North carolina heat

[bubba man]

i know it`s dec. but i`m already thinking about the raised beds - july , aug. and sept. were very hot and i had to build a shade over my raised beds - they did better - i just want to know if you`ll have such a problem - and my zucinni really got hit by a bug trangular in shape really wiped me out - anyone with that problem - good talking garden already - june 2014 we moved here from N.Y. never had bugs or this kind of heat -

 

[marlingardener]

Oh, that is a familiar story! We moved from upstate NY about 18 years ago, and I'm still finding bugs I can't identify. The triangular ones are squash bugs, the adults. They lay eggs on the leaves of squash, and then just take over. I use talcum powder on the adults (they breathe through their skin so the powder suffocates them, at least theoretically). The heat--you learn that late June, July, and August are the dormant times for the vegetable gardens--except for peppers and perhaps okra. We keep our tomato plants alive by watering, and get a fall crop.
Gardening in the south is very rewarding, but we do have to adjust. I no longer grow celery . . . .

 

[bubba man]

had cousins in middleburg and cobleskill upstate - lived on long island all our lives - yea it takes adjusting for sure - your right about those squash bugs [ hate em ] the shade i put up helps a lot - take care of your self

 

[Becky]

Hey there, just wanted to say welcome to the forum!

 

[IcyBC]

I would love some of your heat now since we are freezing with strong wind and low temperature! Our summer heat is nothing compare to yours for sure. We hit 101 degree at the max in a good year.

It is wonderful that you built the shade over your garden to protect them from the harsh sun.

 

[majorcatfish]

i know it`s dec. but i`m already thinking about the raised beds - july , aug. and sept. were very hot and i had to build a shade over my raised beds - they did better - i just want to know if you`ll have such a problem - and my zucinni really got hit by a bug trangular in shape really wiped me out - anyone with that problem - good talking garden already - june 2014 we moved here from N.Y. never had bugs or this kind of heat -

welcome to north carolina........... if you dont like the heat, wait 10 mins it will get hotter and more humid!!!!!
depending on what your growing mid season shade cloth is great..it can be expensive and when a good old summer thunderstorm rolls in, if you do not have it anchored really well it becomes a sail.. dont ask how i know.....
personally i do the following in my beds
in the springtime plant all my early "cool weather" veggies beets,carrots,bok chio,radishes,green onions, etc
once the weather starts getting hot switch over to veggies that can take the heat, sweet corn, beans,melons..etc
sept start planting cool weather veggies again.

as for bugs we have them all here. last year was the mexican bean beetle, this year was the striped cucumber beetle and leafhoppers. you can use insecticidal soap spray with bt, neem, and if you have an all outbreak... spectracide

of course you have to keep up on the fungal end of it as well...there as not a true "all in one" fungicide .. copper,mancozeb, Immunox are my favorites . you need to know what you have and what you need to control it.....with that said sometimes it's to late finding out what you have , but the good part is you know the following year what you need to do...

what part of nc you live in @bubba man ?

 

[bubba man]

95 to 105 not much diff. - my wife started to water garden before noon probably not good but she has to enjoy gardening - so i say o.k but i got to admit all veggies are doin GREAT