Hot dry weather

16 years ago

How have your flowers been surviving in this hot,dry summer we are having? After a late spring in Michigan, the hot weather had my roses blooming about two weeks early, which was early to mid June. They are finally just getting their second flush now. My roses were budded out in mid winter this year because the weather was so warm the first part of the year. But the sudden cold later in the winter took a real toll on the roses and some perennials, or so it appeared. I had one bed with 8 hardy rose bushes that all looked dead, but they pulled through. There were six evergreen junipers that died though.

I am afraid to see my water bill,because I have had to have the water running for hours every day.

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Comments (5)

jsmadge
16 years ago
Horribly! My hollyhocks came and are petering out slowly; lost mondarda, of all things, and the roses were here and then gone almost before I noticed. Same with my 2 stargazer lilies. We are on the shore of Lake Erie, so we benefit from milder winters and cooler breezes in summer --- but this summer has been rough.

The big white hydrangea seems not to mind, and I see new fern growth amid the brown fronds! It rained esterday -- hooray.
Drakens
16 years ago
My lawn is in pretty rough shape, lost some oak seedlings I was trying to raise, both blueberry bushes are toast, and a bunch of ferns didn't make it this year. I'm hoping for a good autumn or I'm betting a bunch of the perenials won't come back next year either. The rain the last few days has been nice, but it's been so dry the ground has just sucked it all up.
pitimpinai
16 years ago
I mulch heavily and plant thickly, so the soil is pretty moist. In spring, i get aged horse menure that's blended with horse bedding. In fall I cover the entire garden with shredded leaves, then top off with wood mulch in late fall or early spring.

I just found a source for horse manure that's only 8-9 mls from my house. Hurray!
will_2006
16 years ago
what a horrible dry year. I live in south eastern Ontario on lake Erie. The Bad Lands in Alberta and Saskatchewan had more rain than us this year. Everything suffered and is still. Even my PG Hydrangea is not doing well, and that does well in anything. Watering although is a help is not the best answere either. it is just a matter of rain. We did get some rain today but not near what is needed. I did add a lot of mulch around things that are more intolerant to drought and that has helped some what.
puzzlefan
16 years ago
I'm sad to say we will have to get used to this type of weather. West MI has had less rain than N. Mexico! Projections for the next 10-15 years are less rainfall, and higher temps. Thanks to those who think global warming doesn't exist :-( Everytime I see those watering systems in operation at golf courses, I want to sneak in sabotage them. Only dreaming though. If we could charge such places a very large surcharge maybe they would learn to knock golf balls around on dry pasture. :-)