Right here’s a contented honeybee aiming in the direction of a fully-opened sunflower on the primary day of December in my backyard. It’s been chilly at night time, however the daytime has been stunning and heat and within the 70s. Sure, that is uncommon. Sure, this considerations me. However I need to confess it additionally delights me. I’m having fun with the summer season blooms in my backyard, and the nice and cozy afternoon temperatures that are good for strolling. I feel it’s vital that we bear in mind to be current, regardless of the second provides us. I could be frightened about our place on this planet and blissful to bask within the afternoon’s slanted glow. Environmental work could be draining, so let’s take the enjoyment the place we are able to.
The quilt crops in my backyard additionally embrace, in the meanwhile, cosmos. And borage, cilantro, buckwheat. I used our selfmade compost to high off these beds, and the seeds that didn’t die in that pile have germinated and are flowering freely. It’s all good. A canopy crop could be any crop, and it’s all enhancing the soil.
A facet profit to those sunflowers rising this time of yr is that the goldfinches go away them alone. In summer season, my sunflowers are all the time decimated, the leaves eaten right down to the veins. This implies the plant can’t photosynthesize and might’t bloom correctly. Why don’t the goldfinches do that in winter? It could possibly be that they don’t want greens this time of yr, requiring solely protein and fats to organize their our bodies for laying eggs. It is also that the majority have migrated for the season, and those I see across the fowl feeder are too few to do a lot harm.
Hey, perhaps I’ll solely develop sunflowers within the autumn and winter any longer.
Joyful December, everybody.
