29 July 2021

Move the plants out

 Even if I keep the door of the conservatory open during the day, it gets hot in there. And I keep watering my plants like there is no tomorrow. One plant had already succumbed to the circumstances; this was the courgette plant that had yielded my first courgette. As I write this, I have eaten two. I can't be sure it was the heat that they did in, but it is a plausible hypothesis. So if these plants are already struggling like that, they have no chance of surviving me being away for several days. So they have to go outside! And then I would just have to hope that it would rain once in a while. So I started bit in advance.

I managed to gather all the arms of the pumpkin plant, and fold them into the pot. Then the pot went outside. Then I made the one tomato plant that stands right by the window join it. Having cleared the area right by the window, I could now move the sort of improvised curtain that the previous owner had made from the back of the conservatory to the front, where it would stop a lot more sunlight. That would keep the temperature if not low, then at least a tiny little bit lower than otherwise.

The butternut squash plant had grown all the way from the back of the conservatory to the front, and then vertically up the wall. Another branch had gone over my comfortable chair. It looked very difficult to move that! But when I had Martin coming over for cup of coffee, I seized my chance, and asked him to help me. Together we placed that plant outside as well. I now still have the second courgette plant and the second tomato plant inside, but these are not difficult to move. I can do that closer to the time.

For now I still have to water them like the clappers, because it is still sunny, and there is no hint of rain. But there is rain forecast for the coming days! So I hope nature will help me keep them alive. I might even find food when I come back! But I won't count on anything. I have given the slugs free rein again…

The pumpkin plant and a tomato plant outside

The curtain I am sure the previous owner of the house had made


No comments: