Monday 16 July 2012

Rainwater and Nitrogen

We've had torrential rains for a few days with plenty of nitrogen fixing electrical storms. The combination of it all has stimulated the garden into stunning growth!  This is what I woke to this morning...



The brassicas quite literally outgrew the confines of the row covers *in 2 days*.  The covers won't fit over the rows!  

Ripe raspberries just washed with rain water


puddles


Crimson Sweet melon blossoms

the first sunny calendula 

toppled favas 

crisp chard

tender lettuce

succulent Red Russian Kale

It's a jungle out there now!

Hollyhock blooms are on their way


battered roses

drenched feeders

overgrown greenhouse

drips and drops


and misty air

 berries, too

makings for salve

lush squash and potato plants and a happy kitty...

sopping wet annuals


with droopy flowers

small wild tomatoes  (just a few)


and weeds gone WILD


I've got my work cut out for me this week...  If I'm not back in a few days, send help!

XO



11 comments:

  1. You are richly blessed! Everything looks so lush! Good luck with all your work! love,andrea

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  2. It is incredible how everything has grown. We could do with a bit of sun here to have the same effect. Our plants seem stunted and in suspended animation. You have a lot of work to do - good luck!

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  3. Yours is looknig a lot better than mine! Some great photos in there as well!

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  4. I know there's a lot of 'scientific' debate on lightening and nitrogen, but I'm with you. When you see this sort of growth, there is no denying the effects. Looking fantastic and I look forward to seeing your hollyhock.

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  5. Wow! That's some rain. Your garden looks enormously lush Sherri!

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  6. I know how you feel...we have had that sort of rain too and i can't believe the weeds! Your crop is just outstanding though!!

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  7. gorgeous! I love what rain can do to perk everything up!

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  8. I know it can create havoc sometimes, but I love a good lightning and thunder storm. I'll drop everything to just stand under cover and watch them, and we get spectacular summer storms where I live.

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  9. How I miss good-going electrical storms - Scotland doesn't go in for such excesses! You may need help with the weeds and harvesting that amazing crop, but you WONT need anyone to send food parcels...

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  10. LOL, don't let those weeds swallow you whole!! Such amazing growth - can't get over the jungle in your greenhouse, too. I know you have a short growing season, but it sure does seem like your plants adjust to that and grow faster somehow :) My raspberries are just starting to flower, but yours already have ripened fruit!
    -Jaime

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  11. You know, I've wondered about that, Jaime... It's shocking how fast plants grow here! It's quite the feat considering how short our season is (we are lucky to have 4 months of frost free nights).

    I spent 4 hours weeding and tied up the favas yesterday. The brassicas are a lost cause as I can't get the row covers to fit over the plants no matter how hard I try. Can you believe it? I'm going to loose that entire lush crop to the cabbage moth larvae - the moths are ALL over the plants.

    I sit here now, awake in the middle of the night amid the thunderous noise of yet another lightening storm... wonder what I'll wake up to in the garden tomorrow morning?

    Thank you all for the lovely comments - so nice to read them!

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