September Heatwave

Suddenly, it’s boiling. With temperatures reaching into the early 30’s it’s unbelievably humid and the heat just saps the energy out of you. Quite why people enjoy this weather is entirely beyond me. What is there to enjoy about drowning in your own sweat every time you need to move a limb? I don’t have the words to describe how hot I felt today as I attempted to do some jobs at the allotment. Even with the sail up and the shed open, there was minimal respite from the relentless heat.

My first job was to check on all the chickens. Although many chicken keepers worry about their girls suffering in the cold, it’s actually the heat which is the most dangerous. Chickens huddle together overnight in the winter, sharing body heat and keeping themselves warm. Like dogs, chickens can’t sweat and can easily overheat. A supply of cool fresh water, shade and damp earth to lie in are essential for the chickens to keep cool. I refilled all of the water bowls and checked on the food. They all had enough left. I spotted Liz and Sarah had kindly put another courgette outside the New Coop so I told the girls they could have it before I left.

Even this short walk had made me melt and I realised I hadn’t brought down a drink. Muttering about what an idiotic move that was, I walked over to the shop and stocked up on two drinks and some cold nibbles for lunch. By now it was the hottest part of the day and I had to retreat to the shed to try and find some relief from the sun. The shed was boiling but I thought about how effective the solar panel would be this week which cheered me up. I put my phone onto charge and sat at the table eating my lunch. I waited for about half an hour after lunch before venturing outside again.

Armed only with a trowel, I began to dig up the potato that I had abandoned in the front bed. It was a combination of weeding and harvesting which proved effective until halfway across the bed. With one ton of potatoes dug up, I switched sides and began to work my way slowly back towards the centre. With a couple of feet to spare, I had to stop. The sun was so intense, I spent several minutes under the sail downing a bottle of pop, trying to cool down. I had half a bag full of potatoes which would be enough for lots of dinners so I decided to leave the remaining potatoes in the soil for now.

With weeding clearly horrendous and my supplies of cold drinks beginning to run low, I chose an easier option which allowed me to spend some time in the shade, trimming the willow. It’s September and in theory, this should be the last time I prune it. However, I suspect that I’ll be doing this well into October if the weather stays warm. The willow screen was a quick job and I moved onto the willow arch. I am always really conscious about the path being clear for people walking past. This, I always start on the path side. The downside of this approach is that by the time I have turned the corner and begin to work my way back up the plot side of the willow arch, my hands are hurting and my enthusiasm is waning. I forced myself to go all the way to the far side of the arch before giving up.

Back in the shade, I decided to give up for today. Before I left, I threw in some courgette into each coop. In every coop, this was greeted with great enthusiasm and I suspect that it would be polished off completely before I arrived home. With the shed locked and all cold drinks finished, I hauled the bag of potatoes (and four small yellow courgettes) home.

The weather forecast is for rain tomorrow. I hope it does rain as it will break the humidity and I really enjoy allotmenting in a light drizzle.