Heat + Moisture = plant growth. Trees, shrubs, flowers, vines, weeds, grass, bushes, and groundcover are growing quickly, and much of that growth needs care NOW. We either rise very early to do summertime gardening chores, or we enjoy the cool mornings inside and then meet heat full-on at a more convenient time. Summertime gardening chores are no longer fun.
Heat + Moisture = fruit production. Blackberries have finished, and blueberries are just hanging on. Pears are beginning to ripen. Grapes are ready now, but muscadines are not. Jujubes look to be ripe in August, almost a month earlier than usual. Apples are beginning to drop. We are making jam, canning juice, freezing slices, making pies, and eating fresh fruit at every meal. Still, there is always something to harvest, wash, prepare, and store. Summertime canning is no longer fun.
Heat + Moisture = need to water. Most of our plants are drought tolerant, but some have tolerated about as much as they can. Looks like we’ll be dragging hoses this week. We can’t help pecan, chestnut, or almond trees; their roots reach underground water, and most are thriving. Berries are on drip irrigation. We do hand water plants in our propagation area, since most are in one to five-gallon pots. We tuck the pots under trees for shade and irrigate from rain collected in storage tanks.
