Weather on repeat

 We had the AC on all night last night because it was miserable inside the apartment despite it being in the 70's after dark. I heard the manager reprimand someone, maybe one of the gardeners using a hose that it wasn't necessary and water was expensive.. So that got me thinking.

Yes it got that hot two days in a row.

Anyway, I was pulling the  hose out a few days ago and then when I put it back the ancient weather beaten door came off the overhead track. I couldn't figure it out so I left it mostly closed but hanging by one set of wheels. So then when I heard about the water issue I realized I was using gallons and gallons of water when it wasn't necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I grabbed one of the gallon water jugs and used the other hose to fill it up and do that for watering. I'm using maybe only six gallons of water between the raised bed and the poor oregano. Really going to have to dig that out and let it restart again. It's been surviving on minimal or no water and shows it. 

The tomato has flowers, maybe one tiny little fruit started but if I can't keep it watered it'll likely abort. It needs to be another foot or two taller than this to be mature with fruit. Tomatoes love well draining but moist soil and that's not happening often enough. Will try and get out tomorrow evening and give it and the onions (also not growing a whole lot in this heat) another dousing.

Figured the tomato would do really good being a slicer but just did a little more research and there you have it....  it's a spring/fall crop not midsummer. Might as well just rip it out at this point. It's not growing because it's too hot. Dangit! I should have done more research on that one on the spot. I would have picked out a different one for sure.

Frustrating for sure, the AI answer said it can be planted in June/July... NOT in San Diego and I made a point of putting that in the search. With our weather this needed to be planted next month maybe. 

So heat and more heat and that's about it. Not going to expect any fruit off that bush any time soon.... 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                

Well the heat has been brutal

 Almost killed the tomato. It doesn't get comfortable to be outside until almost dark and not going to water the garden then. 

 That's what it's been like. Luckily the soil is holding moisture a lot better so it wasn't too stressed out and I was able to get out day before yesterday and get it soaked again. It's kind of hazy overcast today which only means it's not nearly as hot but a bit more oppressive. 

Lost the tip of one of the branches which looked like it was laying on the hot metal of the cage. And actually it was starting to flower so nipped those buds off. Why do they do that? No where big enough for fruiting properly and being a total teenager about it. So it is all much happier now and still alive. 

This was yesterday, figured I should get out and water again, unhooked the other hose and then dug around with the trowel. Nope. Soil still has enough moisture and tomorrow I may not be able to water so Saturday it is for watering again. Still haven't planted anything else because it's been too hot and I've been preoccupied with other things. 

 

Gorgeous sunset the other day. All pink and purple and blue, ignore the spots in the sky, those aren't planes or anything just bugs caught on the screen. Jacaranda is still in bloom as well, hummingbirds and bees are taking advantage of it all day.  

People have been noticing that trees and flowers that normally don't bloom this late are in fact blooming. Jacarandas typically in San Diego bloom anywhere from March through May with peak around May. But here it is mid-August and it started blooming at the beginning of the month. Like it's switching the calendar since it is a southern hemisphere tree, our summer/fall is their winter/spring. Global warming and all that wreaking havoc on plants and animals.

More news when it happens. 

 

 

Not much to report

 Tomato hasn't died, the soil is retaining water despite it being in the mid 90's for the last three days. In facr, it's growing rather well. As it should.

I actually think it's gained an inch. It was hardly wilted at all when I went out late in the day to water. The soil was dry but not too bad. These pictures are from the day after I watered and two days of 95-96 degree heat. So I guess all the bed needed was more compost and some fertilizer to hold onto the water.  I didn't even go down to check on it today, I'm that confident it's perfectly fine.

A lone, small green feather from one of the parrots had drifted onto the soil. I put it with the larger black feather from a crow I have on the crate 'table'. The parrots are making their regular migrations in the morning and evening still, it's that time of year. Crows are being more noisy, I heard a Mourning Dove the other day but only briefly. The heat is keeping the birds quiet because, it's just too hot to do anything but sit somewhere shady. It's also not breeding or migration time for most. 

I love spring and late fall. Perfect time of year, not too cold, not too hot (usually) birds are making noise, but the garden slows down then as well. I'm really hoping that tomato gives me so good fruit in another few weeks. If it's a good producer I'm going to start growing that one instead of Roma, hard to give up on Roma but I really like slicing tomatoes for sandwiches instead. I can buy Romas at the store for doing pico salsa and things. 

Have I planted any beans on the fence? Nope. I really need to ditch all the seeds I have and start from scratch again but now it's too late in the season other than nurseries for buying seeds.  One of the people in the garden group posted a picture of 20 some odd packs of seeds they picked up at their local Dollar Tree that were selling for a penny. Of course my local one had nothing left in summer garden stuff. Have to go check the library I suppose.

Hoping for a hose replacement either for birthday or Christmas, still hauling it out every time I have to water and now have my designated 'garden pants' (previous pair of jeans). I was considering getting a watering can and still might do that next month. 

So that's it, another update when something happens I suppose.