Gardening in August

 

Gardening in August means two things: Weeding and Keeping Plants healthy and alive. I lost some plants, which is typical. But I did manage to save at least half the coneflowers I planted. This is from a flat of them, which means it was a tiny 3 inch plant. There are actually three plants in this photo but one can't see them well. I focused on the lone bloom among them and one that is not faded by August air and heat. I was so impressed with the coneflowers' outcomes that next year, I'll be planting double what I did this year. These reseed easily, are hardy, and multiply over time. A great perennial.

I always try to highlight a flower that failed miserably and that was the daisy. Not the original Shasta but a sister plant. All of them died before July was over. I will only be buying  the original Shasta next year, probably online because they are difficult to find locally. Even the Shastas I already had were affected by the July heat this year. 

Of course, it was unseasonably hot. I spent $70 in water one month trying to keep all these flowers alive. My water bill is usually $10-17 a month even in the summer, so one can only imagined how many plants I invested in this year and how hot it was.

There are two things in life that can change your mood that are nonpharmaceutical in nature. Gardening and Music. I live by both.

All and all, Gardening 2022 has been a success, mostly due to hard work, my willingness to do daily labor in the dirt, and lots of tender love for these plants. My mental health has definitely benefited.