Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
#291563 Aug 3rd, 2009 at 07:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
1k Posts
OP Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
We just had a hail storm pass through here and though it did some damage like huge holes in my large zucchini leaves most of the vegetables are still standing tall. The potatoes look a bit flat and listless, but maybe with some sunshine they will get up again. It's kind of heart breaking to see the damage that can be done to months of hard work, in 15 minutes.

I have a question for someone....when hail damages vegetables are they safe to eat? Or how much damage must be done before it's not safe to use vegetables after a hail storm?


[Linked Image]

Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Rosepetal #291570 Aug 4th, 2009 at 04:57 AM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 12,160
Official Taste Tester
10k Posts
Offline
Official Taste Tester
10k Posts
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 12,160
I would think they would be fine to eat as long as you harvested them before any bugs got to them. You know right after the storm or something like that. But I've never been in that situation so you'll probably have to wait for one of the experts.

I chimmed in mostly because I just got a check for 75.00 for the 1100 dollars worth of damage done at my place in one of those 20 minute storms.


[Linked Image]
tkhooper #291573 Aug 4th, 2009 at 05:58 AM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,540
The Man
3k Posts
Offline
The Man
3k Posts
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,540
If hail damages your vegetables, I would suggest picking them regardless if they are ripe or not. Holes can lead to bacterial and bug infections. If the leaves are damaged, the plants will recover. If the vegetables are bruised, but the skin isn't broken, it's safe to eat - intact skin will not let bacteria in.


[Linked Image]

Helping the world one seed at a time

When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. Mary Ann LaPensee
kennyso #291579 Aug 4th, 2009 at 08:32 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
1k Posts
OP Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
tkhooper, I'm sorry to see it was so little, 20 minutes is a long time when you know what damage it can do isn't it? nervous Thanks for the input kennyso, I'll pick everything that's there for sure.

I had just picked my peas yesterday morning and took off all my zucchini, but I was going to cut leaf lettuce and spinach which was just beautiful, and today I see my spinach is full of holes. I'll still take it all, guess the holes will save me chopping it up for salad .... I must look on the brighter side of things this morning.

It has been a real challenging year for me, so many things are happening that I really have no control over nor can fix ... like our cool weather and so much rain. But I'm hoping my potatoes, peas squash zucchini and so much else will pick up after the sun comes up again.


[Linked Image]

Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Rosepetal #291593 Aug 4th, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,540
The Man
3k Posts
Offline
The Man
3k Posts
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,540
It's been real challenging for me as well. A lot of my summer bulbs rotted in the ground from the cold, and I had quite the battle with some weird disease that destroyed a large portion of my herbaceous perennials. The only veggies I have this year are tomatoes, two pumpkin vines, and two hyacinth beans. The pumpkins have only begun to set fruit (which is about a month behind) and not a single bean (hyacinth beans are semi tropical). Tons of tomatoes, but they're all green. The Americas are really taking a beating from the weird weather. Last year here in Ontario, we have record rainfall (a LOT) and this year we're having record rain fall (too little). On the bright side, I've never had violets persist through to August lol I've also been hearing that the wheat harvest isn't going to be good this year...the prairies took quite the beating from the drought. That, and the wildfires in BC...*sigh*


[Linked Image]

Helping the world one seed at a time

When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. Mary Ann LaPensee
kennyso #291601 Aug 4th, 2009 at 04:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
1k Posts
OP Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
"Sigh" is right. Here in Alberta in the north there is a drought, in southern Alberta we're having "too much" rain. Everything is beautiful and green, but so are the crops .... green and not ready to harvest yet. We're hoping to get most of the vegetables in before we get our first frost which sometimes hits end of August already. But we need to be thankful for what we have. We must always remember those that are less fortunate then we are.


[Linked Image]

Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Rosepetal #291670 Aug 5th, 2009 at 06:50 PM
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 700
Miss. Farmer
500 Posts
Offline
Miss. Farmer
500 Posts
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 700
A bit late, but my suggestion would be to harvest anything that's reasonably sized, now. Use what you can. I'd leave the smaller damaged stuff on the vine, but take care to make sure you have some straw or whatever under it to deter snails and other factors that would promote rot. One thought is that by harvesting the larger fruits now, energy would be diverted to the smaller fruits making them more able to ward off problems caused by the damage.


[Linked Image]

"No crime is involved in plagiarizing nature's ways" (Edward H. Faulkner, 1943, "Plowman's Folly," University of Oklahoma Press).
Marica #291691 Aug 6th, 2009 at 08:16 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
1k Posts
OP Offline
1k Posts
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,805
Thanks Marcia that's what I did, though I'm not sure I'll be getting any more peas out of my crop. Here is what my beets and zucchini look like.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


[Linked Image]

Kindness is a language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Link Copied to Clipboard
Seasonal Ticker
Gardening Links
Gardening in February
Gardening in March
Gardening in April


Shop at Amazon and Support AGF
Are you shopping online? Click this link first and A Gardeners Forum will receive a commission for your referral at Amazon.com (shopping through this link to Amazon will not have any impact on your prices at Amazon).
Like Us on Facebook
Forum Statistics
Forums65
Topics14,312
Posts240,812
Average Daily Posts3
Members16,004
Most Online10,356
Nov 2nd, 2019
Top Posters(30 Days)
Random Gallery Image
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5