Any outdoor activity in any part of the world right now includes heat, unprecedented heat; even in the southern hemisphere where it should be winter.
Gardening is certainly an outdoor activity, dependent upon beings and weather conditions only found outdoors. Well, if it’s hot for a human being, or smokey, or smog-ridden, too humid or too dry, then it is hot, smokey, etc. for all the beings that live outdoors, too.
Here in south-central Colorado, no significant precipitation has fallen since last December. That’s no exaggeration. Thirty-second sprinkles are celebrated when they happen. A shower of a few minutes is danced with joy. A fifteen minute rain causes even the disabled to jig with glee!
What about the garden? Well, Mother Nature -if supported- will do what she does: bring forward life, beauty, abundance, and do so through diversity, adjusting, and creating as she goes.
- most plants (native, vegetable, herb, and annual or perennial flowers) are shorter than any season before in my experience. That is the neighbors’ observations, too.
- most are late for flowering (too hot) or are producing less flowers ( hot and dry) which will mean less produce. Maybe not drastically less due to irrigation, but we’ll see.
- early crops (Spring) did not have cool weather they thrive in. That altered their taste, a little bitter. Normally, this time of the season would be Fall seeding. One plants in August for Sept-Nov broccoli and such, lettuces, culinary herbs again, leafy greens, and peas. Nope, not this weekend: too hot. They will not germinate.
- What has done well? Winter squash! With adequate water at optimum times of night, they are producing well, shading the ground for other plants, opening their big yellow blossoms for the bumble bees, and bring joy. (these are Kabocha squash.)
Here’s some random photos, some taken by B on her recent visit.
