While the rest of Europe is going through an excruciating heatwave, here in Lithuania the problem is apparently too much rain. I never thought I would hear farmers complain about rain, but one guy was on television last night lamenting that his fields are too wet for his heavy machinery. Maybe? However, we went to the farmers market this morning and it was awash in produce. Prices have jumped up but I don't think that's because of the rain.
I've enjoyed it, as the rain has come mostly in the evening and early morning hours. Days have been mostly sunny. I don't have to water the lawn, just mow it more than usual. I know to cut it when the clovers in bloom. I give the bees a few days to take their fill. Plants are going crazy. We had a cannabis spring up out of nowhere this summer. It grew to nearly two meters high before my wife cut it down, fearing it might draw too much attention from our neighbors. It was garden variety hemp. Nothing to worry about. Three more have sprung up in its place.
The only problem is the little apple tree, which we have had for years. It has now grown to about 3 meters in height with a broad canopy, filling with little green apples every two years. The apples hardly grow bigger than a ping pong ball before they fall off. They're edible but I let the dog eat them as they are too much trouble that size. I don't know if this is because it is some kind of dwarf apple tree or if it is suffering some unseen blight. Anyway, I'm picking up hundreds of these little apples every week.
We've tried other fruits and vegetables over the years and have had the best luck with tomatoes. We tried squash one year, but it completely overtook the flowerbeds, so no more. Daina's mother used to plant wild strawberry bushes but they haven't sprung back after a very cold winter one year. Gave them mostly to the two little chipmunks we had at the time. It was fun watching the chipmunks eat strawberries. They loved rose hips too. Now, they are buried in the garden with little stones marking their graves.
The magnolia looks like it wants to bloom a second time this year. After four years, it finally reached full bloom this past spring. Deep magenta blossoms filled the tree. It was a gamble, as you have to keep it warm through winter by piling a mound of peat over the roots, but it works. The magnolia finally looks like it has taken hold. It was funny because the gardener who was working on the yard next door last year said it wouldn't last another year.
The lilac bush has grown considerably as well. You can't beat the smell in early summer. It finally anchors the corner of the yard next to our neighbors. Give it a couple more years and it will be two to three meters high.
Haven't seen any chafer beetles this summer, knock on wood. What a battle we had last year with these pests. I think they got to the decorative almond tree, which was why we had to replace it with the magnolia tree. Daina's father tried his best to keep the almond tree going but it had been blighted on one side, and could only muster a few blooms on its good side. We did get a handful of almonds from it one year. For years he had tended to the garden but as his health waned we took over. He wasn't always pleased with our efforts, giving us some pretty sharp criticism.
We aren't the most experienced gardeners but my wife and I have done pretty well. I'm not always excited about the flowers she chooses to plant, but they have blended well, and the yard looks really alive.
This year we covered all the blank areas in geotextile and pine bark mulch hoping to have less weeds to contend with. Someone said we should spray the pine bark with some kind of sulfuric compound to get rid of bark beetles and other pests but the dog and cat love rolling around on the mulch, so trying to keep it free of any nasty pesticides. Daina can't stand the grass and weeds growing up between the terrace and driveway paving blocks. She sprayed the paved area with some weedkiller and left it to me to scrape it all up. I got the terrace clean in anticipation of our daughter and her husband arriving this weekend from Australia.
Always amazed by the fiery pink blooms of the buddleja each year. The butterfly bush has grown in every direction and when in full bloom sinks under the weight of the rain. I end up cutting back the branches every year as they partially obscure the driveway. The rhododendrons were in full bloom this year as well. Hearty flowering shrubs that hold up well in this climate.
At this point we have done all we plan to do for the summer. It's time to enjoy the fruits of our labors. No lawn movies this summer. At least not yet. We patched things up with our neighbors for the most part. Even had them over for gin and tonics one night. However, sunset is still around 10 pm so it makes for some pretty late viewing. Wait till the end of August.
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