July is a real summer month. The temperatures vary between 23 and 33 ° C. This is not unusual in our Canadian climate. This year there is more rain than usual in the summer, but it comes in heavy showers and then it clears up again. What remains after the rain is the high humidity, currently 94% and moisture that condensates on the outside of the windows. Because of all the rain the grass stays green and the weeds grow abundantly. The lawn mower and weed-eater make extra hours.
The schools are out, the construction holiday has begun, many people are looking for cooling in air-conditioned houses and buildings. Our greenhouse has its own air conditioning: screen installation, white wash on the roof, misting system and plants that evaporate.
The white wash was applied by a helicopter this year. No more climbing into the gutter and pulling the hoses yourself, but watching how the job is done in 15 minutes. The crop grows well in the greenhouse. After months of much shipping, the greenhouse is now gradually filling with new green crops. The sales of Bromeliads are currently slowly but steadily. It is a product that has a long shelf life in stores when there is less sales due to the high temperatures.
Because the distance to the auction is 150 km, we combine transport to the auction with a lily grower. He picks up our plants 10 months out of the year. In May and June when we both sell a lot of products through the auction, we deliver to the auction ourselves. Now he had skipped a planting of lilies for July to avoid the lower prices and slow summer period.
This also has an effect on the date of his next delivery, which is now more favorable. So, we now drive to the auction ourselves. During the warm weather we often sit in the shade on the porch. Two pairs of barn swallows are currently nesting there. They fly off and on with tasty snacks for the still bald chicks.
This month we also receive visitors from the Netherlands. We appreciate it when family is interested to visit us and get informed about how we live our lives. The fridge is filled and time is made available. You want to leave a good impression. But in the mean time the work continues.
It remains a balancing act. Especially when Clen was affected by poison ivey while weed eating. The sap of this plant causes large blisters on the skin with accompanying itching. The blisters break open after a week and it then takes another week to heal. Distraction is the best. Therefore, the visitors comes at the right time.
Angelle van Kleef,
Pot plant grower Ontario, Canada
