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How are you coping with the HEAT wave?

18 years ago

I rarely complain about hot weather as I seem to deal with it better than winter.

We've been lucky here in Iowa Falls, it rained this week (1.75"). I've only watered the lawn once on the 14th. My grass is still pretty green...tho some of the new grass seed I planted this spring in some bare spots has croaked and gone to turf heaven. I'm pulling crabgrass along the curb and my sidewalks. And this week I only mowed my shady back yard...not the sunny parts.

My flower beds need water every 2 days and the pots almost every day...but I try to not waste any water. My impatiens are loving the heat and are growing like crazy...my hostas however are stressed out. The pansies I planted last fall are still alive in a full sun bed. And a couple of the daylillies I planted this spring as bulbs have bloomed this week. My cannas are new and only about 2 ft so far. My wave petunias are spreading all over and the sweet potato vine I planted for the first time...is like a plant in a 1950s SciFi Movie...it grows a foot each night :-)

My only complaint is that the coolest time of the day to be out doors is when the skeeters are looking to suck every drop of blood out of my body. And the cutters with deet only lasts a short time.

So, I'm doing OK with the heat. But I know many others find it a real problem.

So, How are you coping with the heat wave?

Pete in Iowa Falls

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Comments (3)

marilou
18 years ago
Hi Pete,

I'm getting up early and doing yard work before high sun hits. Also adding mulch to beds to conserve moisture, putting out a soaker hose, and counting my blessings that the grass is dormant enough that I don't have to mow much in this weather!

And yes, using the sunscreen and skeeter repellent. Here in Ames, we got a badly needed inch of rain last week. You're right about the sweet potato vine. Mine are taking over the other plants around them, including shrubs!
dirtdoctortoo
18 years ago
We got deluged in Story county last night, but before that I was covering up every bit of exposed skin I could including draping a dish towel around my neck to keep the skeeters from skeletonizing me (I'm sure the neighbors wonder about me!) and schlepping buckets of water from draining the kids splash pool over to the gardens. I'm cheap. I'm not going to waste all that water. The tomatoes look great and are starting to turn. I can hardly wait for that first BLT. The cukes are going crazy. I have an 8 foot row growing up a trellis and every day I'm picking 10 to 12 of them. I don't have time to make pickles but at least my coworkers aren't complaining yet. The zukes have squash borers so I'm not wasting any more water on them. Don't even go into the herb bed in my yard its mosquito heaven. I don't want to end up with West Nile Virus or something. I'm sure it will be worse now it rained.

Any one else growing caladiums? I bought a package of those dried out little bulbs from Wally, stuck 'em in a pot and forgot them. Wow! They LOVE this weather. One of them is even blooming -- looks like a cross between a peace lily and a calla lily. I'll have to try the sweet potato vine in the herb/flower bed. I put them in the planters at the office and they are looking good in there but i hadn't thought to try it at home.

mmo
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LeslieL
18 years ago
Ugh. We got an air conditioner! A great big one. I was listening to NPR today and there was a report that retail sales were up, but mostly at the giant stores due to purchases of ACs. I venture outside early in the evening only, it's SO dry here the skeeters seem to have packed their bags and moved elsewhere. Count your blessings I guess. I have been watering a BUNCH. We have a deep well, and I am hoping that the drought doesn't continue another year!

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