I just returned from southern Iowa, push mowing a yard that was overdue by a week or two. It is 91 degrees and I a wonder how the rest of our summer will be. If it continues, it will reinforce my pity party that I have about growing flowers in Iowa. Some years I just close down the garden and say I will not plant an annual ever again. Perennials can handle it but they are all just drooping right now with this heat. One plant that picks me up is the snapdragon. They love it hot. They are doing very well out at the corner of my property and the marigold is holding it's own.
I moved this rose from the south of my house because of the heat and it is doing alright next to a shaded area in the pm. I will carry water for it tonight to keep it blooming.
I moved this from southern Iowa and it is doing very well. I noticed today that I had left a part of it at my parents home and it was blooming down there also in Osceola.
On my photo blog is another picture of my neighbors cactus bed. It is enjoying the heat and keeps spreading along the south side of her garage. One other thing that is benefiting from our heat are my tomatoes. I think they have grown six inches the past couple of days.
My lilies are starting to open up. I need to tie them up as between all our heat we are getting large rainfall amounts. The lilies won't stand up in such wet soil and even my phlox in on area have decided to just lay down. Thanks for reading......
2 comments:
I feel exactly the same way.
I always use annuals, lots of them to give a splash of color between the perennials dying off.
However, in the past few years of intense Summer heat, I have lost interest in the watering for nearly an hour every single night. Not to mention the water bill when it comes in every month.
Miss one night of watering, and the lot is dead !
Your flowers are looking spectacular, a testimony of all the love and tendering you have afforded them.
Your snaps look great, as do the tiger lilies..I have long felt the same way about annuals..too much fuss. Mulching will help, and I used to keep track of rain fall amounts..one inch a week is usally all the perennials need, here anyway. I never watered if we got rain..and then early mornings..and would set out a coffee can to measure my efforts...watering often and shallow makes all plants set their roots shallow, hence they need more water..water deep once a week makes the roots go deep..It worked for me:)
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