This week, the hot weather and watering features, along with some updates on my brassica / living mulch bed, my perennial runner beans plus a taster of designer Dan Pearson's garden in Somerset
Looking forward to reading more about your investigation of various munches, Sally. My garden is all about mulching and haven't got a single patch of naked soil.
After a cold, wet, spring we are jumping right into brutal heat. 93F/34C to 97F/37C on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. These are normal hot temperatures here, but it's odd to jump from them cool temps we've had to the heat right away. That jumping around seems to be the new normal. There was a severe thunderstorm this evening here, too, with very high wind and rain falling fast enough to make little rivers through the garden and I'm afraid to look at the damage. I've cleaned up broken plants and raked soil and compost that's washed away from gardens so often this year, I can't remember how many times I've done it. One good thing is that we've gotten out of a multi-year drought. I gave a garden tour on Tuesday and was able to show the attendees syrphid fly larvae, lacewing eggs, ladybug larvae, aphid mummies (aphids consumed by parasitoid wasps), and explain how important flowers are to growing food.
Yes - these swings are the most tricky to deal with - not many plants or animals for that matter, like being thrust from cool to hot and more of our rain in downpours is another thing to get used too. I have taken to diving outside during heavy rain to see what is happening and where the water is pooling / running so I can better understand the movement of water through the garden. I saw your photos of lacewing eggs - they are fab aren't they
Looking forward to reading more about your investigation of various munches, Sally. My garden is all about mulching and haven't got a single patch of naked soil.
Thats wonderful - and so valuable at the moment
Love the tip about phacelia and kale!
Thank you - looks lovely as well as being functional
After a cold, wet, spring we are jumping right into brutal heat. 93F/34C to 97F/37C on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. These are normal hot temperatures here, but it's odd to jump from them cool temps we've had to the heat right away. That jumping around seems to be the new normal. There was a severe thunderstorm this evening here, too, with very high wind and rain falling fast enough to make little rivers through the garden and I'm afraid to look at the damage. I've cleaned up broken plants and raked soil and compost that's washed away from gardens so often this year, I can't remember how many times I've done it. One good thing is that we've gotten out of a multi-year drought. I gave a garden tour on Tuesday and was able to show the attendees syrphid fly larvae, lacewing eggs, ladybug larvae, aphid mummies (aphids consumed by parasitoid wasps), and explain how important flowers are to growing food.
Yes - these swings are the most tricky to deal with - not many plants or animals for that matter, like being thrust from cool to hot and more of our rain in downpours is another thing to get used too. I have taken to diving outside during heavy rain to see what is happening and where the water is pooling / running so I can better understand the movement of water through the garden. I saw your photos of lacewing eggs - they are fab aren't they