Sunday 11 July 2010

Scorchio!


It has been so hot and so dry, I am starting to feel like we are in a record drought, at least locally. Surely a hosepipe ban must be just round the corner? Perhaps I have a short memory, but for all the grass to be brown, dry and dead by this point in July is unusual. There's been no decent rain for 6 weeks. Plants in the garden look very stressed, and are succumbing to weird, new insect attacks with strange symptoms.

Because we can't get to the allotment every day to water, our crops are pitifully small. I have peas that have barely grown out of the ground before flowering, potatoes that look more like chilli peppers in terms of plant size (photos will follow). I know from friends who are managing to water often, this could be a record summer for the diligent gardener. Sadly for me the lazy gardener, this will not be the case. Our soil is very dry at the best of times, but now it is like a desert. I have learned to welcome the highs and the lows equally, knowing that without the failures, the successes aren't as precious. Gardening alone has taught me this valuable life lesson.

The lavender up at Mayfield is looking brilliant at the moment, and really is an inspiring sight.


The lavender festival at the Stanley Road Plots is a couple of weeks away:

Carshalton Lavender Weekend 24th - 25th July 2010

Fortunately lavender thrives in dry conditions! When it comes to gardening, the expression that springs to mind is "every dog has its day".

7 comments:

  1. I didn't realise that you have a plot on the Stanley Rd allotments, how nice to be near another blogger (ALI) I'm hoping to get to the Lavender Farm's open week-end. I'm glad to see that you have settled into your new home. Your blog is very newsy and interesting. With 2 children and a home to run I'm sure you are far from a lazy gardener, it's just so time consuming isn't it ? and constant watering in this heat is a pain. Have a good week. Mx

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  2. Your right about the garden teaching you. Last year was a very dry year for us. My poor garden hardly produced anything. This year we have rain at least 3 to 4 times a week. The garden has never been so productive. I guess it is just our turn this year. Next year or next month who knows.

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  3. I agree failures make the successes even better!

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  4. Heard a great talk by Laura (?) of Mayfields Lavender the other week and I love their soap - smells delicious. Apparently they have to weed the lavender by hand because it's organic (no herbicides)and keep the weeds down between rows by regular mowing. Passed by in the car the other day, it is really gorgeous to see.

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  5. OOh! Lavender! Is there anything better? I loved your pictures of the camping trip. Sounds wonderful to get off into nature near the ocean. You found so many great places there. And, yes, doesn't the world grow scarier every day with everyone's finances in a pinch. So many people here in the U.S. needing help to even purchase food because they are out of work. Thanks for the look at your world!

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  6. Hi Maureen, literally just picked up all the comments. It is nice to have a fellow blogger on the site. It adds to the community feel somehow. I love walking past Ali's plot, mainly because it is so brilliant. Ours is a poor relation!

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  7. Hi Damo, nice to have you here.

    Hi Scattered, I had no idea that they weeded that whole field by hand! The "purple distraction" never fails to make me smile as I go past.

    HI Femminismo, thanks for your lovely comment, things have got even worse here lately and the public sector crunch has hardly even got going.

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