Spring Storms and Raised Beds a Good Match

After a very quiet March and April weather-wise, Nature came back with a vengeance on April 24th as a strong area of low pressure sweep across southern Missouri spawning tornadoes that brought down trees and even spawned pea sized hail at my location in Forsyth Missouri. I heard from the Weather Channel that apparently other states had it even worst as 10 people had perished in Mississippi. I’m so sorry to hear that news.

My raised beds survived the hail, and the rain that fell, (about two inches) was welcome as the month of April 2010 had been on the dry side to this point. I spent my morning at a swap meet that was plagued from the start with the in-clement weather. It was one of those days where one minute you had sun and the next you had rain falling on your head. I really have to appreciate the efforts of organizers like Ginger Davidson and Bill Bishop who work so hard to get vendors to attend only to have things go sideways. I understand from a cell phone call to Ginger that when the storm hit, it almost lifted their tents completely off the ground! Only by them hanging on were they able to save them. Bill Bishop, who is no lightweight, was reportedly lifted off his feet at one point! I’m glad I had left a short time before this mess hit.

The beds in my back yard came through all this in fine style and I’m happy to report that the cool night and warm days, as of late, have produced a record crop of radishes with the romaine lettuce and spinach coming on like gangbusters! I’m always reminded that a little too much rain is better than a prolonged drought anytime! Now, as I am approaching the end of the month. My focus now is in the transfer of some tomatoes and peppers that are now in starting trays. Assuming the local deer don’t get to them, I will have a nice planting of California Wonder, Blockbuster and Cayenne peppers. For tomatoes, I’m going with Brandywine and Early Girl varieties this year. As April turns in to May, I will more than likely augment these with whatever I come across during one of my visits to local Garden Center like the Home Depot.