The garden store I've been shopping at most often is closing down. The entire Orchard Supply Hardware chain will soon be no more. I'll check out their 15-30% off liquidation sales on plants, tools and containers, but will try to limit purchases to things that won't take up additional space in my yard. A handful of bulbs to plant now for Spring blooming would be nice, and I could replace my rusty, not-sharp pruning clippers. Also, I do like to switch out old plastic containers for wood or ceramic pots, so perhaps I'll pick up a couple this month.

It's now been 4 months since we've had any rain. While I can water my own green growing things, I do get concerned about our region's wildflowers, trees, and lakes. Hopefully we'll get a truly rainy winter season again, like in 2016-17.

In the meantime, I'm trying to pay attention to which plants require frequent watering (violas, rhubarb, ferns) and which won't suffer if going a week or so between dousings (succulents, evergreen trees). I've been on a Saturdays-and-Wednesdays schedule over most of the summer, for thirstier plants and the lawn. Generally, I try to pay attention to the soil moisture levels in each plant's pot, so that I don't overdo it with any that have slow drainage and are prone to root rot. The article Drink Up provides further advice along these lines, and was overall an interesting read.

With careful water use in mind, I'm always on the lookout at thrift stores and yard sales for pretty or unusually shaped glass bottles to “upcycle” into self-waterers: especially handy when out of town for longer than a few days. I'd also like to find a glass pitcher with a glass or metal lid for making sun tea during these hot days in the garden. Currently I brew it in a quart-size flour jar, but it would be better to have something that's easier to grasp and pour from.

Harvest season is in full swing for many growers. Our neighborhood farmer's market is offering quite a variety of fruits and vegetables. My own crops of ripe tomatoes and greens have largely been picked at this point, while second plantings of radishes and peas are just starting. I plucked a few stray radish seedlings that had sprouted outside of the planter box, then simply dusted them off and ate them: such a bright flavor. I'm going to plant more for consuming at this microgreen stage (pea sprouts could be good too); there are plenty of seeds left in the packets.