Good morning, gardeners!
2018 is now the second hottest May on record for Dallas TX. We experienced 10-12o higher temps than normal every day for the entire month. Today’s expected air temp high: 102o with heat index 104o. A five day string of 100o+ days starts next week after a “cold front” of mid-nineties; electric grid at max. Dallas has now moved into official moderate drought. 10% chance of rain tomorrow. That means 90% of us won’t see any. Torrid, temperamental Texas.
My gardening day for the last 12 days began at 6am because the pictured old east facing bedding plot was still in shade from trees across the street. Got in about 2-½ hours/day of work before the blazing sun and heat forced me into the shade.
What we gardeners will do to get our prized flowers and vegetables!
The decision to labor very long and hard (and curse/sweat a lot) on a problematic plot of dirt happened when I found red and white striped crinum lily bulbs. I’ve lusted after this traditional southern homestead garden staple for years. Always off put by online prices ($25+ each bulb) I was speechless to find them for $5 each at Home Depot, probably because they were mislabeled as annuals! Splurged and purchased three. Here are some humorous and interesting anecdotes about crinums: https://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/hot-country-lilies-captivate-gardeners
The small section of earth in question originally had St. Augustine sod, lots of weeds and a mammoth diseased American elm tree. Removed the elm 17 years ago, ground the stump; planted an Aristocrat Pear the next year. The pear bit the dust in 2 years when it was infested by webworms (Hyphantria cunea). The larvae were in the sod. I applied beneficial nematodes for 1 year (spring and fall) to kill the larvae, removed the sod/weeds and piled on 12” of compost and hardwood mulch in 2005. Then life and business intervened and the bed was no longer a priority.
Thirteen years later these lusted-after lilies demanded I get serious about the soil in the only remaining place big enough to handle their size. (Like peonies and old people, once planted they don’t take kindly to being moved). It was now or never. The 8’x5’ patch from hell was dense, dry and concrete-like. First mighty thrust of the pitchfork pierced the plot about 2” with a dull ‘’thunk.’ WTF?
I’m fortunate to have an all organic general store nearby. My tomato starts come from the place. Its mascot is a live rooster named George who is quite a celebrity locally and at the Texas State Fair! They offer chicks and poults in the spring and everything ever thought of for green gardening.
Imagine an updated version of an old fashioned country store where browsing and kids are always welcome, a rooster is always crowing and all questions are happily answered over the din. They offer free Saturday seminars on butterflies, honey bees, hummingbirds, urban chickens. Howard Garrett, The Dirt Doctor, lectures about twice a year. Occasionally zoologists will do a ‘show and tell’ with owls or raptors. Real life continuing green education.
The owners are unbelievably knowledgeable about all things that grow. The section with organic gardening must-haves is enormous. Half an hour of my questions and their answers later (and my significantly lightened wallet), I came home with the following:
For 12 consecutive very early mornings I weeded, hand tilled down to the clay layer with a sharp-shooter, broke up the clumps, raked, removed gazillion thread-like fibrous roots, pecan nuts and live oak acorns, plastic rubble, glass shards, 3 pennies, a rusty metal whistle, a few bent nails and odd washers, half a ballpoint pen, concrete flotsam/jetsam from the new driveway etc. and raked again. Felt like I was tilling a 7-11 parking lot. However, not one web worm or grub worm in the entire patch. Sadly, no earthworms either. Added the amendments including perlite and vermiculite, planted the crinums, watered. Mulch and prayers are next.
Around the other side of the front, while checking the rapidly growing turks cap, I was surprised to see chrysanthemums blooming! (Probably originally greenhouse grown).
I took respite in the back garden — for color and shade.
Cherry tomato harvest from garden 5/31/18
Not hot enough outside, I decided to make cherry jam on day 12. Added benefit to already being sweaty: a moisture-replenishing free facial from steam during processing! Then I took a long nap in the air conditioned house...
I will keep you updated on the crinums and the yard art projects. What’s happening in your garden?