Monday, February 18, 2008

It Has Sprung!!!


A strong front blew in Saturday night, and along with hard rain and wind, there was even some scattered hail. Sunday morning however, was bright, clear, and just stunning!

The temperature was quite cool early on, but was up to the seventies by noon. It was a perfect spring day. I am hoping spring has arrived. This winter was just a nasty humid mess. I'm sure those of you still buried in snow will have little sympathy, but imagine how unpleasant it would be to have 70-71 degree weather with 100% humidity day and night for weeks on end.

It becomes very difficult to make your house comfortable. It is way too warm for the heater. Opening the windows is completely out of the question. The entire interior of the house would be full of mold and mildew in a few days.

There are two choices.

Leave the unit off, and live in a stale, damp uncomfortable house, with an oppressive humid, thickness in the air.

Or, run the AC at about 68 or 69 degrees to dehumidify the house and be uncomfortably cool, while watching the windows condense.

The cool, DRY weather of Spring is welcome.

I had hoped to get some of the garden planted, but it proved to be too wet. I did what I could in the yard, including picking the above Meyer lemon. Can you tell how big it is? I've seen smaller grapefruit.

My tree is as confused as the weather is. for the first time I can ever remember, it has over ripe, dropped fruit, just ripe fruit, small unripe fruit, and yes blooms all at the same time.


As you can see in the picture, the leaves have black spots from aphids. I have been trying to stay organic on that tree, but between the wet, mild summer, and damp warm winter, the bugs are laughing in my face.

Any thoughts?

9 comments:

GourmetGoddess said...

70!?!?!?!?!

HHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHA

*wipes tears from eyes*

It rained all day yesterday, and melted, so my basement was flooded. And then the temp dropped 20 degrees in 3 hours and it is now snowing. Again. Send me the lemon. I could use a bright sunny lemon.

Brave Sir Robin said...

I know, I know . . .
The point is, the humidity. Trust me, for those who have never experienced it. .. It is brutal!!

Even 30 or 40 miles inland it is different.

My driveway is slick with water for days at a time, even when it doesn't rain.

yuk!!

The lemon is huge, but it has bug scars on it.

:(

email me your address.

Anonymous said...

maybe a dehumidifier would help in the mean time? i know all about the mildew, having spent two years on the central coast of monterey...no bathroom fans...i had to bleach the entirety of my home monthly...yuck

and then i move to hawaii...granted i can't complain too much...but i feel ya w/ the humidity.

Anne said...

Have you tried ladybugs? (For the aphids.) Around here you can find them at pretty much any garden store or nursery. Apparently lacewings also eat aphids.

Brave Sir Robin said...

Have you tried ladybugs?

Yes -

They didn't hang around very long, is there a certain time of year or way to keep them on the tree?

Anne said...

Hmm, I would have thought that with a feast of aphids before them, they would hang around. But perhaps it wasn't a good time of year for them. I'm not sure what would be a good time.

GourmetGoddess said...

Maybe they all had to fly away home? *ducks and runs*

Sir Robin, enjoy your lemon... make something tasty! And then share pictures with us!

Anne said...

Late addition: I LOVE Meyer lemons. Love love love. But I've never seen one quite that big!

Brave Sir Robin said...

This was a weird year. This tree makes big ones, but usually not that big.