This year the weather has been crazy, causing landscaping issues and unusual events.
Let's start with drought. In the winter of 2022/23, Ike will be virtually snow-free. In spring and summer, erratic rains would irrigate some areas, contaminate others and leave some neglected. Most of our belongings fell into the escape category. After the rains the grass grew rapidly and the plant material appeared healthy. What resilience!
But in general our grass (the grass itself, not the green part that makes up the greenery) suffered greatly and disappeared in large quantities. Fall planting plans were derailed when our rural water district banned all irrigation after September 15th. There are ways to replace grass in winter and fall.
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Trees and bushes continue to suffer. We lost the Sharon rose bush over the winter; Luckily it was still under warranty and we were able to replace it. The leaves of the black cherry fell heavily in late September; It benefited from additional irrigation and October rains.
Let's keep our fingers crossed that there will be enough snow this winter; Not because of road conditions, but because of our systems.
Unusual events also occurred in the gardens. Some lilac bushes bloom again in the fall and are not Bloomerang lilacs. The combined stress of drought and above-average temperatures caused flower buds to open in the fall. Like other plants, snow helps release stress and lilacs grow back in spring.
In late fall, a cane appeared by chance under a ponderosa pine near our driveway. The cannabis bulbs had never been planted there and the area received no water other than rain. Five years ago, 90 cm from the place where it had been placed, a Kanna vase appeared containing the only key to the mystery.
In fact, every year there is something strange in the garden (or is it just me?). Two containers of Salvia were placed in the same place and filled with the same soil, both from home-grown seeds; even the pans were identical. One plant was healthy and full, the other was small. It was a headache.
With gardening season behind us and the possibility of a snowy landscape (fingers crossed), we can expect a better gardening year in 2024.
Since 2004, Marie Lane Gewecki has been a volunteer teaching gardener on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. She is a semi-retired charity consultant.
