Rain!
After weeks and weeks of drought we finally got a soaking rain–what a relief! It was only 1 -1/2″ but that’s a lot more than we’ve had in a long time. The plants were very happy. I’ve been irrigating during the drought but there’s no substitute for a nice steady rainfall.
The brook is no longer dry but it’s not exactly roaring–barely flowing would be more accurate. Still, it’s a start and if we get some more soaking rains before the end of August we might just get out of this drought.
Along with the rain came wind, including some pretty strong gusts. It was a classic New England Nor’easter, a common weather pattern here where the rain and wind blow out of the northeast as the low pressure system rotates counter-clockwise off the coast. The wind split two of the plants–they were pretty well laid down on the ground as the main stem split right in two. I commenced rescue operations within the hour, tying the split stems back together with clothesline and building a trellis to support the wounded plants.
Hemp is a surprisingly resilient plant–they can take a real beating and bounce right back. We’ll see how these two storm-ravaged plants do. We’re just about to begin the flowering phase so it’s a crucial time.
In an ideal world we’d get an inch of rain per week with the rest of the days being sunny and dry. Too much rain, especially when the plants are flowering, can cause serious issues like mold or botrytis, the bane of every hemp grower. Here’s hoping for a beautiful New England autumn with plenty of sunshine.
