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In the shade - PDX, OR

I'm getting a little worried that we haven't gotten any rain here in the Pacific Northwest. Thoughts of drought have been entering my mind, water rationing etc. The gardens will be hurting if we don't get some soon.


Hey Black Cloud can you do a little rain dance for us here in the PNW? It seems as if we are going to need it.
Cheers.

12/3/2002 10:42:32 PM

Key West, FL

Yes Ceis!!! Where is the rain!! Rain brings snow and snow brings snowboarding and theres no snow so theres no snowboarding. Where is the rain??

Ben

12/3/2002 10:54:08 PM

Washington, The Evergreen State

When it rains it pours. And so I've been using the dry weather to help get my outside work done. There is just so much work a person can do outside when the ground gets too wet.

12/3/2002 11:11:44 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

If it doen't rain soon in No. CA. I'm go to have to go out and water my green manure crop. We should get some rain on Thur. night.

12/3/2002 11:18:49 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Johnny - I agree I have been using some of the 'dry' time out in the patch too. It's a little weird when you have to hose down the compost pile just so it is wet.
I would expect to in summer but in December it is ridiculous.

12/3/2002 11:23:10 PM

Caceres, Spain

Sorry folks, We have all of it in Europe this fall. But don't worry so much, we'll give you a wet Christmas present very soon.
Happy Christmas to all of you.
Don

12/4/2002 12:16:25 AM

Washington, The Evergreen State

Yeah, I have some composters I made out of wire mesh. I usually have to water them regularly in the summer time. But not so much as of late. The truth is I just can't wait to start growing pumpkins again this next spring.

12/4/2002 1:34:38 AM

Edmonton, Canada

We've had very little rain here in 5 years! Experts are saying that unless we have a wet winter, almost 90% of the province's farm land won't support recropping next year. It's scary up here on the Canadian Praries!

12/4/2002 10:01:06 AM

Webster, NY

We've been getting plenty of moisture in upstate NY, but it's all in the form of snow. Is spring here yet????

12/4/2002 10:38:04 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Has anyone in arid parts of the country tried soil polymer gel to aid in moisture retention for pumpkins?

Steve

12/4/2002 11:40:11 AM

Caceres, Spain

Sure, Steve I did. Is one of my secret weapons. Oh! it works out pretty well, and of course not only for pumpkins. I use it in all my garden, for veg, pumpkins and the fig trees as well. I can recomend at least the one I know and have experience with. One nice thing is -they say- that the physical properties last fifteen years!

12/4/2002 12:24:47 PM

Kuna, Id.

We will break a 135 yr old record, the old record is 6.43" of rain in a yr. Right now we are sitting at 4.67" for the yr. Hoping for a good snow pack.If not wil be worse this coming yr.
Ken

12/4/2002 12:26:42 PM

Quebec,Canada

I remember about three years ago if you didn't buy your pumpkin in early october you weren't getting one for Halloween. I think that this is one of the main reasons I wish to start growing pumpkins so that I will have a pumpkin every year. I didn't realize that this could be so exciting and the possibility of glory when you do grow big so even if we do have a lack of rain I will always have the garden hose to help out. Thank God we don't have to pay for the water.

12/4/2002 1:23:09 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

FREE WATER???

Boy if it's not free health care, it's free water!
Richard, are you guys sure you're really a democracy up there?

My water bill is at least $300 in the summer months.
Health care. Gotta be over $250 in a healthy month for a family of 3.

Carlos, What's your average anual rainfall?

Steve

12/4/2002 1:50:16 PM

Quebec,Canada

Well then it must be included in the school and garbage pick up........TAXES.........

12/4/2002 2:10:38 PM

Deer Park WA

We set a record here in November "No Snow" and just a dribble of rain! I sure hope it cuts loose soon ot there will be some dried up wells this summer...

12/4/2002 3:12:32 PM

Caceres, Spain

Our average anual rainfall in my farm is about 20", most of them in fall and early spring, or in fall and in winter, or in winter and early spring, it depends on the year. Summers are completely dry, for that is because every village has a dam for tap water. I've paid for the three summer months €300 too.
Hey Steve, when you said $300 was also for the three months together or for each one?

12/4/2002 11:33:31 PM

Ga.

Ahhh,,Rain,,glourous rain,,falling as we speak....

12/5/2002 6:53:34 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Carlos,

Water bills issued quarterly, so yes, the worst quarters are April thru June & worst is July thru Sept. But that water bill includes household use like showers, laundry, etc, which are all more frequent in the summer. Plus I water the lawn via automated irrigation. It's the same controller the pumpkins use, which have their own zone for irrigation. I'm researching controllers now that can provide up to 24 start times per day for the new mist/cooling system. Expensive!

Like mose New England states, Conn receives about 44" per year. June is the driest month on average. July & August are a little wetter, but very hot. Thus the need for misting.

Snow of 5-7" for today. They'll close schools early today, so I'll be picking up my son around lunchtime I suppose.

How'd all the South Carolinans make out with the snow?

Steve

12/5/2002 8:08:13 AM

Key West, FL

Rain is on the way!!! Should be here next week and stay for a couple weeks.

12/5/2002 5:30:42 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

My fingers are crossed since we need it.
It is weird to see the sun in Oregon in December.

I needed my sunglasses something fierce today.

12/5/2002 7:35:47 PM

Caceres, Spain

Yes Steve, misting could be the key of success here. I see it this way: a good seed selection, irrigation, soil preparation, prunning and pest control can take me on the seven hundreds, fertirrigation can push me into the eight hundreds, misting over one thousand pounds, God and the weather (Oh! the weather...) can drive me up higher than Charlie Houghton. We'll have to watch every one of them, won't we?

12/5/2002 11:39:57 PM

Deer Park WA

Easy Don my friend, you can control all but what God sends your way. Best of luck......

12/6/2002 12:19:00 AM

Caceres, Spain

I am going to try different misting system. I have a controller able to 16 opens in a day, but I am trying with a big nice rotative sprinkler for lawns with different heads for different flows and pulverizations. I plan to put it in the middle of each two xmas trees and let it working with a low, fine flow without a break from noon through 6-7 p.m. I think is possible to get a flow almost similar to evaporation, wich here in july can get 0.16 gallon per sqft per day.
How do you see it?

12/6/2002 12:52:07 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Hey Don - You got to factor in some LUCK there too.
It is a pretty big factor considering all of the components of getting a really BIG one.

Cheers.

12/6/2002 11:34:20 AM

Caceres, Spain

Yes, for sure, we do need a lot of goooooooooood luck. May I suggest some mind control, positive thoughts, to bring it down? From time to time, not always, only with each irrigation. :)))
Hey Boily, you did practice that with your 845, didn't you?

12/6/2002 1:08:46 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

We are still waiting for the rain here.

Tonight....tomorrow maybe

I hope the old saying:
"Be careful for what you wish for, you might just get it."
doesnt come into play.

This means I don't want flood proportions - just some snow on the mtns and rain in the valleys.

Cheers

12/9/2002 6:34:06 PM

Key West, FL

I dont think we get floods here unless all the snow in the mountains melts and it rains a lot. LET IT RAIN!! finally will be able to go snowboarding this weekend!!! so happy

12/9/2002 6:40:42 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

We got about .25 of rain yesterday. It was just enough with the correct temperature to make "tule fog". For you that don't drive in the central valley of CA. tule fog is fog that rises from the ground up. It is really weird when you can see the Christmas lights on the house on the hill but can 't see the road in front of you. Anyway it is very thick and terrible to drive in. Oh, we should get a good rain Fri. night and Sat.

12/11/2002 12:52:19 AM

Idaho

I looked out side yesterday and though WOW! it's snowing!!!
then I went out side and the neibor was burning a field and it was just ashes:-(

12/11/2002 9:04:13 AM

Greene County, Pa.

It is raining ice in south western Pa. now, suppose to get a bad ice storm. My driveway is ice and i cant get down it to go to work. :(

12/11/2002 9:29:46 AM

Key West, FL

finally raining here

12/11/2002 9:35:54 AM

Kuna, Id.

Still dry here looks as if we wil finish the yr with under 5" of rain. Ouch that will hurt come next yr, We need a big snow to get through next summer.
Ken

12/11/2002 1:18:08 PM

Myrtle Creek, Oregon

ocrap,
the storm is-uh-comin!!! they said we should have up to 24" of snow in the montains and 4" to 6" in the valley's over the next few day's.
ah hates snow!!!!

12/13/2002 9:49:25 AM

Sloughhouse, CA

The rain has hit the North Coast of CA. 6-8 inches and flooding on the coast. About 2+ inches in Sac. more rain all week. Low snow in the mountains.

12/14/2002 11:43:51 PM

porterville, calif.

Suzy send some my way. The rain fizzled out here. Was suposed to be alot. Share some please

12/15/2002 12:02:30 AM

Ga.

Hey Suzy and Sequoia,,,,check thisa link out....Looks like rain,,and 22-28 ft. waves for you guys......Wheres my surf board at?///
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/wrhq/getWWSA.csh?getWWSA+Monterey+PZ+550

12/15/2002 8:48:08 AM

Sloughhouse, CA

To all those in the PNW it looks like you are really gettting with the wind and rain. We are supposed to get hit tomorrow afternoon. Let's hope we don't get too much all at one time.

12/27/2002 11:07:33 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Yeah - That was a fun storm that passed through.
It's been wintery wet as usual in the PNW. Just took it's time getting here.
Cheers the the Northeasterns. They got the best winter storm for Christmas '02. Hope ya'll made it through alright.

12/28/2002 4:04:14 PM