When the Sour Pickle Beer tastes light and refreshing, you might have overdone it in the garden.
I don’t drink these often – they don’t taste like beer, for the curious. They taste like pickle juice with some fizz, and I only have one when I’m dripping sweat and need to replace electrolytes. I wasn’t thinking about it being well over 90 degrees this afternoon, I’d been inside all day. I found out that my local native plant nursery had Passionflower vines in stock, and they’d said earlier in the week they had Elderberry in 5 gallon pots, two for $25. So I ran off and bought plants. Then I got back all excited to put things in, sidetracked myself working on the flowerbed/mess by the back door, and planted the two citrus trees I’d picked up. They won’t be hardy here, so they went into half-barrel pots that will come indoors in the winter (I’ll have to get barrel dollies with wheels for them) and live in part-shade in the summer. I’d say full sun but not unless I can figure out a place for them that isn’t on concrete.
I planted the passionflower, and contemplated the nandina bushes that must come out before I plant the elderberries… and realized I needed cold liquid and a sit-down. My son will have to help me with the bushes. Or perhaps I’ll put a post in a local garden group and have someone come and dig them out and take them home. I don’t want them!
I have other things to plant, and the yard needs to be mowed, but it will have to wait. I’m going to have my pickle beer and maybe send my husband out for sorbet or a watermelon. Also, we may break down and turn on the air conditioning. I was not ready for this heat!
I may have bitten off more than I can chew in the garden, but when have I not overdone the gardens? I have a nebulous plan, which I had probably ought to start sketching out on paper or something so I can visualize, budget, and prepare beds before I sow into them this fall.
This morning after I was done with work for the week, Toast helping me to wind down while I did some reading.