Remember how I said Christmas Day was the second hottest on record this year? Well, Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, was an absolute stinker. The temperature hit 44.2 degrees Celsius (111.5 degrees Fahrenheit), with 44.5 reached at Perth Airport, so it was boiling.
I think that pumpkins, who aren't that keen on the hot weather, have an amazing built-in defence mechanism. During the hottest part of the day they wilt but when it becomes a bit cooler they spread their leaves out again. Quite extraordinary actually. One could go so far as to say one of nature's miracles. One could also stop blabbering now.
I took the photos below when the temp was 41 degrees Celsius. The temperature rose until it peaked at just over 44 degrees and I wouldn't have thought that the pumpkins enjoyed it too much. Thankfully it doesn't appear to have killed them off. Another couple of days of that weather would though.
Large Pumpkin Plant Hot - the temp was 41 degrees Celsius.
Small Pumpkin Plant Hot - the temp was 41 degrees Celsius.
Large Pumpkin Plant Cooler - the temp had dropped to the low thirties.
Small Pumpkin Plant Cooler - the temp had dropped to the low thirties.My first tomato plant from out the back had died off. Seeing as it still had one or two tomatoes on it I decided to keep watering it. To my amazement it had a second growth spurt and once again looks like quite a healthy plant.
My crazy tomato plant out the back that has a second lease on life.
2 comments:
Take it from one who knows. Pumpkins can tolerate a lot of heat. When your father was living in Swan Hill, and growing pumpkins on Murray Downs station, he told me they only got watered once or twice through the whole growing season.
Wowzers it is freezing like hell here. Keep up the good work. Annette
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