Wow! that is a huge swing in temps for any plant. Different types of plants tend to like different evening temps and it can effect flowering and plant production. Thanks for sharing that, that is wild swings. If you are willing just let me know if you keep that up in aug, wonder if that means you are going to have a early fall frost date this year.. hmm

I have no idea if it it could indicate a earlier frost. Its not just here thats having high temps, Europe and asia as well. expectation are of poor crops, and I would expect food prices to keep rising because of it.

Temp here this morning was 6. Have had much the same range of temps as peppercorn's area and we are in the Three Hills -Drumheller area. A couple of days ago our temp was at 2 in the morning. Daytime temps are very warm and the wind has been gusting pretty good too. Gardens are coming along alright, just seem to be slower than in past years.

We finally got some decent rain the past few days, but water continues to be an issue.
As I've mentioned, we have no shortage and even in SHTF, we will be ok for water, but there is definitely extra time required to keep the plants well watered and producing.

Forgot to say that we really haven't had much in the way of rain where we are. We can see all the clouds and rain around us, but we haven't gotten much. Going from memory of the rain gauge, we're lucky if we've had 2-3 inches of rain. We've been filling the rain barrels with water from the creek, just so that there is water in them for hand watering.

your right learner that is not a lot of rain, its missing you as I know from family out your way that they rain has been around the area. interesting on the temp info, it will effect overall end production on at least some plants but on the other hand for anyone collecting seeds that is a very interesting growing pressure on them.

everywhere I look harvests are looking to be down, not much in anyone area but overall it adds up. It seems silly to complain about food prices going up, and I don't grow because of prices, rather for freshness and quality. It has to be kept in mind that we really enjoy low prices with respect to our income levels compared to much of the world.( I still reserve the right to bitch and complain anyway)

https://www.agriculture.com/markets/newswire/russian-wheat-crop-to-fall-to-674-mln-t-due-adverse-weather-agritel

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/13/c_137176048.htm

https://research.rabobank.com/far/en/sectors/grains-oilseeds/Australian-2017-18-Winter-Crop-Production-Forecast.html

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/potatoes-stop-growing-in-parched-earth-of-north-county-dublin-1.3578483

https://www.producer.com/2018/05/global-crop-stocks-forecast-to-decline-due-to-bad-weather/

WOW learner, I thought my rain fall was bad, you have about half what has fallen at my place.

Nice links, some good reading on them.. I have to admit that I have been aware of most of them, mainly due to my facebook groups, if there is one way to keep your finger on the pulse of permaculture and homesteaders and garden's around the world.. facebook is good for that!

Anyway Not at all sure that I can post a video link directly in here but I will try.. nope, pictures only..

Ok I am sorry to be directing anyone to my blog but if you want to watch the wee 2 min video.. go there.. otherwise, I will just talk about it here.

https://livingmydreamlifeonthefarm.com/2018/07/29/food-hedge-row-2018-two-month-update-video/

So I made a new food hedge row this spring, I had put a few of the bones in over the past two years but even most of the fruiting bushes went in this spring and the comfrey, beebalm, horseradish and the annuals all went in two months ago. We have had bad drought weather and this row has had two five gallon buckets of water given to it only once in the middle of the three week now rain, insane high heat drought otherwise, its totally been on its own.

The key is a mix of things.. there is some shading out going on from the taller bushes creating micro climates in the under parts, then there is six inches of older already started composting straw bedding down.. the plants were planted in between the cracks of the straw bale cover and that area was filled in with a mix of my home done compost-dirt and there are three huge comfrey plants staggered down the 40 foot line.. they bring in the bee's and more importantly, they are trimmed lightly every few weeks and their trimmings are laid down around the annual producing plants to break down and feed the plants.

One of the weakness's of permaculture gardens is that they can get overrun and that they are alot more work then most folks want to admit, but the perk of them when done right, is that you get the perfect growing area of a edge.. the edge of is the most productive of any natural space.. some shade, some sun, laying and so forth.. I perfer to "create" edges and run them like mini gardens. This one is just a nice little 40 foot by 3 foot space.. but its doing very well indeed.

So hot

I am roasting, no work will get done outside!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/el-nino-2018-noaa-prediction-1.4768316

Well, it looks likes its possible that we will have a el-nino coming in.. The last time we had this, it lead to one of the worst droughts in my local area.. I am going to buy extra hay this year and keep on my other plans for the farm. Take a look at your farm book, take a look at your garden notes or book and see what happened on the last el-nino in your neck of the woods and plan ahead for it where possible.

Look at the seeds you are buying and hedge your bets with choices that will do better with hotter drier weather.. the last El-nino was my best year ever for growing sweet potato's here on the farm. It was also a year that truly proved my hugelculture beds worths in growing squash of all kinds.

Even in countries that I didn't think of for growing crops it looks like it will be a bad year. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/cultivated-areas-halve-in-iraq-as-drought-tightens-grip/articleshow/65273873.cms

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-45043299

Up to 6 inch of rain now at my place.

This is a interesting twist to the heat wave.... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-nuclear-reactors-shut-down-edf-europe-heat-wave-a8477776.html

I cant remember so many hot days, check out the forecast for the Edmonton to Red Deer area, We are going up to 35-36 this week! I cant function at such temps. I am going to put the window AC unit up for the bedroom.

we were spared from the heat Monday and Tuesday due to fires in BC, the smoke blew in and gave a break from high temps but its not as smokey today so the temp may start climbing.
Solar doesn't due so well with a smokey sky.

Even with smoke from BC helping to block the sun we hit 34 today, and I was stuck in the cab of a 2003 Peterbilt with NO AC. I just cant function at these temps.

Our backyard temp was at 38 yesterday afternoon. Needless to say, not much is getting done around here right now either, other than making sure the gardens are getting watered in the early am. Also gave them all a good drink last night too.

Don't know what's going on in our one garden, but this weekend will be digging up the potatoes that are planted there. All of the tops have died. Not sure if its the soil or the seed potatoes. Bought them at the grocery store this year instead of ordering them. Had the same problem kind of a few years ago when we were buying grocery store ones before changing to the ordered ones. This year much earlier than before, due to the heat maybe?
The ones that are growing in the pots and other boxes are doing much better and they are the ones that were kept over from last year and planted. Did this as an experiment to find out if they would grow properly. Guess it didn't work and will be ordering next year. They all get the same amount of watering done to them too.

sorry to hear it peppercorn.. heat can be very bad