Morning Light: The Fetchland Gardening Wire

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Rosehip Aug 2022 8:11pm, 15 Aug 2022 26,117 posts	0 Rosehip Most of the rain we were promised including the thunderstorms and flash flood warnings have disappeared from the forcast. I’ve watered the veg , but the rest of the garden is looking v sorry for itself, never seen crocosmia turn to straw before and the shrubs and little trees are dropping crispy leaves like it’s autumn
Hanneke Aug 2022 8:13pm, 15 Aug 2022 91,891 posts	0 Hanneke Garfield, I am so relieved we had some meaningful rain at last. Just not having the sun beating down all day for a change helps as well, as do lower temperatures. It has stopped raining again but we had 45 minutes of a good soak so at least I won't have to water for a day or two... I am hoping to prep an area of tall grass to plant my lavenders, rosemaries, thymes and sages. They are not looking very happy! Got them before the last heat wave and tried keeping them alive in a trough and trays...
Hanneke Aug 2022 8:15pm, 15 Aug 2022 91,892 posts	0 Hanneke Rosehip, same here up until now. Crocosmia likes it dry but they have turned to a crisp and fallen over. Trees have gone into defence mode and are changing cour and dropping leaves. My old yew is looking VERY poorly... But suspect it will survive as they always do... Never seen it drop brown, shrivelled growth tips though...
rf_fozzy Aug 2022 10:20pm, 15 Aug 2022 17,993 posts	0 rf_fozzy Anyone tried a hotbox composter?
rf_fozzy Aug 2022 10:20pm, 15 Aug 2022 17,994 posts	0 rf_fozzy hotbincomposting.com For example.
D2 Aug 2022 10:28pm, 15 Aug 2022 12,651 posts	0 D2 I live in more or less the centre of our landmass and we frequently get dry summers but I've never seen it quite like this. All of my apple tree's leaves are wilting and even deep rooted "weeds" in the fields are dying. I have been saving water where I can and putting it on my vegetable garden but the runner beans are just dropping of the stalks, I assume its just too hot even though i have watered them. Its all very sad.
Rosehip Aug 2022 10:49pm, 15 Aug 2022 26,120 posts	0 Rosehip Anyone tried a hotbox composter? No, but I was thinking of getting one as they are supposed to work well But didn’t need one need one this year - my active ‘Darlek’ was ~ 60c last time I measured it! One of mum’s near neighbours had hers catch alight and set fire to her fence last month.
Hanneke Aug 2022 10:59pm, 15 Aug 2022 91,931 posts	0 Hanneke And that is why you need to water them in dry weather, or you get the combusting hay stack effect... D2 my peas did the same as my beans and yours. Only the borlotti's doing well. Courgettes are useless as I haven't watered them... Tromboncinos and kuri squashes however are doing their thing, allbeit slowly. All leafy stuff has been going to seed. Now that we have had some rain, I shall try aome more lettuce, spinach and curly kale and cavo nero tomorrow but will start them off in seed trays, so I can put them in the shade if need be then plant out when they are a decent size. My soil is hard and cracked so no direct sowing possible...
Hanneke Aug 2022 11:00pm, 15 Aug 2022 91,932 posts	0 Hanneke I really need to put my winter veg in, including some leeks, or I have nothing to eat this winter.. apart from tiny squashes... At least my tomatoes are romping ahead...
Fragile Do Not Bend Aug 2022 11:01pm, 15 Aug 2022 10,050 posts	0 Fragile Do Not Bend Anyone tried a hotbox composter? No, but I was thinking of getting one as they are supposed to work well But didn’t need one need one this year - my active ‘Darlek’ was ~ 60c last time I measured it! One of mum’s near neighbours had hers catch alight and set fire to her fence last month. Flipping hell 😳 My compost bins never get particularly warm which appears to be fortunate this year!