant much anymore (I only do flowers).. so a few years ago I started buying the clearance flowers at Lowe's.. I throw them in the ground and if they make it to next year I call that a success. If they don't, well I am out a few dollars. It actually is working pretty good. I got all kinds of flowers popping up. But I can't for the life of me keep them blooming for very long. After May usually I am back to just green leaves.
I am excited though, I put in a lilac bush out back and last year my Saint ate it. So I thought it was a goner. It is freaking thriving so far. (I won't let him get to it now).. and all my iris' are doing good to after last years food feast for the dog. I figured he just killed it all. I think by him stomping, pooping on them and eating it all, made them come back up all hardy this year. It will be another few weeks to see if there are any blooms that will open.
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Post by scrapcat on May 12, 2022 16:23:37 GMT
That stinks! Sorry to hear. I know my Dad lost plants too bcz of the crazy weather. Are you in the northeast/mid-atlantic region? Sounds like the weather we've had in NJ.
Due to the shifting seasons, I don't plant until later May now. It means things don't start to really pop until August, but it stays so mild here into end of year, we have tomatoes into November now.
Also have you tried any hardy annuals? peas, lettuce, collards, sage, all like the cooler temps and with row cover tend to do well. I am going to the farmer's market for the first time this weekend, anxious to see what the farmers are experiencing...
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Post by chaosisapony on May 13, 2022 2:10:16 GMT
Thanks for commiserating with me, guys. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that struggles sometimes. My mother has a huge garden that just seems to flourish with very little effort every year. My hairdresser shows off her huge harvests, my coworkers all have gardens and bring in their veggies to share. I seem to be the only one that struggles a lot. I do have more creatures coming in since the lot next door is having construction done. Last year I had my first ever rattlesnakes and skunks. This year I have battled skunks continuously and I have signs of voles and gophers. I saw a jack rabbit and a turkey in the back yard just the other day. Couple that with the feral cats and I have a lot of "help" in my garden. I think I am going to concentrate on driving out the voles and then try out a raised water trough garden next year. Sorry about your garden/flowers. What planting zone do you live in? Where I live I don't put anything tender out until Memorial weekend. I live in zone 5b. Hydrangeas can be tricky, depending on the type. If they bloom on old wood and you have an unexpected freeze, it can kill the parts that would bloom this year. People nicknamed Endless Summer hydrangeas "Endless Bummer" for that reason. I am in zone 9, I typically plant most things in early April. However I have noticed the last couple of years we are getting frosty mornings occasionally into mid April. The weather can fluctuate pretty wildly in the spring. We had 90s in late March/Early April but here we are with low 60s in May this year. It's hard to know when to plant but I think I may not put anything outside uncovered next year until May. |
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on May 13, 2022 8:58:21 GMT
The weather has definitely messed with my garden too.
We had a week where it was high 70's & low 80's very early in the spring. My hydrangea and azealas thought it was time to wake up. Then a cold snap came the next week with frost warnings.
The hydrangea's leaves are all frost burnt and have brown egdes. No flowers yet.
The azealas bloomed, but almost stunted, and the flowers are already starting to die off and fall.
It happened to all the flowering trees in the neighborhood too. The magnolia and cherry blossom trees flowered very early this year, then two or three days after opening, the cold hit again, and all the blossoms shriveled and fell off.
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rickmer
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,137
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Post by rickmer on May 13, 2022 11:43:05 GMT
i am in canada. i have a small backyard but nowhere to plant in the ground so all containers. i don't do anything until last week in may, at the earliest. just some annuals and hope for the best.
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What planting zone do you live in?
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