It's a dangerous time of year.

Sort of garden related, I have to say some things:

 We have had no significant rain for over six months. The Los Angeles area is currently a flaming apocalyptic disaster area. Three major fires and a fourth smaller one has devastated miles and miles of homes, many of them are acting people from movies and tv. Canada and Mexico have come across the borders to help on the ground and in the air. Canada has sent water tanker planes, some of their largest, and Mexico has sent ground crews. 

 

It is sad to see so much destruction and yet there are still people who insist that it's not climate change. When we haven't had significant rainfall and everything is tinder dry brush and then it's Santa Ana conditions which means that wild winds are pushing the flames faster than imaginable. 

This is garden related because it has to do with weather, water and how it affects our gardens and the world when a disaster of this size strikes. It is possible that these fires were intentionally set but they are not ruling out wind whipped trees and power lines as the culprit.  It is still windy and dry in my corner of the state as well and in the garden group someone noted this and said, 'DON'T ANYONE LIGHT ANYTHING! NO BARBECUES OR FIREPITS!'  IF a fire started in the hills near me, it would be instant evacuation for sure.

Okay enough of the disaster, I have my own smaller problems to deal.  

 Not once, but twice I have been assaulted by critters. I held off watering because it didn't really need it. Well that's just asking for an invite so obviously that didn't work. The two garlic are still sending up a shoot but no roots and there's maybe three or four radishes left. 

I managed to block one end with wood and used the other piece of wire mesh for the other end. I may reverse this or get my wire cutters out tomorrow and snip that piece in half. No disturbance today that I could see so it held up so far. 

Potatoes are okay although there was a hole dug near the potato that got mangled. No new growth above ground of the other potato that I marked with a stick. Cilantro is doing fine. I stopped at the library to see if they had any seeds I could use but all they had were summer vegetables that I did not have room for. Even artichokes...from seeds which means it will be a few years before the plant is big enough to flower. If I had the bed room I would put one in but it's a perennial and is huge. I know, my sister in law grew two of them in a 3x4 spot. Of course, I have run out of money for soil, as usual. I will not plant anything more in that raised bed until I can get more soil, no matter how good the weather is. There's no room left for roots, that soil is almost on top of the logs on the bottom as it is. 

The wind has pulled down this longer branch from the trumpet vines. It will need a zip tie or something to hold it onto that cross beam. I hope the gardeners don't decide it needs to be cut before I can get out and tie it up again. 

Okay running out of time for typing. I took a short video of the bird of paradise in the background being slapped by the wind. It was rather humorous really, slap, slap, slap,slap.... 

Stay safe and keep watering!