All hail June!
I was thinking about the seed bank users and gardeners in the Oldmeldrum area yesterday when your weather hit the news. A couple of inches of hail fell in what looked like just a few minutes and I’m sure wreaked havoc on your veg patches. This year really has been a challenge to all veg growers - not just those starting out. I’ve been doing this for most of my life and this year it’s been incredibly challenging to keep seedlings going because the weather has been so unseasonal.
Don’t lose heart! We can still have good crops from our veg patches even if we have lost a few things. It’s not too late to restart peas and beans and you can put in more lettuces right through the year. If you’re worried about more weather damage you can pop some netting over things to offer some protection but do make sure you check it regularly in case it’s getting heavy with water (or hail!)
When the weather plays tricks on me like this I try to focus on the other bits of Plot 9 that give me joy. I remind myself that it’s not always about the crop or the long term outcome but it’s also about being outside with a purpose. Even if I only manage a couple of trips down there a week I still take the time to have a sit and listen to the birds and take deep breaths and calm my mind.
In a world that seems to be racing away with a thousand things to do it’s good to stop now and again and just do nothing. The seeds and weeds will grow no matter what and sometimes it’s just good to let ourselves stop and do nothing. Ten minutes that can make all the difference.
I hope that Flamin’ June isn’t making you all curse too much. The sun is always coming over the hill.
Tip for mid-June! Lots of folk in your area probably have extra seedlings that they don’t know what to do with. Why not post in your local facebook group for a seedling swap? You can get together at a set time and location and swap your excess. No point in wasting good seedlings.