Here we are again… again.
I am going into this a third time with little expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I have high hopes but I’m a realist on expectation. While I would love to write a blog that others find useful, I am going to settle for something that lets me keep a record for myself of the property as it develops. It would be nice to think next year I can look back at this year and compare how far things have come and or draw on experience already gained. First goal however is to get this to next week.
We have just come off the back of a hot week. With five or so days above 35 degrees I have spent the last couple watering and mowing. Watering is self-explanatory, and while the grass would be happier to be left long there is a healthy crop of weed seed heads that need to be mown down. They can also get caught in the sprinklers stopping them from turning, and with 6hr watering shifts often at night, one of those can muck things up properly.
I was surprised to see that even with the hot weather there are still fresh growing tips on many of the trees. This is unusual for January with things usually fizzling out around later November. It has been a cooler lead into summer which has helped with only one hot north-westerly so far. These usually fry the growing tips and then that’s it for the year.
I also think that my efforts to stick to my fortnightly watering schedule, our blanket watering style, and the size of the trees have started to create a micro-climate in some parts of the garden. I have no measurements to back this up yet, but the eastern tree block is noticeably more protected from the f#%*ing incessant wind (apologies, it’s a sore point) with good shade and what feels like higher humidity. If the trees can have warm humid leaves and damp roots they should continue growing like weeds.
I still must mow the eastern tree block in the coming days as it is where the pipes already were from the last round of watering. I am not looking forward to it as the Pin Oaks continue to send their branches to the ground from where they slap me in the head as I attempt to mow under them. I hope to get the last laugh, but I am reluctant to prune the lower branches up while the trees are so actively in growth. Waiting to winter would be best but I am not sure my pride can make it that far.
I have the sprinklers running during the day today as there is stronger winds forecast in the coming days. I will need to move them again this evening, hopefully getting two full shifts in today if I can stay up late enough. I might mow the ‘fancy’ lawn later but otherwise I’m inside attempting to work for the rest of the day.