Weather on St. Swithin’s Day Determines That of August

St Swithin’s Day fell on 15th July this year. Tradition has it that what ever weather occurs on the Saxon saint’s feast day, so will it be for the following 40 days and 40 nights, A goodly portion of Canada experienced severe thunderstorms and heavy rains that day. However, tradition be damned and, as of the end of July anyway, the venerable saint’s predictions lie in the dust. Back to reading that new erotic horticultural book, Fifty Shades of Green to learn more about propagation in the garden, leaving neighbours emerald with envy.

Turning to more modern events, it seems the appropriate time to tell the tale of the ambitious Canadian bean who wanted to enter the London Olympics. He was, of course, a runner bean. Alas, he did not make the cut and so is now a has-bean.

Diversion No. 1

In 1897 physicist Amos Dolbear posited a link between temperature and how often crickets chirp, which speeds up in heat because they are cold-blooded – Dolbear’s law, explains National Geographic. Count the number of times a field cricket chirps in 15 seconds and then add 40 to the chirp total to arrive at the approximate temperature. The problem? The answer is in degrees Fahrenheit, a system used in – ahem – the world’s leading scientific nation.

The devastation caused by the introduction of the emerald ash borer continues to expand throughout eastern North America. It appears that all native species of Fraxinus are doomed. Most commercial nurseries have given up propagation and burnt their existing stock. A professional team has drawn up a list of 29 alternative trees, however. These should be of interest to homeowners and community organizations faced with the task of replacing culled ash trees. That list is available at the Landscape Ontario website.

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The project team included Thelma Kessel of Lacewing Horticulture, Sean Fox, assistant manager, University of Guelph Arboretum, Jennifer Llewellyn, OMAFRA nursery crops specialist, and Dr. Glen Lumis, Professor Emeritus, University of Guelph. Other lists of trees are being touted, not always likely to please property owners until it is too late.

Diversion No. 2

All was not well at Highgrove, Prince Charles’s rural retreat. His plans for an impressionist-themed garden featuring pastel colours came to naught when HRH discovered orange-blooming azaleas lining the path to his private sanctuary at the back of the garden. He had expected calming pink flowers, not something to remind him of his royal ancestor, Prince William of Orange. Gardeners were given orders: get them out of here and tranquility returned to the Gloucestershire estate.

The warm days and relatively cool nights of late August into September make this the ideal time for overseeding lawns. But beware of buying the cheapest bag of grass seed and simply scattering willy-nilly over the existing alleged lawn. In lawn seed, as in most things, “you pay your silver and you take your choice.” In other words, a good blend will cost more. Back home, mow and then scarify the lawn with a gravel rake to prepare for the seed. Late in the afternoon, spread as evenly as possible. To bring the seed in contact with the soil use a lawn roller for a large area or press down over a smaller area with your feet. Rope off the area and water with a light spray mist daily for the next month. If this seems a deal of work and expense, check out the cost of new sod – and the work involved in preparing and installing a new lawn. Unfortunately, those same warm humid days and cooling nights encourage the spread of powdery mildew in the garden. Perennial phlox, lilacs and roses are usually the first to show signs of this universal plant disease. It is of little comfort to learn that resistant plant forms have been bred when this fungus is romping through the borders. A surprisingly simple control is to spray a solution of bicarbonate of soda – providing it is applied early enough, before the mildew gets out of control.

Diversion No. 3

Australian company Bioconst has started research to create fluorescent flowers by splicing California jellyfish DNA into various blooms, reports The Courier-Mail. The company already produces a fluorescent substance which when sprayed on to flowers causes them to glow but now work has started on flowers which emit light without the need of a spray, but would glow when placed under a UV light.

Herbs should be harvested regularly to ensure a constant supply of fresh, flavoursome shoots. The problem is that at this time of the year, production overtakes usage. The answer is to dry the excess. In order to retain maximum flavour, pick early in the day, after any dew has vanished but before the sun reduces the volatile oils that create the desired flavour. Spread in a shaded area, if possible on discarded fly screen frames. Bring indoors each evening to avoid damp night air. Most herbs will take about three days to dry under such regimes. Rub up the dried foliage, discarding stalks. Store in labelled glass bottles in a dark cupboard for winter use.

Diversion No. 4

Scientists have discovered a new type of carnivorous plant that traps and devours its prey underground. Three species of carnivorous plants that feed on nematodes and possibly other creatures underground have been discovered in the Brazilian high savannah. Their victims are trapped when they stray onto small sticky subsurface leaves. The plants, Philcoxia bahiensis, P. goiasensis and P. minensis, are extremely rare and were first described by Kew botanist Peter Taylor.

Getting away from gardening for a while is possible this month. La Tomatina might appeal to some thoroughly disappointed with their tomato harvest. Held in Buñol, Valencia, Spain on 29th August, several tonnes of tomatoes are hurled by participants at each other. Shower facilities are provided or, for the traditional minded, there is the local river. Beer imbibers could do no better than compete in the Wife Carry World Championships (18-19 August, Sonkajärvi, Finland). Win and you receive your wife’s weight in beer – and ‘wife’ is not taken literally. Water gardening addicts can travel to Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales there to participate in the World Bog Snorkeling (26 August). It is indeed a weird world.