August 31, 2008
Late Summer Update!
Its the last day of August..
Summer is winding down.
We are now 6 months into the growing season, only 1.5 to 2 months left before the big winter sleep.
We had a beautifully cool few weeks in mid-August!
temps in the mid-70's! (24C) fabulous for this time of year!
Im not a fan of Summer heat..
I cant stand 90 degree (33C) summer days..ugh.
It was very unusually cool for this time of year..
I think we have only run the AC maybe 3 or 4 days all summer..
it was very sunny though, which was nice for the plants.
now, for early September, we are heating back up to typical summer temps..
the next week is forecast for highs in the upper 80's..(31C)
Summer isnt over yet!
The plants have had a great season out on the deck..still filling up with bugs!
things are starting to look a bit "worn out" though..pitchers are browning, VFTs looks a bit tattered..
but thats normal for this time of year..
I think I only did one or two "clean-up" of the plants this season, cutting away of the dead and brown leaves..the bogs have not been touched much at all...
im just letting them "do their thing"!
Here is a look at things on the last day of August..
2 more weeks of Summer to go. (according to my personal calendar!
then Autumn arrives on September 15th..
the plants will stay outdoors through the cool days and nights of October, until the first big freeze of winter hits..usually late October or early November..then they go into the stairwell for the winter again.
the green chicken wire is squeezing the purps a bit..
I might try skipping the wire next spring..
Last spring (2007) I had problems with a robin picking at the moss and pulling out plants.
(which was the reason I installed chicken wire)
I suspect she was gathering materials for a spring nest.
But the bogs were freshly created that spring..now they are well established and the surface isnt as "loose"..
I might try it without the wire mesh next spring, see how things go..
I would much prefer it wasnt there..
Scot
Late Summer Update!
Its the last day of August..
Summer is winding down.
We are now 6 months into the growing season, only 1.5 to 2 months left before the big winter sleep.
We had a beautifully cool few weeks in mid-August!
temps in the mid-70's! (24C) fabulous for this time of year!
Im not a fan of Summer heat..
I cant stand 90 degree (33C) summer days..ugh.
It was very unusually cool for this time of year..
I think we have only run the AC maybe 3 or 4 days all summer..
it was very sunny though, which was nice for the plants.
now, for early September, we are heating back up to typical summer temps..
the next week is forecast for highs in the upper 80's..(31C)
Summer isnt over yet!
The plants have had a great season out on the deck..still filling up with bugs!
things are starting to look a bit "worn out" though..pitchers are browning, VFTs looks a bit tattered..
but thats normal for this time of year..
I think I only did one or two "clean-up" of the plants this season, cutting away of the dead and brown leaves..the bogs have not been touched much at all...
im just letting them "do their thing"!
Here is a look at things on the last day of August..
2 more weeks of Summer to go. (according to my personal calendar!
then Autumn arrives on September 15th..
the plants will stay outdoors through the cool days and nights of October, until the first big freeze of winter hits..usually late October or early November..then they go into the stairwell for the winter again.
the green chicken wire is squeezing the purps a bit..
I might try skipping the wire next spring..
Last spring (2007) I had problems with a robin picking at the moss and pulling out plants.
(which was the reason I installed chicken wire)
I suspect she was gathering materials for a spring nest.
But the bogs were freshly created that spring..now they are well established and the surface isnt as "loose"..
I might try it without the wire mesh next spring, see how things go..
I would much prefer it wasnt there..
Scot