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| Turk's Cap Hibiscus |
Geez I have been a zombie. Not the flesh-eating kind (except for the stuff on the bbq), but a sit on the couch, sleep all weekend, have no energy, blob kind. And it’s no wonder; I have been putting in some very stressful, long, and difficult hours at work. This coupled with the heat that keeps me out of the yard means I haven’t had a good mechanism for blowing off the week. I listlessly water, turn the compost, and then come back in the house. I might stumble back outside to harvest what vegetables are still producing. Then bump around the kitchen to fix them up for a meal. Not much of a life.
Luckily things are getting better. My major work projects are starting to smooth out and become more manageable, which means I sleep better. I have been forcing myself to get more exercise, which always helps. And I’ve been looking at seed catalogs. This weekend I also did a little nursery crawling (no purchases, I was strong) and have started reading “Howards End”. Nothing like a tale set in the English countryside to get one in the gardening mood. Except it also makes me crave a cup of hot tea, which is not so great when the temperature is 104 degrees. We’ve been drinking a lot of iced tea, but it’s not the same. I digress.
The seed catalogs and nursery crawling, plus some good nights sleep have started to recharge me. Just in time too, because despite the blast furnace temperatures, it’s actually time to plan for the next gardening season. September is our next “spring” where I can put in a full garden again. Green beans, sugar snap peas, greens, kohlrabi, and tomatoes are all on the list. Not only that, but I can add to the shrubbery and perennials. I’m thinking Pigeon Berry on my front yard berms. A Pride of Barbados in the midst of my Copper Canyon Daisies (the orange will just blast out of the yellow.) I’m also going to put in some red Shrimp Plants and some Bat-faced Cuphea in my kumquat berm. They will be nice companions to the Turk's Cap Hibiscus and Sea Oats that I already have planted. I’m also thinking I’m going to plant a Pomegranate (the one I have just doesn’t get enough sun to fruit) and train it up the brick patio wall.
Ah, a girl with a plan. I’m up and at ‘em.
Welcome to your first Tx summer...no one who hasn't lived thru it can begin to imagine what the heat does to your energy level. Here in Oregon (my first summer) I was in full planting mode in March- didn't quite believe all the people who said it was months too early...I had that "hurry up and plant before it gets too hot" mentality, which of course doesn't apply here. Next summer, I'll know...don't put away the long sleeves till July, and don't bother planting tomatoes till Mother's Day (altho it was more like Father's Day this year!) Live and learn...Kelly from Texas, now transplanted to the PNW
ReplyDeleteLOL, Welcome to Oregon. You too will learn to garden under plastic in order to get out there in March (as soon as the February ice storms are over.) Kale will become your new friend and you will compete ferociously with the neighbors for the first ripe tomato. As a gardener, it's been great to be thrown off my routine and really dig down and learn a new climate and bug zone. I miss the plants I can't grow here, (berries in particular) but I've got some smack-down okra that would never be as good in Oregon and I'll have kumquats for Thanksgiving. Pretty amazing considering you and I are both in Zone 8!
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