Summer Begins

Tomato blossoms: summer is coming

Summer begins today. The Oregonian gave its seasonal recap of the spring weather and the summer forecasts. It was a record breaking spring: more rainfall than previously recorded. To me, this spring didn’t seem wetter than the last few have been. One reason could be our actual rainfall on Sauvie Island is different from what falls at the airport, where records are kept for Portland. The other is the rain came in March, instead of May or June, like a few years ago. I expect more rain in March.

Some snap peas ready to pick

I have noticed the below average temperatures this spring. Usually, around June, there is a point where things pop and really take off. It just doesn’t seem like that has happened yet this year, at least not for the vegetable plants. The weeds are growing like crazy, but they always do. Don’t get me wrong, the garden is doing great and most everything is looking pretty nice. It is just growing at a slower pace. There have been times when I swear the peas grow while I am picking them. I pick down the row one way, then go back and by the time I get to where I started, they have grown and more are ready to pick. (Okay, okay, the reality is I just missed them the first time, but you know what I mean.) Another marker is when I can put zucchini on the list. Last year was a pretty cool spring, too, and I sold the first zucchinis the last delivery of June. It took a few weeks before they were on the list for both delivery days. You really notice when zucchini experience the burst of growth. You almost can see them growing. I pick them every day at their peak, sometimes even twice a day.

I think this will be the first zucchini of the year

What about the zucchini this year? I have seen the first fruits forming, but I am not sure when they will be ready. Warmer temperatures today and tomorrow could help. The forecast for the summer is a 50-50 chance between average and below average temperatures. I am not always an optimist, but with the weather, I will keep hoping it swings to the average side. You may have noticed on the side bar of the blog I put links to the weather webpages I use. I have to laugh at the Accuweather  forecasts. One day I look and the long range forecast is all sun. I look again the next day, and it is mostly cloudy and rain. I can’t figure it out, but I keep going back. They do keep a nice summary of each month and how it compares to average.

This beautiful head of Grandpa Admires lettuce will be ready soon

Right now, Accuweather’s 25 day forecast is looking pretty darn nice…only a handful of cloudy or showery days and no rain forecast yet for July. The National Weather Service forecast for summer is drier than usual. I’ll keep hoping for warmer, too.