I adore this comment challenge. It's a real chance for the community to get together and chat and I appreciate all those who joined in. The theme was 'unusual' and there were naked gardeners, a lot of plant thieves including 🐐 goats, and plants that didn't do what was expected, like the entire garden that ended up unexpectedly purple 💜. The story that got me in the feels was @fotostef"s story about the little sparrow who crossed his path, a beautiful encounter with nature. He wins 3 Hive. Also awarding 3 Hive to @clareartista who also shared a poignant story about a bird AND what she did to get a stolen thyme plant back! Both gardeners also came back and engaged with others too. Thanks to everyone who joined in - I wish I could award you all! Really! I appreciate every single comment and you make both Hive and this community a wonderful place to be. 🌱🦜🪴🌿💚
The Comment Challenge: Extreme Weather ☁️
One thing I've noticed doing the challenges for Hive Garden over this year is that I've never seen such globally consistent extreme weather be a focus of our gardening posts. From apple blossoms in France in November to flooding in Indonesia or cyclones in the Phillipines, many gardeners have battled the elements.
This fortnights theme asks you to comment below on how you may have been affected by extreme weather. You can address one, some, or all of the following and of course add your own observations.
- Describe on extreme weather event and how it impacted your garden, farm or local green landscapes
- How does it, and you, recover from such an event?
- Is this usual for your area?
- Do some plants survive or recover better than others?
- Do you think this is part of climate change or just seasonal, cyclic weather patterns?
- What have you learnt from such weather in terms of gardening?
Guidelines
🌿 Minimum 200 word comment to qualify for winning
🪴 Come back and engage with others
🦜 Include a photo if you can
🌱 Invite others to join in if you like.
Happy Gardening!!
@plantstoplanks @sofs-su @nikv @owasco @umirais @buckaroobaby @farm-mom @thebigsweed @polesinns @andrastia @multifacetas @porters @amygoodrich @fanyokami @isdarmady @phoenixwren @anafae @tanjakolader @yolithy24 @andrastia @minismallholding @goldenoakfarm @sanjeevm
@ciadanmea @kennyroy @simplymike @dodovietnam @babeltrips @trangbaby @kaelci @shanibeer @proto26 @ifarmgirl @artemislives @edprivat @meesterboom @momogrow @attn @luckylaica @blingit @traisto @fotostef @tydynrain @hindavi @steven-patrick @vibeof100monkeys @samstonehill @anttn @friendlymoose @jacksonizer @ciadanmea @tuocchu @gertu
With Love,
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Greetings. Thanks for the mention and invitation to participate in this commentary challenge.
Here in our region it has rained more than usual. Some plants have greened up after suffering an extreme drought and several died. In my garden I have grass for two goats that my sister has. Every week it is cut and sent in sacks to her house to feed them. As for the plants that bloom, they don't finish, they stay in buds. Another thing, the rain has destroyed the access roads to the fields, I have not been able to go to the sector where I have some land because it is not possible to travel, the roads are collapsed. All this climate disaster is due to the abuse we are doing to our planet, throwing all kinds of garbage and abuse of energy consumption, causing global warming. My country has never suffered such disastrous rains as in the last few days, flooding crops and villages, bringing more poverty and disease.
This is the garden, I am happy because the rain did it good, I took advantage and fertilized with triple 15. From there the milkweed is growing and bearing fruit after flowering.
Hot weather and rain! You're getting it all.
Both things are necessary, the aji dulce, the parchita, the semeruco, the tomato and the lechosa are bearing fruit, the corona de cristo gave its flower. But there is a certain lack of control in the weather that affects normality. Thanks for commenting. Greetings.
For some reason, I can't upvote your comment. Weird.
Good morning 😁 The weather is getting more and more unpredictable these years. I really can’t think of any other reason for it than global warming. Winters back in my country used to be cold (-30 degrees) and white - there was always snow. These days the temperatures are barely below 0, so if it snows, it doesn’t stay on for long.
When I first came to England the weather was… well, English. They say it always rains in London and although that’s not entirely true, we did have good amount of rain every summer. Usually a few days of rain and back to sun… mid 20’s.
This year summer was so hot, not only temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius, but also there was almost no rain. My garden was suffering. I emptied my 200litre water butt and another 200-300 litres I had stored in bottles. I had to pick and choose which plant to water and which ones can go another day without. Some plants in smaller pots dried out completely.
As if that wasn’t enough, the government announced hosepipe ban, as our rivers reached a dangerously low level. I myself didn’t really use hosepipe much, as I only grew a few rows of veggies there, but my allotment neighbours with bigger plots than mine were suffering.
To prepare myself better for next year, I recon I need another water butt for my garden and for my allotment too 💙
Me too, but perhaps we just don't have the skills to imagine what else can it be! And you guys had SUCH a crazy summer - we keep a keen eye on the weather over there of course because of my sister in law. I hated England above 22 degrees - it's so darn HOT and I spend my time searching for swimming holes and it's so darn cold in the sea!
When we lived through drought here, I was adamant I would water my veggie patch anyway and fuck em. Of all things! All that water that goes into food production and transport and my locally produced veggies have to suffer? But not watering with a hosepipe DOES make you more conscious of how you are using water.
It's so cool you have an allotment. I never had one there as we always lived rurally on decent sized land but I always loved the idea, there seems a real sense of community there.
Yes, allotment community is great. Such an abundance of knowledge to learn from them too. With my small plot I always use watering cans and I continued to do so while hosepipe ban was on. They only lifted it last month! Now we have tons of rain and it’s all reversed, while in Poland it’s snowing 😂
We had drought here this summer. I use deep mulch and that kept me from having to water but once a week. But the plants did suffer and the pests and disease were far more apparent this year as a result.
Mulching is a great idea. One that I only ever remember for winter and not for summer 🙈 All plants in the ground survived, but those in pots were much more affected.
I shall remember this for next season. This year my mind was not much on the garden also. Hopefully better next year 💙
I've really noticed a lot more pests this year, especially with the rain and relative humidity.
When plants get too stressed the pests and diseases move in...
That's really sad.
Here the rain is also becoming unpredictable. We are getting rain, not on our need but it's just running our crops.
There is plenty of rain here now too, just summer was very dry 🙈
Good day!
Here's my experience-
My mom has a huge rooftop garden and I too have a small balcony garden. We usually produce vegetables and a lot of flowers and herbs. My mom has a fruit garden and she doesn't buy vegetables often from the grocery store but her garden is enough. Also, she got around 5 pots of aloe vera plants. Every year they grow so well, we take some from the garden and use them for different purposes. But this year, the aloe doesn't grow very well.
For the note, she keeps the pot in the same place every year. She knows pretty well the proportion of sun and water required for the plant. But they catch "leaf spot" disease. My younger brother who is an agronomist in profession thinks that it's because of the moist weather that causes the fungi/leaf spot disease.
This is a very common aloe disease but it's just another example of a harsh/challenging environment. Even after treatment, they didn't recover. We are seeing a lot of change in production, and new crop diseases such as rice fungal diseases on large scale in our area as well. This is not just because of the weather change but mostly because of climate change, the newly implemented pesticides, and every other thing.
At the individual level, we are taking precautions as much as. For example, by preparing our soil, integrating proper knowledge about gardening, choosing the best seeds, taking care of the plant properly, and going organic. But on a large scale, it is quite challenging. The government is taking action but they were never enough.
A tough time is ahead of us!
Thanks for the challenge :)
Humid weather and fungus go hand in hand. Sad to hear your Aloe Vera didn't recover.
I agree. We have planted some more later but as they are from the same root, they are also catching the leaf spot. Climate change is really challenging!
The greatest challenge ever maybe
Oh! Yes! I have similiar things happening with my broad beans and garlic. I've never had such issues before. Careful seed selection will be the key moving forward I think.
Same here, I'm getting a lot of similar experiences from a few people I know. It's because of climate change, the behaviors of the weather change over the decade. Agriculture will face a lot of challenges in the upcoming days, we need to be prepared.
Sorry for the late reply.
Have a good day.
Good day everyone! It's nice to hear about a topic like this. So I will try to take the time to read these.
Weather condition is one factor that might affect the growth of crops or vegetables. Even if some crops or vegetables can survive when there is strong rain and typhoon. But this variety is only a few.b This is truly a challenge to all of us plant growers. As farmers or plant growers let us be ready when we experienced this condition. Let us know the planting season of our crops, the soil condition, and the topography of the land that these crops or vegetables will grow. This is done to prevent severe damage to our planted crops or veggies. Aside from that, there are many ways to be done to prevent your crops from severe damage when strong rain or typhoon just as building bricks and applying mulch or mulching. However, when weather condition damage the crops planted, I will classify the damaged ones from the undamaged ones and replant them with new ones. Or I will take care of it by providing proper nourishment to regrow this crop healthy and vigorously. So it's a lesson for me that during the planting season, site and plant variety must be considered. So I should be mindful if there were conditions that these crops or plants need to be secured.
That would be all and I would like to challenge @ciadanmea to do the same
thank you
Yes, I agree, paying careful attention and creating microclimates is one thing we can do to help protect and nurture our garden along.
Thank you @riverflows for acknowledging my idea.
Timing is, indeed, all important.
True @ligayagardener
Yep, yep!! Congratulations @fotostef and @clareartista ... Double thumbs up to all who participated. Thank you so much @riverflows for this another engagement challenge!
Can't wait to hear your response - they are always SOOOO good!
Thank you dear @ciadanmea ! Your encouragement is much appreciated! Looking forward to what you might share on this challenge :-D
My pleasure dear sis @clareartista ... I look forward to your response for this week'a comment challenge too.🥰😍
Hello @riverflows and friends. The past few weeks it has been raining, several areas in North Sumatra have experienced flooding. Even the city of Medan, which is the capital of North Sumatra province, also experienced severe flooding. The city of Binjai, which is directly adjacent to the city of Medan, also experienced flooding in several areas. I live in the North Binjai area where there is still a lot of agricultural land. In front of my house there is agricultural land which is stagnant with water because of the rain, this agricultural land becomes dead land that cannot be planted, because this land is always flooded when it rains. This agricultural land is rice fields with lower soil conditions than the surrounding land. Before the housing was built, this agricultural land did not experience severe flooding, but since housing has been built, farmers cannot dispose of water into the ditch. This is because the housing area covers the waterway to the ditch/water disposal site.
I was also affected by the high rainfall. I should have been able to harvest catfish in the pond/garden, but because the rice fields in front were submerged in water, I couldn't distribute the pond water to the rice fields anymore. I have to wait for the water to recede so I can harvest the fish in the pond, even though the fish harvest time has passed, I usually harvest in early November, but I can't do it, it rains from mid-October with dense frequency.
I hope the water recedes quickly so I can harvest my catfish, if it continues too late then the cannibal catfish will cause me losses.
One thing I remember from living in Sumatra is that there was never any shortage of water! I enjoyed eating fresh catfish from local farms but didn't know that there are cannibal catfish too...I hope that you can harvest all of yours!
All types of catfish are cannibals, if someone is hungry then he will attack catfish in one pond. Because time is very valuable, if it is not harvested immediately, the strong catfish will attack the weak catfish. The children at home really like catfish, even though I prefer Vegan food, that's why I raise my own catfish to maintain the healthy food I feed the catfish. Thank you for your prayers @ligayagardener
I'd like to grow catfish here. I remember restaurants in the Sumatran countryside having their own ponds and enclosures at the back of them. That was a long time ago though, in the eay 90s. Maybe things have changed.
catfish can also be cultivated in concrete ponds, catfish is a type of freshwater fish that is very easy to maintain even in ponds with limited oxygen @ligayagardener
A true and very recent event:
Me: So I just have to get all these bulbs in the ground before the ground freezes, right?
S: Yup.
Me: When does that usually happen here?
S: Mid December
Me: Great! So I have some time. I'll do it as soon as I get back next week.
HA!
Unseasonably frigid weather, down to the low 20's every single day for a few days, and by the time I got home, the entire yard was frozen solid down four inches. I pried the last of my daikon and shallots out of the ground, frozen, and made pickles. I believe I will give up on the still tiny carrots and beets out there.
I had experimented with garden fabric over hoops on one small bed of fall crops: rutabaga, carrots, mustard greens and napa cabbage. I'm happy to report that the ground in that contraption is still nice and soft, and everything in it still alive, although the mustard looks a bit wimpy. I'll give the carrots and rutabaga another week or two. Just in case, and because it is not frost hardy, I had harvested all the napa cabbage and stuffed a big bag of it in the fridge for kimchee when I got back.
We're supposed to get temperatures in the 40's this coming week, and I hope I can get the bulbs, garlic and shallots in the ground then.
What a load of BS that the planet will run out of food if we don't reduce the population. I'm pretty sure that, as I learn more and more about growing my own food, my tiny garden can produce a great deal of food. Add to that all the food that can be readily harvested in the wild, in the town parks, or in vacant lots full of weeds, and we can see that there is an abundance of food all around us. It is extremely important that we stop believing what TPTB tell us! They do not have our best interests in mind!
Grow your own!
I’m still hoping to plant out my tulip bulbs, but the rainy weather is not very inviting to go outside 🙈
As for the population, you are right that if we change our habits we can sustain the growth for a bit longer, but with exponential growth we will eventually run out of space. Not in our lives, but we will.
If we can change our food growing habits and local gardners and backyare growers can be supported to do just that, then we have a chance. The thing is we are just as susceptible to our crops being utterly decimated by insects, heat, cold, whatever - so we must rely on communities to sustain us going forward. And when those communities are fractured, then we have a problem.
I think what you call rutabaga we call swede? My favourite!
I've not gotten around to soil testing and with the temps in the teens and 20'sF at night, I'm hoping the well mulched gardens haven't frozen yet. My helper will be taking the samples on Friday, if it's not frozen.
I've harvested everything I'm going to with the exception of parsnips. They need to have some freezes to get sweeter. But if I leave them in the ground all winter, the critters will eat them all. So I'm hoping I can dig them in December...
Mulch! I am so behind the ball on this gardening thing. I always love your info too, very helpful! Question - the exposed carrots and beets are still quite alive, but small. Will they grow anymore? The ones under the fabric cover are doing nicely, almost big enough.
Once the soil drops below 50F there’s not much biology to support plants. Having said that, if I leave tiny oxalis plants in the ground over winter, I come out to good size plants in spring. It also depends on whether they get enough light.
I have never left things in the ground after November unless it’s parsnips because the critters will eat them or the ground will freeze down 1 - 2’. The parsnips I dig in December if I can before the ground freezes. They need to freeze to become sweeter.
Great info! Thanks!
What about Jerusalem artichokes? Do you grow those?
Yes, they grow wherever the voles leave the tubers in the garden.
At least you got pickles!
A general comment in response to climate change discourse... My sense as someone grown up immersed in the elements and in wild nature, and having experienced a significant healing in returning to earth and to conscious relationship with plants, medicine, natural law, is that our consciousness very much relates to weather and especially to extremes in weather. I've spoken about this on podcasts before, and don't want to go too deep into it here, as I know that there are many folks who have a relatively conventional relationship with weather and nature - meaning, seeing it as something separate and in opposition sometimes or all of the time, with us - but I know that our interbeing with elements, nature, natural law, cosmic intelligence and our conscious evolution have a lot to do with the weather unfolding.
Then there's geo-engineering, which has been confessed as an ongoing agenda, by multifarious govern-ments globally; the patriarchal thinking that uses chemical force to try and manipulate weather systems so that they can profit or control folks e.g. by forcing them off the land and into cities, is very relevant in this discussion.
I've even had an intuition in recent times, as I've felt this potent return to synchrony with elements, natural power, insects, plants, etc, that the weather 'forecast' which is pumped into homes via TV and internet, can have a lot to do with harnessing the collective imaginal realm, and manipulating it (whether intentionally or unintentionally) towards co-creating a particular outcome. Fear plays an enormous role in that.
An older friend told me a beautiful and illuminating story once, about his travels on the seas: somewhere far south I think, in a boat with several 'city folk' crew, and an indigenous man who was navigating for them in this particular area of the ocean... it was rainy season, and one evening the whole crew was inside, sheltering from the potent downpour. My friend went out to offer some refreshment to the navigator - and was astonished to see the rain hammering down on the deck all around this moving sailing boat - but a ring of completely dry with no rain touching this man! He Made a noise and the navigator was distracted, noticed my friend, and sort of started with surprise, apologised, made a gesture quickly, and then the rain filled the dry area where he had been sitting, and wet him. It all happened in a few seconds, but my friend was utterly flabbergasted, and it took years for him to get his head around what had actually happened.
I feel that our relationship with weather and elements can be mystical and co-creative, and that we are using our consciousness in an uncreative way by being in conflict with weather.
I could not agree more. And I love that sea faring story - you have such beautifully told little anecdotes Clare, that I'm sure I'll pinch versions of them for my fiction sometime without knowing it, as they have a way of gnawing at my brain in a delightful way.
Yes. Wild.
Here, everyone shifts from 'too hot' to 'too cold', 'too windy' - when it just is. I tend to smile and think to myself 'it is what it BEAUTIFULLY IS'. Except when it's really fricking windy and I can't surf bahahaha....
As for geoengineering weather, I have to contest that one. I have friends arguing that the Australian government has been cloud seeding here, but what is unbelievable about it is that there is not a sliver, not a SLIVER of evidence that would support that theory. They just are not clever enough to do it and nor would they be ABLE to hide it - every single scandal or evil thing they have done ALWAYS comes out in the end - there's always email trails, records, whistleblowers, ALWAYS. You can't tell me that they've managed to hide this one. And I cannot, just cannot, see the benefit - it's costly them bagillions in flood/disaster support so even if it was a plan, it's definitely backfired. Plus, we rely on weather to feed the population - no way would they jeopordise the crops/farmers here as our whole economy would collapse. So whilst she knowingly said 'oh yeah they are cloud seeding' and looked at me as if I was an idiot for thinking it was El Nina, the Tongan volcano and a few other geological/geographical/etc weather events all colliding to bring all this crazy, crazy rain, I couldn't help but back away from the conversation and leave her to it.
We DO have to work out ways to live WITH the weather in a non resisting, acceptig, moving forward kind of way, otherwise our collective energy is going to be truly fucked up about it.
@riverflows, it's good to hear that you have the same amount of faith in our government's abilities as I!
Pfft. Yeah. We had state elections and I did NOT enjoy voting today. Jamie doesn't have to as he's not a citizen.
It's a chore when we're not voting for the best but for the least worst
Thanks for your good comment, dear @riverflows ... Mmmm, in my studies, I've been made aware that there had been extensive disclosure on geoengineering: I'll share some links if I find them - though it hasn't been of interest to me recently, as I'm focussed more on solution than on the agenda. If you are not aware of the depopulation agenda, I'd rather not go into a big explanation of it here as it is incredibly complex and all-encompassing, but there is a wealth of info and evidence about it, through myriad sources, when one begins to join the dots. Just asking the questions about why, then why, then why some more leads to the answers and further questions in the right direction. It's hard to explain this when contrary arguments are being used to block areas that are full of new information.
In my experience, it's all about where our consciousness is focussed and whether that is isolating our ideas or expanding them - e.g. many folks still believe (even if they're dubious about the recent rolling out of weaponised 'medicine') that vaccines were originally designed to support our immune systems, when those of us who have done deep research are aware that it was always an agenda to interfere not only with our spiritual vision but our mental and emotional health, our instinct, and our capacity to function - pulling us further and further out of autonomy and health, and into co-dependence mentally and physically.
It all depends where our energy and focus is being put; into negating others, or into widening our view for all beings to benefit from. 🙏 It's possible for both realities to exist, but one reality is always going to be more panoramic than the other. The right information comes when we're ready for it, and it all joins all other information to give a crystal clear wholistic 'view' - not a static 'viewpoint' or 'opinion', but a conscious and living-breathing awareness of being in reality and co-creating it. Which ultimately I feel relates very much to weather and to the inalienable connectedness of our oneness with Gaia-Sophia. :-) Blessings.
I'm so sorry I didn't get back to you - life and a flood of comments at the time!
I totally agree with the panoramic view - oh, for an age where we all have a wholistic rather a divisive, stubborn view that fails to listen to others or consider new information!
As always, willing to listen :)
"I've even had an intuition in recent times, as I've felt this potent return to synchrony with elements, natural power, insects, plants, etc, that the weather 'forecast' which is pumped into homes via TV and internet, can have a lot to do with harnessing the collective imaginal realm, and manipulating it (whether intentionally or unintentionally) towards co-creating a particular outcome. Fear plays an enormous role in that". Well observed and expressed!
💖 Thank you for your supportive commet, dear @ligayagardener 🙏
The same thought crossed my mind as I glanced at weather forecast at the bottom of my laptop screen saying that sunset is about to happen. ‘Well, I can see that, looking out the window, why do you feel the need of telling me this?’ I said to my laptop and then pondered what is this weather forecast really about? We know that our minds are extremely powerful, but collective mind even more so, hence I agree that it can be used to obtain a certain effect, especially that most don’t even think of questioning.
You know my husband is ALWAYS checking the weather report. I'm like .. umm.. sun is out now? And if he asks me the weather it's all about wind direction and swell and tide for me as I need that for surfing 😂😂 I do hate that we have become too reliant on apps for bloody .... Existing!
I know, right? I never used to like watching sci-fi in the past, but I love it now. It’s basically showing us what the probable future is and the speed at which it is happening is accelerating. Some of them are truly scary scenarios
Edit… I noticed a little star next to my name on the comment. What does it mean?
I can't see the star - got a screenshot?
I love a good dystopian sci fi - can never get enough!
We’re so much alike! Can’t see the star anymore. How weird 😅
Beautiful thoughts, dear @fantagira - thank you for sharing this :-) Yes, I really object to my computer telling me anything like that - or correcting my text or suchlike, and have taken off all settings that suggest such things! Hehe - I love taking it apart, and getting back to us and Nature with no separation. 🌞
Couldn’t agree more! I need to turn this thing off too 😁
I started writing a comment but it kept on growing so now it is 2 upcoming posts!🤣
Been having a bit of a garden regig. Back on the posting very soon 🌱
lol...sometimes our gardens get in the way of our posting about them!
Been a long process and change recently 🙏🏽
It's just that, a process...
P.S. I love your account name. Is it from the 100th Monkey theory?
It sure is and we are so close 💯🐒
My Tomatoes Collapsed in Heavy Rain
It turns out that gardening is difficult and easy, and it also takes perseverance to take care of it. From the beginning of seedlings, planting, the composition of soil and compost, watering, application of fertilizers and insecticides (I use liquid organic fertilizers and artificial insecticides, Eco-Enzyme and Photosynthesis Bacteria that I made myself), sunlight intake, and like now taking care of the weather. uncertain.
Finally, I can imagine how my fellow planters in other parts of the world will face winter again this November. Surely many plants are frozen and need extra care or have given up on their garden and can only hibernate. I, who live in this tropical country, only face summer, even dry and rainy seasons like today. although, these few years I feel the earth is not doing well with the erratic weather. From the beginning of the year to the middle of the year we usually face summer but it is often accompanied by rain. And now at the end of the year, we are facing the rainy season, but during the day it is still scorching hot. Well, this is also one of the reasons I started learning to grow and use organic fertilizers.
Heavy rain and wind uprooted some of my plants. Previously, for the yard, I had installed a simple cottage like a greenhouse. However, because this is on the roof of the house, I haven't found a solution yet. I have planted this tomato for over a month and now it has flowered. However, the past few days where it rained heavily at night and finally caused my tomato tree to fall. Maybe, the anchor stake is too small for me to make.
I planted these tomatoes in containers and put them on the balcony and roof of the house, like my previous post, I don't have a large area except the yard. So I plant a lot using containers, and we call it a polybag here. Black plastic case.
I bred these tomatoes directly from rotten tomato seeds in the kitchen because I forgot to use them after they were cut. In late September, I started planting this and it produces a dozen trees now.
Some have flowered, and I hope they will soon bear fruit.
Previously, I planted these tomato seeds in one container, there were 3 seeds, which finally, after growing, they coincided. Yes, after this fall, I also moved several trees into one container each and put a stake in anticipation of falling again.
Damage from heavy rain and wind seem to be a problem everywhere! I'm glad your Tomatoes pulled through,
Can you tell me more about your photosynthetic bacteria?
Congratulations to the winners.
Thank you for the new challenge @riverflows.
I am enjoying reading the comments from all gardeners.
Here I have some photos but my page has got jammed for some reason
the account could not upload photos I will like to ask any smart person in the community can please give me guidance on how to solve that problem. It happened 2 days before still it is the same the notice come on the screen couldn't upload photos. If somebody helps me with this technical issue I am very glad about that and thank you in advance. Good luck with a challenge to all gardeners🙏😊
I have been watching the changes here on the farm for about 15 years now. The first change, besides more snow or no snow, was the increase in the tick population. When we moved onto the farm in 1983, we very seldom saw any ticks. Then we started seeing more of them, and then we started seeing lots of deer ticks. (Mind you, the deer have always been here...)
Then in 2008 I was reinfected with Lyme and it was very likely I was also in 1999.
Over the last 7 years we've gone from nearly constant rain in summer, to droughts lasting months. Summer temps have risen and remain high for longer periods.
Winters have moved to ending much warmer earlier. I was in the gardens on March 16th this year. This was March 2009:
This year, for the first time ever, I had daffodils and other bulbs up in November. Many plants are confused and are either flowering out of season or off and on all season, like the magnolia.
This year lots of juncos have arrived, far earlier than I remember. I wonder if they had a premonition of a bad winter like I did?
Two years ago I had a kale plant live all winter. Winters here get down to -25F for periods of 7 - 10 days in the depth of winter, every year. But we've not gone much below 0F for 2 years now and apparently that's enough for this kale.
Yes, I'd say climate change has us firmly in its grip...
That's crazy. You keep such good records that you can accurately say 'hey, this is DIFFERENT'. To not dip below 0 is just wild. I worry about the plants - hence why we need genetic diversity and plants that can cope wth this change.
When I listen to people from such a place where it usually gets -F and now everything is different, I understand better how the climate is changing rapidly.
Here we are seeing less rain every year and it's hampering the crop production vastly.
Daffodils in November? Wow! I had some annuals last year that managed to overwinter as there was no winter. My magnolia also flowers twice a year. All plants are rather confused indeed 😳
@antnn saw apple blossoms in November in France... it's like the end times!
Blimey! It has all gone bananas 😂😳😂
Thank you very much @riverflows for the price! It was a very beautiful encounter indeed and I am glad that I shared it with all of you :)
You're welcome. How's your weather going in Greece? HOt summer right? I guess you weren't in the garden so much as you were off having fun!
😍 Oooh, thank you soooo much @riverflows and Hive Garden! It was a beautiful pleasure to join in the conversation - a lovely topic! I really appreciate all the dialogue and our intimate sharings about experiences in our gardens 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
I personally invite @dehai to engage in this comment challenge... She is a certified gardener too💞🥰
Wow thank you for inviting @ciadanmea and believing my capacity as a gardener.
The rewards earned on this comment will go directly to the people( @riverflows ) sharing the post on Twitter as long as they are registered with @poshtoken. Sign up at https://hiveposh.com.
Congratulations @riverflows for initiating this challenge...