June First - downpour

This time of year usually finds us basking in hot, sunny weather. We're usually irrigating the garden by now, and the warm-weather plants are usually on their way. Usually. This year has been an exceptionally wet spring. Good news is that it ended a three-year drought. Our water reservoirs and snow packs are all looking very well stocked. The trouble is many of us like the hot weather for which this area is known. Some things in the garden will be delayed or diminished. My white peach tree could be counted on for ripe fruit by July 4, but this year that timeline will definitely be delayed. On the other hand, some plants in the garden prefer this weather, especially the raspberries, which have produced quite well so far, and look like they will continue. Having a diversity of plants and microclimates in the garden is important when the weather is not "normal."

June 1, 2011 downpour

Today we had a big downpour, hail mixed with rain, thunder, rainbow. Last week we had all that plus a small tornado or two touching down out in the less populated area.
All this rain means water for the garden. This has become my mantra. Still, we are looking to be outside, sitting under our big shade tree, sipping refreshing beverages, and watching the resident hummingbird work the abutilon blossoms, rather than observing from inside.

At least I know my seeds and seedlings are being watered (some of the seedlings were battered by hail but many have survived). It will be an interesting season.

Rainy weather and planting blueberries

The weather took a turn toward cold, wet storms, with plenty of wind. It has been going on like this for weeks. The sun is a distant memory. On days when we've had a break in the downpours and howling wind, I've been able to get a little gardening done. I've been doing some weeding, mulching, observing the progress of various plants - red currants, gooseberries, black currants, raspberries, honeyberry - all of which are doing great in this type of weather. The blueberry plants are pushing out new growth, and in a moment of splurging I ordered eight more blueberry plants, which I managed to get into the ground and mulched with pine needles.  I'm not exactly sure how many blueberry plants I had already planted before these eight, but it could be a dozen. I've been working on building up my shrub layer, and the blueberries seemed a good shrub to increase in number. The berries are delicious and I have a good source of pine needles to use for a nice acidic mulch. The plants are also attractive once they get a little mass to them.

The cold and wet weather is  likely to continue for several more days, longer perhaps, so it is a good time to plant such things.

Blueberry plant with pine needle mulch.