Hot Time in the Garden

What a few weeks it’s been! Just when we all thought the spring hail/sleet were over & the tomatoes could be planted in the veggie beds, the weather turns to ‘August’. What a mini-Heat wave. I know we were all warned the high temps were coming but we couldn’t warn the plants. The poor things. Many plants suffered toasted leaves & flowers. (Like this fern at Jan McNeilans)
After hearing of the impending temperatures, I quickly tested my sprinkler system to make sure the sprinkler heads were in good working order. I checked that plants were being actually watered. I responsibly ran the cycles in the early morning of the first day of the heat wave. I nearly lost a well-established, very beautiful, oriental poppy called ‘Royal Wedding’. That afternoon, I thought that it was just wilting from being over heated in the hottest part of the day. It was actually very dry, as the sprinkler had not really soaked it that morning. I should have given it more water as an insurance policy. I learned my lesson & ran the sprinklers the next morning. I watched the spray patterns more closely & trimmed back an Abelia that was shielding the poppy from getting more water.
I am offering my boo-boo as a tip to all. Check out your garden after you water to make sure the water is really soaking in to soil. This is so very important for new transplants and even your old favorites. Deep irrigation, means to let the water percolate down to the whole root ball, It’s healthier for your plants.
Have fun in the Garden. It’s perfect gardening weather this weekend.

Judy