Since mid of June, I have been taking pictures of my maize and watering it.
August
This is what it looks like today (actually yesterday to be precise):
Yes, it looks miserable.
If you lived under a rock, or in a city, you might not be aware that the northern hemisphere is suffering from a severe draught.
This is worse than anything I have ever seen.
In my little hometown, we had no rain since May.
I am not living in Northern Africa, but in Northern Germany.
The lack of water and the heat makes this the most depressing and least productive summer of my life.
3 year old cherry tree: dead
My entire plum harvest: dead and on the floor
If I had not irrigated the maize, it would have died within weeks.
Pretty much everything in my garden is dead now.
The little fruit I have gets eaten by birds and insects, and because that is the only thing they can find for kilometers, I let them have it.
It is breaking my heart and was the last nail in the coffin; I am leaving this place.
Grass is greener on the other side
I know it's a saying and is not literally about grass, but seriously: right now, there is really no green leaf of grass to be found in my garden.
It's a nightmare.
What makes it even worse is that almost nobody around me seems to be aware of it.
People are so busy with politics, corona and other nonsense, that they can't even look up and see what's happening around them.
Of course, I will keep the challenge alive and most importantly will pay out the prize-money, but I am mostly busy with planning my getaway and have lost all passion about gardening under these conditions.
Sorry
...for such a negative post, but I can not cheer up while this place is dying.
For anybody who is still doing the challenge:
Keep up the work, I will reward your posts at the end of this year.
Part 5: Seeds
Part 4: Germination
Part 3: Planting
Part 2: Preparations
Part 1: My Location