Friday, July 10, 2015
Bad for humans, good for plants
The long hot spell, which fake-broke a few days ago and finally truly broke today, has been hard on people and dogs and squirrels.
Before the heat, I was on a roll with electronics and programming. The electronic stuff is purely for my own enjoyment; the software may be useful to someone else.
After the heat slammed in, my creative impulse disappeared. Even with AC, my brain knows it's hot and slows down. Can't get the OH BOY! ASTABLE MULTIVIBRATORS! MY FAVORITE! feeling unless my ambient temp is < 68F.
This rosebush begs to differ. Last winter was cold at the wrong times and mainly dry, and the bush faded badly. Now it's putting out all sorts of brand-new growth. OH BOY! SUN! MY FAVORITE!
Urban farmers a couple blocks south of here have been working their property for two or three years, with unimpressive results before now. Looked like a failure. Not any more! Suddenly they have rows and rows of TALL healthy sunflowers, corn, tomatoes, beans, and fruit trees. They're going to have a good payoff at harvest time.
Later insertion: Commercial orchards are also gaining, with early harvests of huge fruit.
Trees along Hoffman St are showing the same sudden vigor.
The crucial variable: Any plant that had WATER during this hot dry period is in splendid condition. Plants that DIDN'T get artificial irrigation are not so good. Trees and grass will be OK but more delicate plants are in trouble.
= = = = =
Update 12:20 AM 7/11:
OH BOY! RAIN! MY FAVORITE!
Long steady rain without any floods or lightning or wind. THANK YOU, weather gods!
[[[ SerenGIFity: I didn't animate Happystar's mouth. He decided on his own to gobble up some of the raindrops! ]]]
= = = = =
Update 2PM 7/11: Amazing. Temp today never got above 65. Ma Nature decided to fool the Weather Bureau, which had been predicting 84 or so. To show how dramatic this is, here's an Excel of the max and min temps for June and July up to today. June started out normal, then the first hot blob hit, then back to above normal, then the second hot blob hit.... including the hottest day since 1961 .... then today.
This rosebush begs to differ. Last winter was cold at the wrong times and mainly dry, and the bush faded badly. Now it's putting out all sorts of brand-new growth. OH BOY! SUN! MY FAVORITE!
Urban farmers a couple blocks south of here have been working their property for two or three years, with unimpressive results before now. Looked like a failure. Not any more! Suddenly they have rows and rows of TALL healthy sunflowers, corn, tomatoes, beans, and fruit trees. They're going to have a good payoff at harvest time.
Later insertion: Commercial orchards are also gaining, with early harvests of huge fruit.
Trees along Hoffman St are showing the same sudden vigor.
The crucial variable: Any plant that had WATER during this hot dry period is in splendid condition. Plants that DIDN'T get artificial irrigation are not so good. Trees and grass will be OK but more delicate plants are in trouble.
= = = = =
Update 12:20 AM 7/11:
OH BOY! RAIN! MY FAVORITE!
Long steady rain without any floods or lightning or wind. THANK YOU, weather gods!
[[[ SerenGIFity: I didn't animate Happystar's mouth. He decided on his own to gobble up some of the raindrops! ]]]
= = = = =
Update 2PM 7/11: Amazing. Temp today never got above 65. Ma Nature decided to fool the Weather Bureau, which had been predicting 84 or so. To show how dramatic this is, here's an Excel of the max and min temps for June and July up to today. June started out normal, then the first hot blob hit, then back to above normal, then the second hot blob hit.... including the hottest day since 1961 .... then today.
Labels: coot-proofing, Smarty-plants
¶ 4:52 PM
