Happy Autumn Equinox!

[digitS']

Oh gosh!

It is about 6:30pm and outdoors, it is about as dark as 9pm during early summer.

And, here comes the rain. Oh. I'm going to be SAD, instead . . .

Steve

 

[digitS']

Hey! There's a Keurig coffee ad here now!

You know, there's good reason why Seattle is such a coffee drinkin' town.

Up well before dawn tomorrow - grinding the beans.

Steve

 

[digitS']

The angle of mid-day light.

It is a delight at this time of year!

I have a theory about plants and light: they are like kids, they grow in the dark. It will need judgement by someone with more horticultural knowledge than I've got but my idea is that photosynthesis takes place in sunlight (of course) but growth occurs in darkness or shade.

We all know that sunflowers "turn towards the light." Well, why do they do that? My idea is that they are energized by photosynthesis but that growth takes place on the shady side. So, they are "pushed" towards the light. When the sun sets, the sunnyside of the plant begins to grow and pushes the plant back to the east - kind of, waiting for the morning sun.

So, what does this have to do with mid-day sunlight at the equinox? Probably not much but, hey, it is 4am! I'm trying to look on the bright side!! . . . . . . Actually, it is kind of fun to look on the darkside - of plants, that is. Look south at mid-day and the leaves of the growing grass, especially, sparkle! At least here, the angle is so low that whatever is reflected off those freshly growing grass blades is coming right towards you! The plant's growth is dominated by the south because that is where most of the energy is coming from. You may have to wait a few weeks in more southerly locations but I think you will find it delightful to notice that.

Steve :coolsun

 

[897tgigvib]

Almost 6 am, still dark.

 

[canesisters]

Love that theory Steve. Something to think on.
How can we test this....

 

[digitS']

Cover a bean vine with sawhorses and a tarp;

see if it can grow out from under it?



Steve

 

[Smart Red]

Cover a bean vine with sawhorses and a tarp; see if it can grow out from under it? Steve

That would be expecting a vine that is starving to grow fast enough to reach the light before it gets any food (Chlorophyll).

Test digitS theory? Go out on a hot summer night, sit quietly, and listen to the corn stalks grow. A field can get very noisy with growing pains.