It
is 7:00am, 13 degrees, and it has been raining all night. Again.
The forecast high for today is 18 degrees, cloudy with continuing rain. For the first time in my life I am tempted to set up my daylight lamp in August. I loathe that sick, flat feeling that comes with extended periods without sunshine.
I was out poking around the yard a half hour ago. It’s nice to see the zinnias and dahlias opening, and the cosmos are starting to really put out flowers. Volunteer pansies are coming up in all sorts of funny places: from the base of the rock wall, up through a crack in the cement behind the house, in between the rows of peas, among the cucumbers. One cluster of little purple and yellow pansies looks like it is playing “peek-a-boo” from beneath the row of kohlrabi. Very sweet. :)
Two more Lower Salmon River squash were open. I hand-pollinated those and discovered yet another Gold Nugget squash that will go unpollinated (there are no male flowers). Another huge zucchini flower has opened. I had to replant the zucchini seeds so many times at the start of the season that I don’t know what kinds are in the East garden! I hope they are hybrids. There isn’t male flower in sight, so they won’t give me zucchini otherwise.
With the exception of Midnight Sun and Polish Linguisa, the tomato plants have lots of yellow flowers on them. Some of the yellow flowers have been open for more than a week but aren’t setting. I assume this is because of the lack of sunshine and summer heat. The varieties that have done the best are those that are recommended for short seasons/northern climates: Early Annie, Scotia, Hungarian Heart, Anna Russian.
The first raspberry picking was on Saturday and we picked again yesterday. So far, we have just over 15 lbs.
I did a little preliminary pick of peas Sunday, and shelled, have just under a pound.
Looking ahead at the 14 day weather forecast does not leave one optimistic. More rain and clouds than anything else. One day this week is forecast to have a high of 12. The day after that? A high of 14. Fingers crossed that the end of August brings seasonal weather and that September is unusually sunny and warm. If things don’t pan out that way, the majority of things in the garden will not reach maturity before hard frosts hit. That is a lot of work – and a lot of seed – wasted.
On an up note, Sunday we (mercifully) had a sunny day. This fellow was basking in the warmth on the fence. Although I can count on seeing damselflies, especially in May-July, this was the first dragonfly in the garden in years.
I was out poking around the yard a half hour ago. It’s nice to see the zinnias and dahlias opening, and the cosmos are starting to really put out flowers. Volunteer pansies are coming up in all sorts of funny places: from the base of the rock wall, up through a crack in the cement behind the house, in between the rows of peas, among the cucumbers. One cluster of little purple and yellow pansies looks like it is playing “peek-a-boo” from beneath the row of kohlrabi. Very sweet. :)
Two more Lower Salmon River squash were open. I hand-pollinated those and discovered yet another Gold Nugget squash that will go unpollinated (there are no male flowers). Another huge zucchini flower has opened. I had to replant the zucchini seeds so many times at the start of the season that I don’t know what kinds are in the East garden! I hope they are hybrids. There isn’t male flower in sight, so they won’t give me zucchini otherwise.
With the exception of Midnight Sun and Polish Linguisa, the tomato plants have lots of yellow flowers on them. Some of the yellow flowers have been open for more than a week but aren’t setting. I assume this is because of the lack of sunshine and summer heat. The varieties that have done the best are those that are recommended for short seasons/northern climates: Early Annie, Scotia, Hungarian Heart, Anna Russian.
The first raspberry picking was on Saturday and we picked again yesterday. So far, we have just over 15 lbs.
I did a little preliminary pick of peas Sunday, and shelled, have just under a pound.
Looking ahead at the 14 day weather forecast does not leave one optimistic. More rain and clouds than anything else. One day this week is forecast to have a high of 12. The day after that? A high of 14. Fingers crossed that the end of August brings seasonal weather and that September is unusually sunny and warm. If things don’t pan out that way, the majority of things in the garden will not reach maturity before hard frosts hit. That is a lot of work – and a lot of seed – wasted.
On an up note, Sunday we (mercifully) had a sunny day. This fellow was basking in the warmth on the fence. Although I can count on seeing damselflies, especially in May-July, this was the first dragonfly in the garden in years.
A
new gazania opened yesterday (gazanias only open in the sunshine!).
Also,
this is the first summer in recent memory that wildfires are not an issue in
the province. I looked at the fire risk map this morning and most of it is blue, green, and yellow – very low to
moderate.
Hoping to pick a few more peas today. Maybe I should invest in a Sou'Wester.
Hoping to pick a few more peas today. Maybe I should invest in a Sou'Wester.
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