The Vegetable Garden, Part 5: Another Wintry Blast

High winds shredded the banana leaves.

As you might recall, in the last blog entry I surmised that we might be in for some more bad weather before the dry season finally sets in. This was based on the absence of parrots, harbingers of the dry season. Sure enough, on the afternoon of January 11 it grew dark in the northeast, the winds picked up, and sheets of rain began to come down. This continued without let-up for four and a half days. I recorded the highest wind gust so far -- 33 mph-- and we accumulated almost five inches of rain.

The winds have died down now, the rains have stopped, and the sun is out. But the vegetable garden is in shock. My first attempt at a windbreak is leaning badly toward the west, and did not do nearly the job I'd hoped it would. The wind tugged and pulled at the plants this way and that until broccoli and tomato plants broke off, corn was flattened, and a couple of beets were yanked right out of the ground. I didn't think this was possible. Sweet pepper plants are sick and dying and banana leaves are shredded,

Asparagus, cabbage, and peanuts did okay. Carrots and onions thrived on the bad weather.

My pond builder and general handyman, Alexis, is working on a project at our neighbor's, but he says when he finishes he'll build me a first-rate windbreak. I can hardly wait.

Still no parrots.

Happy gardening!