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The goldenrod flower (Solidago canadensis and/or S. virgaurea) always stands for the end of summer in my mind. Source of natural dyes, medicinal herb at one time, and falsely accused of causing hay fever (it doesn't,) this brilliant yellow flower is found all over the county here. Along roads, at the edges of woodlands, in fallow fields, and yes, even in some flower gardens. When it blooms, the frost is on the horizon, though not quite with us yet. It's blooming prolifically this year, too.
More to the point, last night, even though it's still August, our temperature got down to almost 41°F, within a stone's toss of freezing. And this afternoon, while driving home, I saw sumac and maple leaves starting to change colors. The weather has been so unexpectedly strange this year that it's hard to believe the summer is nearly over. The equinox is still three weeks away, for pete's sake. But there it is.
The vegetable garden is a near bust, one of the worst we've ever had. Other than an early flush of peas and lettuce, it has produced nothing. The heavy rains of June washed away seeds, or drowned the sprouts. Plants started indoors couldn't be set out early enough, and when they finally did get out there, then we had three weeks of cold, gloomy days followed by almost a solid month of no rain. My tomato plants are just starting to blossom now, and are a third the size they normally would be at this time. The eggplants have refused to grow, and though still alive, are the same size as when they were set out at the end of June. Pole beans have refused to climb their supports, and are loafing around at the bottom. Broccoli, okra, and kohlrabi simply disappeared. Either they didn't germinate or something got them shortly afterward. The Japanese beetles weren't quite as bad this year as last, or else it seemed that way because they found nothing to eat. Except of course, the apples. We had a fairly heavy crop this year, but the beetles ate the thin skinned varieties down to the core, just as they did last year. It looks as if we will have a few Spitzenberg, perhaps enough for one pie, and one or two Prairie Spy that survived the drought and the beetle blitz. Next year I'm going to give in and spray those trees.
We're still looking for hay, as well. Our supplier of the last ten years has decided to call it quits. He sold his equipment and isn't doing any hay this year. That's his right, but not telling us even after we had called and left repeated messages really wasn't fair. It has been a bad year for hay because of the rain, and I need at least 700 bales yet. No one seems to have any around here. This could be a big problem.
Still, the goldenrod is pretty even if it does foretell falling leaves and temperatures. I will enjoy it while it is blooming.
More to the point, last night, even though it's still August, our temperature got down to almost 41°F, within a stone's toss of freezing. And this afternoon, while driving home, I saw sumac and maple leaves starting to change colors. The weather has been so unexpectedly strange this year that it's hard to believe the summer is nearly over. The equinox is still three weeks away, for pete's sake. But there it is.The vegetable garden is a near bust, one of the worst we've ever had. Other than an early flush of peas and lettuce, it has produced nothing. The heavy rains of June washed away seeds, or drowned the sprouts. Plants started indoors couldn't be set out early enough, and when they finally did get out there, then we had three weeks of cold, gloomy days followed by almost a solid month of no rain. My tomato plants are just starting to blossom now, and are a third the size they normally would be at this time. The eggplants have refused to grow, and though still alive, are the same size as when they were set out at the end of June. Pole beans have refused to climb their supports, and are loafing around at the bottom. Broccoli, okra, and kohlrabi simply disappeared. Either they didn't germinate or something got them shortly afterward. The Japanese beetles weren't quite as bad this year as last, or else it seemed that way because they found nothing to eat. Except of course, the apples. We had a fairly heavy crop this year, but the beetles ate the thin skinned varieties down to the core, just as they did last year. It looks as if we will have a few Spitzenberg, perhaps enough for one pie, and one or two Prairie Spy that survived the drought and the beetle blitz. Next year I'm going to give in and spray those trees.
We're still looking for hay, as well. Our supplier of the last ten years has decided to call it quits. He sold his equipment and isn't doing any hay this year. That's his right, but not telling us even after we had called and left repeated messages really wasn't fair. It has been a bad year for hay because of the rain, and I need at least 700 bales yet. No one seems to have any around here. This could be a big problem.
Still, the goldenrod is pretty even if it does foretell falling leaves and temperatures. I will enjoy it while it is blooming.
