Considerably Hotter Than Hell

• Posted on 23 June 2022
• 0

We’re having a really big sale on selected ferns and all* annuals!

Welcome to summer!  Officially only hours into ‘summer’, and we’ve already had more than a week of fire and brimstone in our gardens. At least we did get last weekend off from extreme heat.  There are no temperature readings from Hades, and I have looked, on all the weather sites. I did find Hellhowever.  Surprisingly, Hell is located in Norway. That’s right, Hell, Trøndelag, Norway is a real place.  So, the next time somebody tries to tell you it’s hotter than Hell, you can confidently reply, “Of course it is, Hell is in Norway!”

With this week’s geography lesson complete, let’s move on to astronomy, after all, this is a gardening newsletter!  Being a gardener is actually a key element to this week’s astral fact; it only applies to early risers.  For the first time since 2004, you can see all five of our nearest planetary neighbors, plus the moon!  Looking east in the pre-dawn skies will provide the opportunity.  Binoculars are helpful, but not necessary.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are now showing throughout the month of June.  The crescent moon will fall exactly in line with the planets before daybreak on June 24, appearing directly between Mars and Venus. With the moon in this alignment, you may find June 24 to be the best morning to take photographs of the celestial objects.  Weather permitting, of course!

You may believe that the weather is not permitting gardening.  Not true.  You should be taking a slightly different approach, (like getting up early in the morning), but the plants really don’t care.  If you hadn’t noticed, we grow plants on pavement.  It is neither hotter or sunnier where you live.  Efficient watering is the key.

It is time for a sale at Bates.  We have a dandy for you; while supplies last 40% off of the following: Kimberly Queen and Macho Ferns, along with all annuals, both flowering and vegetable plants, all sizes (in-store only, herbs are excluded*)!

Defeat the heat!

David Bates