It is hot again today – so many days of high 90s and low 100s. I am finding I am OK until it gets above 95F – as long as I have my air conditioning in the house and at night if needed. I simply do not sleep when it is over 75F even with a fan! I strongly dislike sweating which probably why I prefer to exercise in the pool.
I am enjoying the garden still, and have started watering it twice a day. I figure if I am hand watering so the water ONLY goes to where the plants actually need it, I don’t need to feel too guilty. California didn’t need another drought already. The garden is really growing and look very much like a real garden. It still doesn’t get enough sun (only 6 or 7 hours a day and some of that is filtered) so the plants grow slowly and do not seem to be reaching their full height. But they look happy and are flowering away!
The fence is holding up even with deer in our backyard daily. Yes, I do give them water and some food (but she has two fawns…so sue me!) but they don’t seem to do anything with the garden fence. There also appears to be a bigger deer dropping by (and dropping his droppings!) who also does not appear to have tried to get into the garden. There is still only one baby squash growing but it grows bigger every day, and a couple of baby watermelons. I tried hand pollinating the cantaloupe last Wednesday since they have large 6’+ vines and a ton of flowers, but no little ones yet. We will see if it works. I may try again on Saturday. I see very few bees although I have hummingbirds and butterflies galore. I am definitely losing quite a few green beans to something with sharp little teeth!
The bicolor corn has started to silk up and develop cobs. Maybe in a month or so, we will get corn! The white corn on the upper tier has just started making tassels so it is still a way off.
Overall, things continue to grow and I continue to commune with the plants pretty much every day. The carrots have finally sprouted and grown some leaves. Last year I harvested them in February! And I have planted many flowers – marigolds, sunflowers, dianthus, nasturtium, zinnia, snapdragons, 4 o’clocks, lobelia and allysum to name just some of them. They also are coming up but suffer from the same lack of consistent sun all day long. They mostly get the HOT afternoon sun. So as long as I make sure they have water, they are continuing to grow!
Have a great day and remember to breathe in deep all the oxygen that plants give us. Maybe not too deeply if you are stuck in the smoke! I am very grateful to be able to surround myself with good people and happy plants!
