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Monday, May 7, 2012

WE GOT RAIN AND MORE


If you were lucky enough to get rain on Saturday night, as we did in Central Texas, then you will already be noticing a big difference in your gardens. It wasn't just due to the big drink of water they had but to what was in the water.


For one thing we had quite and electrical storm and it went on and on for over 2 hours. Those nitrogen molecules created by the storm combined with the hydrogen in the water and gave the plants a much needed shot of fertilizer. Also the rain picked up dust, containing trace elements and micro organisms, which gave an additional boost to the soil.


Like them or not the pink evening primroses, Oenothera speciosa, are clearly here to stay. I love it when they drape over the pathways.


And the chocolate daisy, Berlandiera lyrata, that I am so longing to cut back just won't stop blooming. How could I cut it back when it greets me with that wonderful morning chocolate fragrance.


Now the Coneflowers, Echinacea purpurea, are in full bloom.



The mullein has shot up overnight. It will flower this week but will be removed before it sows seed. See the Tick seed, Coreopsis tinctoria, doing its best to get in the picture.


And I had to remove the cover off the squash as their growth was restricted by the netting. I haven't seen an egg on my other squash for several days. That one was a trap squash on which the squash vine borer really went to town.
With more rain promised this week and some cooler nights the garden should quickly spring back to life.

24 comments:

  1. Amazing the difference the big rain storm made. We noticed the difference right away also.

    I've heard the effects of lightning on the garden discussed before and wondered how far the nitrogen spreads away from the strikes. We had one strike very close to the house so I'm sure we had lots of natural fertilizer fall here with nearly 2" rain overnight.

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    1. The lightening went round and round in circles for over 2 hours so I think we got plenty of nitrogen in that rain.

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  2. We had one and a third inches! Wonderful! And, it is like magic.
    I'd also heard about the nitrogen from the lightning.
    Nature is an amazing thing.
    Your garden is WAY ahead of mine, and we're not all that far apart, I think.

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    1. You re right Linda but it is amazing how gardens vary in the space of just a few miles. It was lovely to have the rain.

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  3. Yay!! 1" here and praying for more! Your garden is way ahead of mine too. My coneflowers are just starting to get full, no buds yet. They are in a shady spot through early spring but are in full sun now. It won't be long! Interesting about the nitrogen. The lightening was intense. My poor dog was miserable ;/

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    1. The coneflowers just seemed to come in overnight. So sorry for your dog. I remember ours just used to sit there and shake.

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  4. Glad to see you got some much needed rain. Isn't fantastic the way things take off? Beautiful!

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    1. It was so needed and the way the garden responds is just amazing.

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  5. I had never heard about lightning induced nitrogen and didn't really think about the dust adding anything special to the soil, but all my plants are looking extra-happy this week. Your evening primroses look especially gorgeous between the other pinks and reds and the stone edge.

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    1. nature just has a special way of recycling everything. I'm never too happy about the dust in the house though! We get a lot of West Texas dust.

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  6. Quite the change in the way your foliage and plants all look from a week ago. My late mother often noted how rain is more beneficial than hand watering, but I had no idea...I thought it was part Sicilian superstition, part truth! The atmospheric reasons make much sense.

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    1. And she was right. good old Mum. Mother knows best!

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  7. Yes! Rain is good! all the time.

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  8. So glad you got some much-needed rain...and the garden looks positively ebullient as a result! If I end up buying that pink Oenothera this year (which is looking more and more likely), it will be solely because of your amazing pictures of it!

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    1. Thanks Scott. Watch out for that pink primrose. It will be there to stay.

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  9. How interesting with the nitrogen-rich rain! Great that you got some rain, and your garden looks so happy and lush with it.
    I like evening primroses and threw some seeds out a couple years with no results until now. It's funny how seeds can lay in wait to give one a surprise!

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    1. Yes, one day they will turn up when the conditions are just perfect and then you will have them for ever.

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  10. Yay for your rainfall! I find the first two pictures to be especially wonderful, of course they both feature striking Agaves.

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    1. Even the agaves should be happy. hey haven't budged an inch since last fall. Hope they don't decide to bloom.

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  11. I had never heard this lightning/rain/nitrogen scenario, but I do know rainwater is much better than well water for my plants. Your garden looks fabulous!

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  12. Striking garden - thanks lightening, eh?! ;)

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  13. Your garden is beautiful, you have some lovely architectural plants, just perfect. Christina

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  14. It's all looking fantastic there! Best wishes for the squash.

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