We've been experiencing an amazing heat wave. It is HOT! HOT! HOT! It's so hot the pachysandra has keeled over! The concept of any kind of yard work has completely evaporated. Everything must be watered however, or it all will die. This heat is amazing. I bought another hose which can be left out in the bank for watering the lower back yard. All it needs is a hook up to the hose from the garage. Hauling 100 feet of hose down and up the back yard steps, all 14 of them, is a chore I can do without.
Have been completely enjoying the potted deck plants this year. They are all flowers....well except for the red leafed begonias. The morning glories have reached the top of the railing. They aren't blooming yet. They sure can go limp in the sun these days! Water! Water! Water!
The feeder isn't very active. I think we have a couple of fledgling hawks here during the morning. They sound like hawks.
Also, there are hardly any bees or bugs on the butterfly bush which is in full bloom. It's weird. Last year there were so many bees after the flowers that you had to be careful about walking past it. Neither are there very many butterflies.....hardly any, in fact. I don't understand it. There was a Monarch visiting the milkweed recently. It was June. June is extremely early for the Monarchs to be here. Our weather has been weird. Maybe they hatched too early. Who knows!
As you know, Ruff, it's hot here as well. My garden has gone to heLL in a handcart this summer. What hasn't been eaten by that wascally woodchuck has withered away due to dehydration. We went down to DC for Kevin's orientation right when school ended. I had my dad water my containers, but felt bad making him water everything, so it all died. I never even got the mulch down. Oh well, there's always next year.
My day lilies had a bust season as well. They went gangbusters last summer when we had all that rain. This summer's been dry dry dry -- but I'm NOT complaining, lol!!! Dry doesn't flood my basement!
I'm worried about David and his roommates in this heat. There are five of them renting a second floor apartment over a pub down at school and they have only window fans. I called him the day it hit 100 to see how he was doing and they were thinking of sleeping in the physics lounge. I thought that sounded like a good idea! Most of them are science majors working on labs anyway -- should be included in their compensation package, lol!
It's hot here, too, of course, but we're kind of used to having heat waves with lots of humidity down here. It's how we roll! Still, it's been over 100 for several days in a row and sporadically for weeks, and THAT is a bit much. I'm just glad my air went out during the 90 degree days instead of the 100 degree days.
This heat wave has given me reason to be thankful I'm a New Englander rather than a Southerner. Now we can truly appreciate what Joel is experiencing when the power or AC goes out at his place. Yard care is impossible in this kind of weather. The virtues of an inground watering system have become highly apparent.
Experience here has been that blossoms do much better when the plants have ample water (Ample being relative to the type of plant) This includes the day lilies. Day lilies are supposed to be very tolerant of dry hot conditions but I've seen the flowers roast in this kind of heat. It's peak day lily time here. They've had some watering and they look nice. This is true for the irises also. Established rises are not supposed to need watering either, but watering makes a positive difference for them in extreme heat.
Maybe your day lily roots will survive this even though they've lost all their leaves. Take care of them anyway and water them. Give them a chance to refoliate and cross your fingers. ......... Or enjoy making plans for something completely new and be thankful you are not a farmer who depends on his crop for financial survival. ............ Remember what Lynn said? Her husband called the little plastic plant markers 'Tombstones' because of what happens to her plants. Do we really want to know how hot it is in Georgia during the summer?
No AC here but a couple of large pedestal fans are a major asset right now.
Went to several places today, needing to replace a 'made in China' hose nozzle that is only a year old and begining to malfunction. It is almost impossible to find a nozzle that does not have lead in it "which can cause cancer!" GEESH! Finally, I did find a nozzle at Home Depot. It is also made in China but does not have a lead warning on it plus it has a 6 year warranty. All I want is a regular nozzle. I don't like the fancy handle type nozzles. Also, a standard nozzle can be set as you want and then left with the hose running in the hydrangea bush for a while. Hydrangeas are thirsty machines!
You have a smart group of kids there. Thank goodness they have the physics lab as an option.
geesh, most of you are hotter than we are down here. Our temperatures have been in the upper 80's or low 90's but we have the benefit of being on the beach with the sea breeze so it doesn't seem so bad right now. You are right, though, you really need a/c and fans to get thru the heat. Sorry about the gardening woes... my plants are used to that type heat and we have the monsoon rains that help (unless we are going thru a drought like you've heard me complain about before- now you know why the complaints) but it's hard to keep certain plants happy in the heat. I guess that explains why I've not been successful with the day lilies. (finally gave up on them).
I hope you are able to keep everything hydrated but most of all, hope you all are able to stay cool. One of the tricks we've learned down here is to take advantage of public a/c, as in libraries, theaters and shopping centers :)
I've been concerned for you guys up north. GA heat has been mid 90's, but supposed to hit the 100 mark today. For most of the summer so far (fingers crossed it continues) we have had our normal weather pattern of afternoon showers, which helps knock down the heat each afternoon. Showers have been absent the past couple of days (hence the 100 today) but supposed to return this weekend. (tiny tidbit; our showers pop up when the moist ocean breezes collide with the moist inland heat, causing thunderstorms)
I feel like it is role reversal this summer. This past winter we experienced such COLD weather, but was what you guys consider normal. Now you guys have such extreme heat, but is what we are used to and know how to deal with.
You guys be careful of the sun/heat stroke and dehydration. Keep Cool!!
Many Notherners don't have a good understanding of how to manage AC in real heat. There is an abundance of New Englanders who perceive anything over 68* as HOT. They will start running their AC instantly in the spring. Also, retail places that sell produce needing refrigeration want to keep their establishment colder to protect their merchandise. The problem in this triple digit heat is with the AC being run at drastically cold levels. Walking into this from the street produces an awful shock to your system. I think Southerners have a better, more experienced appreciation for keeping the AC temp relative to the outdoor temp.
I have to disagree. When we go south, the ac's are BLASTING at retail establishments. In NC, I bring a jacket to dinner with me because restaurants can be so cold. Most people I know around here are LOATH to turn on their ac's -- Yankee stubborness and cheapness, if truth be told. My own parents swelter in their apartment before they turn it on, where if they let it run at a higher temp it would keep things cooler in a more energy efficient way. They drive me crazy and I'm worried about their health. They always try to tough it out.
There can never be too much air conditioning!!!!! I refuse to be hot. I'll deal with cold during the winter, but in the summer, my A/C is cranked, electric bill be darned!
But yeah, typically, most folks around here will run the heat to about 68 degrees in the winter, and run the A/C to about 72 or 74 in the summer.
I'm a special case b/c of what I said before. I can work with 60-65 in the winter, but when summer comes, 70 is about as hot as I can stand it. And no matter what season it is or what the temperature is outside, I have to have some A/C running when I get out of the shower. I am terribly hot then, even if I turn the water to cold for a bit before I get out. My mother is the same way, so it must be genetic!
Amanda, another reason you and Kayla are soul mates -- she HATES heat!!! This dog can be out in the coldest winter weather and I have to drag her in because I'm worried she'll get frostbite. But over 70? fuggetaboutit! Her favorite place to hang out is the tile floor in the powder room.
My a/c is set for 77-78, sometimes higher, while I'm at home. Any colder than that and I am cold. There are some places down here that I used to have to wear sweaters in but since the economy has suffered, I'm noticing the a/c not to be cranked so cold when I'm out- just cool enough that the patrons can be comfortable, neither hot nor cold.
After working in a/c all day (set at about the same 76-77 since we are a pediatric office), it actually feels good to me to step out into the warmth. I particularly like getting into my car after it's been sitting out in the parking lot all day... I feel like a little piece of toast and I get goosebumps on my arms from the heat. But then, after a bit, I'm ready to have the car a/c take over, LOL.
