Thursday, November 29, 2012

Dry Season Ending

It is December, our most wonderful temperatures throughout the year is now here. As most of my readers and followers know, we only have two seasons, the dry and the wet. Officially, December is still in the dry season, but in reality rains seem to be transported somewhere else. If not because of the colder temperatures, courtesy of colder winds coming from Northern Asia, we seem to be already in our dry season. Our thermometers averaged above 25°C in Metro Manila but higher in our province. Our smaller plants get stunted, and our gardens show their stresses. Most especially in our property in the province, which is bombarded by winds from the sea, our garden plants age earlier than usual. Butterflies are also not as plenty as last year, effect of the long El Niño phenomenon. Below are the Metro Manila conditions today, 29 November 2012.

Passing clouds. Warm.

Location:Manila
Temperature:25 °C
Comfort Level:26 °C
Dew point:19 °C
Pressure:1013 millibars
Humidity:69%
Visibility:10 km
Wind:2 km/h from 20° North-northeastDirection South-southwest
Last update:Thu 05:00 PHT


The long nights favor the blooming of chrysanthemums. The flowers are still starting to open, while the gaillardia seed head is already developing,  had already shed the petals.

At the height of the marigold blooming days, the insects are so plenty, including the butterflies. Look at the legs of this big wasp, full of pollen!


 Only a few blooms are left now with our marigolds, most flowers already dehisced and formed the seeds. In a few days they are all dried and ready for the next generation of planting. High temperatures hasten this early maturation.

Some petals are still attached, but eventually will be totally gone.

Gaillardia already stopped blooming, i hope those seed heads are bearing seeds for the next season.

I am amazed at our little creatures, they are also orange. I am sorry i am not familiar with its ID.

I would love to try linking this to the Thursday Two Questions Meme. This is my first time to link there. Here are my two questions:

            1. Should i for the first time get the seeds from these marigolds to plant next year?
            2. I have not stored ornamental seeds yet, but plants keep coming when season comes, will the  
                 seeds remain viable with our tropical dry conditions? 



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37 comments:

  1. I am amazed by your photography. Brilliant photos!!! I love all of them. They are so different in lighting and color than what we get over here. Love it. I'm with you....loving these much cooler temps:)!

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    1. Oh Kreesh, thank you so much. I just chose these colors to join the meme above. Yes i love the lighting too, it was on a colder morning, and of course, we don't get too much overcast sky.

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  2. Hi Andrea, Great photos... I always love seeing your area of our world. Interesting that December is one of your BEST months... I like December here also since winter is setting in ---and I don't have as much yard work to do... It gives me a chance to work on my Family History which gets neglected during other times of the year.

    Have a great week/month.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Thank you so much Betsy, and i love to see all your waterfalls, autumn colors and travels as well. We dont get your seasons, so i depend on blogs from your hemisphere to know what's happening in your areas. Have a lovely weekend too. It is my birthday tomorrow. haha.

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  3. 1) Yes. You should get the seeds, if you like them, why not? I try to get all the seeds from my flowers if I need them.
    2) I am not sure about this question.
    I love your photo with the wasp and his leg stuck with pollen. It is an excellent capture. I can't believe you were able to capture such a beautiful moment.
    Thank you for joining us today. Hope you have fun and join us again next week.

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    1. Hi Amanda, i smiled when you didn't get my 2nd question. We don't store ornamental seeds in formal storage packets. We just let them be wherever the elements take them. As you know we only have two seasons, so rainy season will come after more than 6 months, after the dry season finished. So I am unsure if collecting seeds will be better than letting them be where they naturally are! Thanks for your visit and kind words.

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    2. I see. I am so lucky to live in CA. The weather is rainy now until Jan, but then we will be having normal weather again. Thanks for the explanation.

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  4. are you sure it's only 25 deg C? because right now, it feels like 35 deg C! gusto ko nga kumain ng halo-halo but i have a bad cold.:(

    i haven't felt the cool December breezes yet except late at night when i walk Fritz outside. love these orange flowers you posted--mums are marigolds are mainstays at my aunt's garden.

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    1. Yes Luna you are right. I actually put 30°C in the post, but checked to be sure, and it's unbelievable when it says 25C. I wonder if the barometers of Pag-asa are not high up in the atmosphere! hahaha! And if you go to Mabini, it is hotter than Manila because of the dry sea breeze! They are mainstays, but take a leave during the dry season.

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  5. 25 degrees (to me) is just perfect. We're heading into our hot weather here. They are forecasting 35 plus over the next few days with very little chance of rain. I can imagine the garden being scorched. and... Yes keep your marigold seeds. They will keep well for you.

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    1. Hi Missy, just like what Luna above said, I don't feel the 25C reported temps, rather it really feels above 30C. We wish it much lower. Yours will be more than 35C because you're in your summer months, but at least in your case it is shorter than ours. Thanks for the visit.

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  6. Lovely photos as always Andrea :) Temperatures will go down a bit too which should make it more comfortable. The colours of those Marigolds on your photos looks fab!

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    1. Hi Mark and Gaz, or shall I say Mark? Luna and I felt that the reported temperatures are wrong, because we really felt it to be at least 30C, hehe! I guess in your province here, it is even hotter than ours in Batangas..And thanks for your kind words about my photos.

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  7. Lovely blooms on that first photo. I'm not sure what those insects are either but you sure got a great shot of them.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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    1. Thank you Cher, the orange-black insect is a moth although i forgot now its name. Maybe later i will remember, when i don't need it anymore!

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  8. I hope so glorious temperatures here as with you in Manila, we have 3 degrees and raining for days, that's not nice and it is getting colder, and the snow is coming ...
    Because I come to prefer the Philippines because I like it better and your flowers I also liked very much ...

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    1. It would have been nice if only our world is just experiencing moderation in everything, so you will be a bit warmer and we a bit colder. Wont it be great if made like that! Thanks Geli for coming, I hope you will come by again.

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  9. all are beautiful but the last one is really amazing! :)

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    1. My gratitude for you Tina, I also love that last one, as that is my first time also to see those very small insects.

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  10. Such vivid color brings a smile to my face Andrea. We live in such different climates. It's always a treat to visit you.

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    1. Hi Barb,thanks for being kind. So when you're into the depth of winter, i am inviting you to just see our warm colors, which we have a lot! And I will always be posting them for my temperate country friends>

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  11. Your photos are absolutely stunning and yes you should get the seeds. I am not sure but with a drier climate like we have here the seeds should remain viable. If you have anymore questions on this, let me know and I can direct you to someone who can help. Again, your photos are amazing.

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    1. thanks for the kindness, and your very kind words for my fotos. Actually, for the seeds i know!

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  12. These are lovely photos.

    I think you should go ahead and give it a try. Everything is worth a first right?

    However I have no idea about how the seeds will fair in the different climates. I'm clueless about growing anything :)

    Happy Thursday!

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    1. Thanks Colette S, I actually know what to do with those seeds, i just put those questions to see how answers will turn out. I am a horticulturist, haha!

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  13. Nice colours - and I like the insects in the last pictures.

    Oman is in the Middle East.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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    1. Yes Stewart, i know where Oman is, in fact in my other comment in your other post i told you that the Dubai Safari Dessert where we went to is near the Oman border. Your title is Omani, which didn't ring a bell, so i asked, hehe! Thanks for dropping by.

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  14. Beautiful photos. The insects are my favorites. We're having about -5C and a snowstorm today. I'll stay indoors as much as I can today.

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    1. Hi Gunilla, i can't relate how negative temperatures feel like, but i know it is super cold. I only have experienced 6-10C in Sweden and I can't stay outside with that. Also i know how zero degree C feels like because our previous work in the university is research in storage.

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  15. Hi Andrea,

    I sent you an email at your work addy but it wasn't delivered. Please contact me directly at my email addy.

    Happy birthday!
    Lily

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    1. Hi Lily, our internet connection in the office has been cut since August, decision of the top boss. Your address is there too, unretrievable. I now use gmail and yahoo. I am not sure if you have your address at your blog, yes i will contact you if it's there. Thanks.

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  16. Świetne zdjęcia, nawet owady na ostatnim zdjęciu są bardzo ładne. Pozdrawiam.
    Great pictures, even the insects in the last photo are very nice. Yours.

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    1. Thanks Giga for your kind words. I am fascinated by these insects too.

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  17. Your flowers are still bright and lovely as are the bugs...hope you will join in for seasonal celebrations as the seasons are changing.

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  18. you have a way of making everything look gorgeous.

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  19. Beautiful shots of these interesting blooms, Andrea.

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Your comments inspire me to post more, and our conversations make life and gardening more meaningful.

However, Anonymous comments and personal back links give me problems, so i don't publish them. Anonymous + back links = SPAM = DELETE

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