Can We Beat the Heat?

As the long term effects of global climate change become more apparent we now must focus on adapting to these increasingly extreme weather conditions.  Given the worldwide failure of government  policies to address the underlying causes of climate change, it seems  that adaptation is now  perhaps all we can hope to do.

After the recent floods, cyclones are now striking Queensland and here  at The Drip in Mudgee  the temperatures are soaring.  Day after day we  are hitting thirty seven degrees Celsius or one hundred degrees Fahrenheit.  Last week we went over forty degrees Celsius. Where two months ago we had floodwaters, now we look down the valley into shimmering heat haze.  The soil bakes. The main house at The Drip was designed primarily with climate change in mind and remains relatively cool even without air conditioning but out in the gardens many plants are suffering.  So ... shade giving structures in the gardens become increasingly important.  

In The Espaliery we will soon be planting new vegetable seedlings, protected by shadecloth and kept moist with drip irrigation on automatic timers.  Time will tell if these strategies are successful.