And then it happens. The days get shorter, the evening get a little cooler, the kids hit the turf for the start of the football season and summer quickly comes to an end. At the end of each growing season, I find time to reflect and absorb. I try to sit quietly, (not an easy task) and look back at the successes and failures of the season, in the garden. Summer season 2016 will go down in my garden journal as the hottest and driest I’ve ever experienced. The above average temperatures and severe drought brought both challenges and victories. As always, I found yin and yang amongst the sprawling vines and perfect blooms.
Growing edibles this season , without a good irrigation system, was nearly impossible. The extreme heat also made it impossible for me to germinate seeds. Almost all of my lettuces quickly became bitter and bolted. It was a sad summer for salad greens.
On the flip side, we just had ideal growing conditions for our heat loving crops like tomato, peppers, melons and squash. It’s not just the higher temperatures than norm, both day and night, that had our summer favorites growing like crazy. The lack of rain, as long as you have irrigation, and low humidity really kept down the fungal diseases that usually plague these crops by the beginning of August. It’s mid August now and I’ve seen zero signs of blight, and the leaf spot and mildews have been minor.
The garden is my greatest mentor. It not only teaches me patience but reminds me, almost daily, that we really have very little control. You have to take the good with the bad, learn from the failures and keep growing. Written by our special guest Renee Bolivar from Gardens by Renee.
Gardens by Renee was created to help people learn how to grow in their own backyards. We practice organic methods that are not only good for our environment but helpful when obtaining a healthy lifestyle. We offer design consulting, hands-on workshops in the garden, maintenance and so much more. We believe in keeping things simple, raw and getting back to the basics. We’re extremely passionate about what we do and look forward to growing with you!
Learn more about Gardens by Renee here! Written by our special guest Renee Bolivar from Gardens by Renee.
Gardens by Renee was created to help people learn how to grow in their own backyards. We practice organic methods that are not only good for our environment but helpful when obtaining a healthy lifestyle. We offer design consulting, hands-on workshops in the garden, maintenance and so much more. We believe in keeping things simple, raw and getting back to the basics. We’re extremely passionate about what we do and look forward to growing with you!
