Long winter shadows

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As the winter solstice approaches, the shadows from the south lengthen. Here Macintosh, the good little wiener dog is just about perfectly aligned north and south (although she is looking west). It's just before noon so her shadow casts neither east or west, but stretches out towards the north.

This is because the sun is describing a shorter arc in the sky and will do so, until it begins to return northward again after December 21st.

Thinking about shadows is important in the garden. In the next couple of months your plants will need all of the warmth they can get. If they spend their time in shadow during the day and freezing temperatures at night, don't expect them to do very well. If you are suddenly discovering your flowering plants are now in shadow, it's time to move them. The best place is where they can get as much of the southern sunshine as they can.

By the way, yes, that's artificial turf. I've had it here since 2006 and it's still the best investment I've ever made in the garden. It's perforated so Macintosh can do "her business" on it, and water flows through. It looks so natural that I've had visitors walk on it and have had to reach down and touch it to believe it's just plastic.

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