Summer Oasis

I just came inside a few minutes ago from walking my dog.  As I stepped inside the front gate, hot from the sultry evening, it was so refreshing to hear the sound of splashing water from the little fountain by the front porch, and to smell the jasmine in bloom.

Scorched Leaves

Recently I had someone ask about their plants' leaves being scorched by the hot weather.   That's an issue I'm dealing with as well, so I started reading up on it.  I'd noticed that it seems to happen mostly to plants more recently planted rather than mature ones, so I was not surprised to find out that it is generally an issue with plants that have inadequate root systems.  Many times it happens to plants that have not been in the ground long enough to establish a good root system, so in prolonged very hot weather, and with hot winds, the roots are simply unable to supply water to the foliage as fast as it is lost by transpiration from the leaves.  Other times it may happen to more mature plants that have not developed good root systems or have had damage to their roots, such as roots dehydrated by too little winter moisture, or stunted by compacted soil or poor drainage. Often the effects of a dry winter are seen in mid-summer when plants struggle with scorched leaves.

Gardening in a Heat Wave

Moss rose thrives in hot summers

The high temperature here today was 107. Tomorrow it's supposed to be 106.  The forecast for the next week shows highs of 100 or above every day.  Well, that's summer in Kansas -- thank God for air conditioning!

Heat like this, especially over an extended period, is really hard on the garden (as well as people, animals, utilities budgets, etc.)  There are a few things a gardener can do to help their plants make it through this kind of weather.

August Heat

We finally got a little rain; in fact, twice in the last two weeks. It's been such a relief. I've had to water every day, and even then some of the things I planted this spring don't look like they'll make it. The two hydrangeas are completely withered, and look quite dead. I don't know whether to hope they'll come back out of it or not. I'd like to think they went into an early dormancy, but that may be hopelessly optimistic.

On the other hand, the veggie garden is still going along fairly well. It hasn't been my best year for tomatoes, since the raised bed they were rotated to this year is the one nearest the neighbors' trees, and is the shadiest of the six beds. But the peppers and cantaloupe are doing great, and the cucumbers were as well. Now the cukes are struggling a bit with fungus. I've sprayed them and hope they'll keep going. I sure love the fresh veggies!

Update: Two days after posting this, one of the dead-looking hydrangeas has put out a few new leaves at its base. What a relief! I'll keep hoping for some of the other plants.