Still August...
It was blazing hot when I got to the garden at about 1 o’clock today. Our rain pattern has been confusing this past week; usually we can count on late-summer afternoon deluges, but this week was dry. So after running a few morning errands, I went to see exactly what the plants might be wanting.
Turns out not a whole lot. Our mulching had kept the ground fairly moist, and the drier air had perked up the sage and wormwood. The astor, comfrey, cosmos, dahlias, milkweed and clockvine were all in bloom or about to bloom. The basil was positively thriving, and had even kicked off some yellowing funk that was plaguing its bottom leaves. Even the mints had tiny flowers on them. The impatients and four o’clocks were impervious to the sweltering heat, tucked away in their high shade, and the rue, lemon balm, and calla lily, all in partial shade, looked good, too.
The butterfly bush’s blooms have given up entirely, as have many of the bearded irises. Poor things held on a lot longer than I would have, if I were a spring bloomer I did not know that rose geranium needed an aggressive pruning after she bloomed mid-spring, so she’s looking a bit homely these days. And the leeks are a bit droopy. I’m not really sure what to do with them. I thought they’d be dead by now for sure, so I’m just kind of watching them.
Surprisingly, the hidden ginger needed a little sprinkling to look her best. She’s in very full sun, though, and I think she’d have done better with a little afternoon reprieve. Also the marigolds look leggy and dried out. I don’t know what their deal is. They’re French marigolds and ought to be very used to hot, dry conditions.
Two little butterflies flit around with me as I walked, but other than that I had no company -- not a single weed had deigned push her vulgar face through our carefully enriched and mulched vegetable beds. I left feeling pretty darn satisfied; overall the plants were doing well. It’s frustrating in August, I think, since there isn’t much that can be planted or transplanted, but it sure does make you appreciate the little guys that show up every day to brave the UVs anyway. God bless our little troopers.
Turns out not a whole lot. Our mulching had kept the ground fairly moist, and the drier air had perked up the sage and wormwood. The astor, comfrey, cosmos, dahlias, milkweed and clockvine were all in bloom or about to bloom. The basil was positively thriving, and had even kicked off some yellowing funk that was plaguing its bottom leaves. Even the mints had tiny flowers on them. The impatients and four o’clocks were impervious to the sweltering heat, tucked away in their high shade, and the rue, lemon balm, and calla lily, all in partial shade, looked good, too.
The butterfly bush’s blooms have given up entirely, as have many of the bearded irises. Poor things held on a lot longer than I would have, if I were a spring bloomer I did not know that rose geranium needed an aggressive pruning after she bloomed mid-spring, so she’s looking a bit homely these days. And the leeks are a bit droopy. I’m not really sure what to do with them. I thought they’d be dead by now for sure, so I’m just kind of watching them.
Surprisingly, the hidden ginger needed a little sprinkling to look her best. She’s in very full sun, though, and I think she’d have done better with a little afternoon reprieve. Also the marigolds look leggy and dried out. I don’t know what their deal is. They’re French marigolds and ought to be very used to hot, dry conditions.
Two little butterflies flit around with me as I walked, but other than that I had no company -- not a single weed had deigned push her vulgar face through our carefully enriched and mulched vegetable beds. I left feeling pretty darn satisfied; overall the plants were doing well. It’s frustrating in August, I think, since there isn’t much that can be planted or transplanted, but it sure does make you appreciate the little guys that show up every day to brave the UVs anyway. God bless our little troopers.
posted by Honey Youngblood at 4:55 PM
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