5:15 PM Thu, Jul 09, 2009 | Permalink
Cindy Brummer
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I apologize for neglecting my blog of late, but it's been so darn hot lately, that I've avoided doing much of anything outside, let alone gardening.
The only time I like to garden when forecasters like KVUE's Mark Murray say it's going to be 105 in the afternoon is in the morning. At least then, the temperatures are only in the upper 70s or low 80s.
I love it even more because the sun is just coming up, and it feels like the landscape is coming alive. The early birds have been chattering for an hour, but everything else wakes up as the sun comes over the horizon, and I can feel the energy from the daytime critters and the plants around me.
Our drip irrigation that runs through the vegetable beds comes on just before 7 a.m., and it's almost like you can see the relief in the plants. I usually break out the hose sprayer and water the vegetables by hand every other day, but in the event that I'm too busy (which happens inevitably), the drip irrigation saves me.
That's probably why only some of my plants are toasted this time of year. The beans, corn and strawberries all bit the dust -- but those tend to do better for me in the spring anyway. Our tomatoes seem to be holding their own under the bird netting, and I'm hoping that they and the peppers make it through the long hot summer.
I'm really glad I mulched, and I know that this weekend I need to feed, because all of the plants are stressed by the heat. It feels like a blast furnace! And only the sunflowers appear to relish the heat.
Yep, this is the time of year I'm striving only to keep the plants alive -- well... just the vegetables really. My woody ornamentals and perennials are holding their own, thanks to choosing drought-tolerant and native plants. So at least that's one good thing.
Which reminds me... the desert willows I planted last winter are in bloom and thriving! I'll have to take photos and share!
In the meantime, stay cool!
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