garden, perpetual calendar, covid-19

I think we came up with a good project for our cleaner: the back porch is coated with pollen and it’s why i think i am coughing. Yesterday she came over and gave the place a good clean out, and then there was disinfectant applied to touch-surfaces after she left. Given it’s outside and not a must-use space, it seemed a good way to balance needs.

A hummingbird is visiting the azalea outside the office window. I first saw them yesterday just after lunch (while on a call with my therapist) and then again just as i was settling in at my work desk. It seems odd to see them at this time? This will be such a crazy year with some plants taking advantage of the head start this unseasonably early spring is providing and possibly out competing plants that would otherwise be more successful.

On the other hand, we are getting a perfectly seasonable frost or freeze tonight. So the blooming blackberries, need cover as do the cucurbits. I’m glad i didn’t succumb to planting out the lemon grass. Meanwhile the greenhouse is closed and getting very warm, fourth Fahrenheit degrees warmer than the ambient temperature. I ‘m hoping I’m making the right choice with that — now that the sun has come out it could get to a hundred degrees. Hopefully the water in the tubs will warm and retain the heat a little bit after the sun goes down.

March 28th - high of 93°F (greenhouse high was 120°F, so i guess getting that hot today won’t be a disaster)
April 11th - low of 32°F (both on the back fence and in the greenhouse)

I have an asthmatic cough that started after sitting out on the pollen covered porch. Not really welcome these days.