Time for a change
Late May and early June is a manic time in the garden.
Although I have planted out lots of annuals, there are plenty more to go out.
The process is delayed because of spring bulbs that have to have time to start
to die back before I lift them to dry off. My two raised beds for bulbs in
spring and annuals in summer have been waiting for attention but the recent dry
weather has helped the tulips die back so the time had come. These beds are
filled with rather stony soil that was imported to fill all the raised beds and
it suits the bulbs very well. But it is very well drained in summer. I have
some annuals, including zinnias ready to go in here, mainly to provide some cut
flowers which I am selling to raise money for charity. But the time is not
right. The soil is dust-dry and I would have to water daily to just keep them
alive. And these beds are just beyond the reach of the hose. I could connect
another hose to extend it but until I find out the sadist that decided to label
my hose ‘non-kink’, and I get the chance to shove it ‘where the sun ‘don’t
shine’, I would prefer not to give myself the heartache of battling with the
yellow monster that is dedicated to making my life a misery and a quick job
into a chore that almost reduces me to tears. It is easier to keep the
seedlings alive in their trays for now until some rain is forecast.
I have a few echeverias that I have been propagating from
leaf cuttings and never quite sure what to do with. I put some in a fancy pot
and left them outside over winter, beside the house where they got little
winter rainfall and they survived quite well. These other young plants were
kept in the greenhouse, which is unheated, and they were kept quite dry. I had
to do something with them so decided to put some in the strawberry pot. The
strawberries were either not looking happy or were dead and, as I expected,
when I tipped out the compost it was full of vine weevil larvae or pupae. I
hope the birds, that otherwise eat fatballs and peanuts, had a rummage in the
compost I spread out, and found the little horrors. I am not sure if I like the
look or not, but here they will stay for summer.
Of course, echeverias are prone to vine weevil damage too but I changed all the compost and I will look
out for the adults in summer.
Meanwhile, it really feels like summer now that the waterlilies have started to bloom. Every single flower is welcome and makes me so happy – they are surely among the most beautiful of flowers.
The Biking Gardener 
Waterlilies are definitely one of the most beautiful flowers. I don’t have a pond so I grow dahlias which have the shape of waterlilies!
When is the rain coming??? I find it hard to convince myself to wait to transplant all my seedlings but reading your post will give me patience. My rock hard clay ground is not very attractive but there’s some moisture underneath.
I fear hose watering for a good part of the garden will be required before the rain actually falls. Should I wait for sign of distress before I take the yellow monster out or just water in anticipation?
It is a problem. I am fortunate that we are not on mains water. Being on a well has disadvantages but it does allow me to water without too much guilt – just the worry that it may run out! It looks as though rain is some time away. I am making sure all the plants are being fed to keep them healthy and growing. A few plants have been potted on to keep them growing strongly too. I am planting a few plants out and will have to water today to keep things alive, first thing while it is still overcast. Waterlily dahlias are my favourite of all.
The weather has been so hot of late and the garden here has dried out remarkably quickly. I fear for the plants – and the gardener – if this continues through the summer.
Just been out watering again to keep the new plantings alive – established plants must look after themselves at the moment but even some of them are unhappy. But there is a limit to what can be watered!
I agree with you about the waterlilies, makes me wish I had a pond…