The Weather Is Breaking

The current temperature registers at 48 degrees Fahrenheit. There are the usual changes that one comes to expect from this time of year; they are there, I won't mention them. I planted about 60 acorns two weeks ago. The reason I did so is because I planted about 10 acorns last year with considerable success. Squirrels plant acorns all of the time, it seems, and their success rates are remarkable for assisting with reforestation efforts. I split up quite a few of my Bee Balm plants, in the past few weeks. I was really quite delighted to be engaged in such a process. I noticed that the Bumblebees truly enjoyed my Bee Balm plants at the beginning of the summer. The flowers expired pretty much by the end of June, and the Bumblebees found other places in the area to get their nectar thereafter. Only yesterday had I seen a single Bumblebee visit my Marigolds, it had been nearly two months consisting in zero sightings of the black and yellow colored flying friendlies. And, with every passing year I am learning more and more about the cultivation of grapevines. Growing grapes is quite specifically about practicing patience, at least it is in the early years. This endeavor is many things, but patience is central, especially when trying to learn the skill of propagation from cuttings. It also is a practice of cultivating patience because grapevines do go through a period of adolescence; they have to grow up, in other words. Therefore, a good bit of my thoughts about my grapevines centers on watching how much they might have grown in a month's time, or over the course of a summer. More words to come in the future. Feeling a little sleepy right now. Positive signs, though. Lots of good has come this year. It is no wonder that such an American holiday as 'Thanksgiving' exists. There is much to be grateful for, especially after a growing season. - Cheers!

Sunflowers Summer 2013

Quick update on a few sunflowers I started from seed. I believe these are Dwarf Sunflowers. Finally they took to blossoming in late July. They are little reminders of joy. For some reason, there is such a feeling of satisfaction I have whenever I can bring Sunflowers all the way to flowering during a growing season. And to be honest, I actually think they are very difficult to grow. How they do it so well in South and North Dakota and Ohio, and anywhere else, with their vast fields of standing Sunflowers, it is beyond me, but I absolutely love happening upon a field of sunflowers in bloom.

The grapevines are growing really well. Still trying to track down a parcel of land, but I worry not. It will happen in its own time. I actually thought I lost one of my Frontenac vines, but in the past 3 weeks two sprouts began to grow up from the surrounding soil where the old dead wood still protrudes from the hole that I planted it in last October 2012. Feels like such a victory to still pull off a recovery with all seemingly lost with this particular vine. Once again, I am a proud papa. Learning tonnes about using Kelp concentrates, Effective Microorganisms, etc., for my soils. Lots of perennials growing this year, which means I can split some and spread them about in smaller clumps. Design shall ensue. This has also been a pretty dramatic departure of a summer from the summer of 2012 with its limited moisture content, and extreme heat temperatures. On few occasions have we had temperatures nearing even 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Currently, the area where I live is reporting a total, thus far, of 32.14 inches of rain. That is a little over 5.5 inches of rain above the average that this area typically receives in a given year by this date. The rain slowed a bit during most of June, but the rains seem to have returned in the last three weeks. I actually cut the grass at my apartment once a week. I did so yesterday and was taken aback by how much I had to cut. Lots of growth in a mere 7 days time. Just as well, I feel better at the art of patience in gardening. Maybe most of that is because I am focusing more on root development. Trying to get perennials going from seed maybe projects a gardener into such fixations, and perhaps that isn't such a bad thing. My Common Milkweed did return this year from last year, but it still didn't put out its flowers. They grew tall and mighty, but still nothing in the way of seed. That doesn't bother me so much because I know I have the roots, and that means I have a growing season for Summer 2014, barring any extreme change in the rhythm of my heart.

Precipitation? Where have you been all of our life?

Here are a few interesting facts about this years' Precipitation tally, as presented by www.wunderground.com:   To date, the area of Columbia, Missouri has received 16.92 inches of total precipitation, either in the way of snow or rain.  The average amount of precipitation we typically receive is 11.23 inches, by now (as of April 29, 2013).    Thus far, in the month of April 2013, we have received 7.39 inches of rain.  A typical April yields, on average, 4.15 inches of rain.    I drove over the Missouri River by Chesterfield last week and the waters are up and back to 'normal'.  When I drove over the bridge in January 2013, the levels were shockingly low.  I am absolutely amazed and grateful for the change.  Curious how the weather patterns will unfold into June and July.    Been checking on my grapevines at the apartment and bud break is occurring this week, has happened with several of the varietals, actually.  Same with the Hops vines.  Haven't done much digging and cleaning of the garden at my apartment (what I would call 'suburbanification') because I have been reading quite a bit lately on no-till farming and how it helps a soil system stay intact, prevents erosion, etc.  I'll have to do some digging soon, as I have a lot of green leafy plants to transplant soon.  However, there is a prediction of a low of 30 degrees Fahrenheit sometime this upcoming week.  Today is predicted to have a high of over 80 degrees Fahrenheit.    Spring is here, to an extent.  It is still late April, to be honest, temps continue their flirting with the frost/freeze range.  I am a bit sad that my Joe Pye Weed isn't returning this year.  That's a huge loss to my sense of joy in the garden.  I absolutely love Joe Pye Weed, I know the bees do, also.  But, I do have many, many perennials popping up and returning, once again.  I still don't know how to identify Ironweed or Common Milkweed, just yet, at least, not as young plants.  I know it will be a very colorful spring and summer with the Monarda and Bee Balm in bloom.    I should be able to harvest lots of Kale, Collards seeds, maybe even Kohlrabi and Broccoli seeds later this summer.  Fingers crossed.   I had some Hard Red Winter Wheat growing in my community garden plot, on the edge of it, actually, and during the supposed 'Spring Clean-Up Party', someone took the lawn mower and cut it down.  I am not too pleased, but whaddya gonna do?  At least I still have some growing at the apartment.  It was a learning experience to grow Wheat for the first time, for that, I am grateful.   Funny thing I discovered recently at the community garden.  My immediate neighbor who has a plot to my eastern edge, he and I were at the garden at the same time (very uncanny) two weeks back.  Got to talking, I was pruning my grapevines, he was assessing and possibly planting seed/broadcasting, etc.  He told me a buddy of his just bought a vineyard along the Missouri river.  Fascinating how serendipity says hello in life.  We'll see how things go over time.   

Degrees. Celsius. Fahrenheit. Jan 14, 2013 Monday

The current temperature is 10 degrees Fahrenheit.  That is -12.222 Celsius. 

Date:  Jan 14, 2013.  Time:  4:45AM.

Pretty cold, for this winter. 

The coldest temperature that we registered in this region was 9 degrees Fahrenheit.  A few weeks ago.

-  Update