The heat and sunshine has fried my veg section, these runner beans are so weak, they have started to climb the poles, I'm not expecting any harvest unless there is a huge change in the weather.
My potatoes grown in bags have done well up to now, these last couple of bags look ropey, again I'm not expecting much.
My decision to grow cucumbers and tomatoes outside was a good one, we have had a few cucumbers, the plant is looking weak, the tomatoes are behind and not many fruits.
I do water and feed the fruit and veg gardens, this relentless heatwave is just killing off most things, even my fleabane daisies are looking a bit sad, my greenhouse is empty. I am using grey water from the house and being very careful with mains water use. My water buts are almost empty, I'm saving what small amount I have for plants which need rainwater.
We have asked a tree surgeon who we used before to pop in and hopefully remove loads of new growth from the Magnolia tree, and cut back the acer, we don't want to lose either.
My raspberries are growing, not as high as other years, we are picking blackberries, they are small and not very sweet, I have not had a second wave of strawberries. The grapevine is the only plant growing and enjoying the hot sunny days.
Normally I do enjoy watering the garden, it's nice to take time to check on plants, now when I do water I am watching the demise of so many plants, most should return next year. I am watching my collection of hellebores, they hate the heat, my hostas are all in the very shady spots. The main issues are how quickly the blooms are going over, the gladioli blooms just lasted a couple of days. It's not a good year for the garden, I am deadheading the roses, they are still blooming.
It's definitely been a challenging year for gardeners. Some of the sickly plants we came home to after our holiday have picked up, thank goodness, whereas it's still touch and go for others.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good year for noticing which plants are more tolerant of dry conditions!
ReplyDeleteMany of my garden plants are beginning to suffer now - even the weeds! The lemon trees, however, are thriving. Still no sign of any fruit though. X
ReplyDeleteThe heat hasn't been good for many things. One of my hydrangas is really suffering despite being watered. We haven't had rain here for at least 4 weeks, maybe longer, lets hope its not a deluge when it comes because the ground won't cope with it.
ReplyDeleteWe generally have hot summers. We mulch our vege gardens with a couple of inches of pea straw or something similar, keeping the soil under it moist and cooler over the roots. Mid winter here and my hellebores are all in flower in the shady area.Hope you get some good rain. JennyP
ReplyDeleteI plan to use my mulch on both veg beds next year.
DeleteEverything and everyone is struggling in the heat.
ReplyDeleteI get so excited if I see a grey cloud in the sky and then disappointed that no rain comes from it!!!
I hope you are enjoying your weekend.
All the best Jan
Our soil is turning to dust, both at the allotment and at home, despite watering and years of conditioning it with compost and manure. It's scary what the heat does to the land. It's made us think more about how we garden and what we can do to help the soil we garden in. Like you, we're using grey water from the house as there is nothing left in our water butts. I am now worried about how much water all of the new data centres will be using in the future for AI. I wonder how many more ways the billionaires can think of, to use up our precious resources to increase their wealth.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that so many plants have been suffering this year with the extreme temperatures. Hopefully if roots are ok, they will be back next year. I'm going to look for more shade for my fruit and veg next year though.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we're in the same boat. Many of our flowers have come and gone already, like our Crocosmia "Lucifer," which normally would last longer than they did. It really is a tough year for the garden. I haven't seen rain in so long I've forgotten what it's like!
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