Thunder Days - More For a Better Garden

I am adding a NEW feature to my blog for the spring season that will be used throughout the growing season. You can find the 'Thunder Days' section on the right side of the blog page.

I collect rainwater for my garden, since I believe it is superior to regular tap water or spring water. But, if you want an extra kick, collect rainwater during a good old fashioned thunderstorm. Or if the garden has become established, a thunderstorm can help the garden soil replenish the needed nitrogen that help plants thrive.

The month of March had 5 'thunder days'. I believe that the growing season from early May through the first part of October (at least at my house) should average over 40 'thunder days'.

Of course, other factors go into making the garden a success such as reasonable summertime temperatures and regular feeding of all garden plants, but using stored rainwater during the developing and established stages and during dry periods have really helped my garden immensely over the past several years.

Typically, I plant my vegetables right around or just after Derby Day. This year's garden will feature peppers of all kinds, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and rosemary. I will also have potted containers of thyme and oregano.

Last year's garden performed very well overall. Some plants suffered from perhaps too much water as it was an unusually wet year.

I will provide an outlook soon for the growing season but fear this will be a tough year for us. More on that in a future post.

MS