An august August

Echinacea seed head

August 2018 tied 1934 as the fourth hottest August in U.S. weather history. Overall, 2018 is shaping up to be the fourth hottest year on record world-wide (including many parts of the U.S.). Thankfully, Central Ohio was largely spared from extreme heat for much of the month. In fact, at Bean Hill, the monthly average high was one degree below the historic average. The nights, however, were a different story. Almost half of the night-time lows (fourteen) had temperatures ranging from 5-12⁰ above average. In the great scheme of weather things, higher than normal nighttime temperatures can be more damaging to flora and fauna health than higher than normal daytime temperatures. Taken together, the damage can be permanent.

Giant zinnia

Goldenrod, meadow asters, milkweed

Even though this part of the country escaped aberrant conditions for at least half of the month, there were two abnormal weather events here during August. First, it got very hot toward the end of the month. On 8/27 and 8/28,  the temperature hit 90⁰, with humidity so high the heat index soared well above the actual temperature, creating life-threatening conditions for anyone with respiratory problems. Most of the schools in the Columbus City Schools system have no air-conditioning, and so, for the first time ever, Columbus City students and teachers were dismissed 2.5 hours early both days. 

Tiny aster-like flowers in the meadow

The second event of note was the rain. As we've seen during the past couple of months, it was torrential at times: .82" on 8/1; 1.3" on 8/11; .59" on 8/17; 1.07" on 8/20. August 2018's average rainfall was 4.99", 1.27" above the historic average. The combination of heavy, almost tropical rains, and extreme heat and humidity at the end of the month resulted in Ohio apple orchards losing 50% of the popular honeycrisp crop. It succumbed to a disease called "bitter rot". 

Gardens take on a golden hue

No matter how hot it might get at times, August is the month we begin to see the signs that autumn is on its way. This is the month we begin deadheading echinacea (coneflower). Echinacea will continue to sprout new flowers further down the long stem, so when cutting off the spent heads, we need to be sure to cut above the emerging buds lower down. At Bean Hill, there is a LOT of echinacea, so this is a garden task that takes some time, but it's kind of a zen task, especially on a slightly breezy, not too hot day. You're out there with the bees and the butterflies---all of you focused intensely on the echinacea.

This is the month the meadows begin to turn yellow with the much-maligned, very lovely golden rod, and rudbeckia (black-eyed Susans) replaces echinacea in both gardens and meadows. Meadow asters of various sizes appear; the tiny white ones look like stars.The giant zinnias that have been growing since early June really flourish in August and are spectacular.

Chanterelle mushrooms in the Jersey Woods

This year, a friend discovered chanterelle mushrooms growing in the Jersey Woods. She introduced us to an amazing taste treat. Chanterelles sauteed in butter, chicken stock, and red wine taste and have a mouth-feel like the best filet mignon. No wonder a pound of these things can cost $100. And to think they grow literally in our own backyard!

July and Winged Things

Black Swallowtail on butterfly bush

Looking at NOAA's National Climate Report for July 2018, we didn't fare too badly at Bean Hill. In the contiguous U.S., the average high temperature was 1.9⁰ above the 20th Century average. Ohio's overall high for the month was above average. Despite a scary too-hot start to the month (the first five days our highs ran 90-93⁰ which were 8-10⁰ above normal) with only a trace of rain, by July 6 things dramatically improved. Thankfully, there were only two more 90⁰ days, and two "almost" days (89⁰). We ended up with sixteen of the month's highs being slightly below normal, as were more than half of the month's low temperatures. Bean Hill's average high for July was one degree below the historic average, and the average low was 2.4⁰ below the historic average. Rainfall was down; almost 3/4" below the month's historic average, but we've had a lot of rain during the previous months, so at this point, we're not part of the 34.1% of the nation experiencing drought. That percentage, by the way, is up from 29.7% at the start of the month.

We worried about the absence of bees since May so we added a tiny garden around the base of a central bird-feeding station, packed with plants approved by butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds: Liatris, butterfly weed, echinacea, monarda, sunflower, thyme, borage. I doubt that little patch of pollinator-heaven is responsible, but there have been lots of bees and butterflies in the area this month, and a fair number of hummingbirds. We also introduced seventy-five leafcutter bees this month. Like the mason bees, they're tiny native bees, so not as readily seen as their larger kin.

Monarch on common milkweed

Leafcutter bee (thanks to Pinterest for photo)

 

Yellow Swallowtail on pincushion plant

Swallowtail-to-be on fennel (their favorite!)

Echinacea and heliopsis

Bull thistle aka common thistle

Common milkweed

Bumblebee on white lavender

Pollen-laden honey bee on echinacea

A Green and Soggy June

What a difference a month makes:
Photo of bottle bush on May 20...

June's average high was 81.5⁰; the historic average in 82⁰. So daytime temperatures were normal for the month. However, twenty-one nights had above average temperatures; eleven of those were 10-14⁰ above normal. The average low for this June was 2.4⁰ higher than the historic average. The real story was the rain. It rained, as it's done several times so far this year, too often and too much. June's average rainfall amount in Central Ohio is 4.08" but this year 6.79" were recorded. We were lucky, though. Several parts of Ohio received almost 8" during the month. 

...And on June 30

It's little wonder that everything, even the weeds, are growing like weeds. Grass mowing is never-ending, but finding a time when things aren't too wet to mow is tricky. I've never seen so much crabgrass in the gardens. I've dug out clumps of crabgrass that were a foot in circumference! The upside is that everything is lushly green, and the perennials are putting on a beautiful display, especially the daylilies.

I noted last month the absence of bees, and I'm sorry to say that continues. I've seen no more than three honey bees so far this season. I've been seeing some large bumble bees since May, but still too few. I know our mason bees were busy, which is comforting, and there's evidence that leaf-cutter bees are in the neighborhood. Several kinds of butterflies and fritterlies are around, which is also comforting, and there are lots of the tiny hoverflies (see July 2017 blog) doing their best to pollinate everything. 

The lack of bees flying all around the coneflowers makes me sad. I've already decided to invest in a much larger number of solitary bees next spring than we've done so far. I really urge you to consider making an investment in solitary bees, too. Remember, these are truly gentle bees and you don't have to worry about being stung, much less swarmed. I'll remind you next spring. I might even nag.

Four lovely daylilies and one rain-soaked bee balm flower