By LaVERLE McCANDLESS
Contributor
“Cherish all your happy moments, they make a cushion for old age.” Christopher Morley
What do we all do when it is too hot to stay outside and putter? Some people go to the movies to stay cool.
Gardeners keep on gardening, they just get out earlier in the morning when it is cooler to weed, deadhead, pick produce, check out the plants, look for those slimy trails slugs leave behind, make sure every plant is doing what it should be doing and some write in their garden journals.
How many of you found July 2006 is about the same so far as this year?
While you are out early, listen to the early sounds of the day. The birds are at their choir best! We have a flock of goldfinches here and thoroughly enjoying their antics. It is fun to watch the little ones imitating their elders. The baby quail are not little balls of fluff now, they are half the size of the adults and the papa quail is constantly calling and warning the little ones to hide or get moving.
I wonder if he ever gets laryngitis. The killdeer have gone on to their next homes and I sure miss their calls, one of the neatest sounds early in the morning. Don't forget to keep their “watering hole” filled for drinking and bathing. Splish-splash, the birds are taking a bath!
The heat is hitting the flowers, causing them to open up fast, do a quick show and wilt. We have noticed this with roses and petunias. Just a quirk of nature right now but when the temperature goes down, then the flowers will last longer. The night blooming primrose has been really busy this year. This flower opens up at dusk and lasts until the heat hits in the morning so if you aren't an early riser, you miss the gorgeous yellow flower with a wonderful aroma with a light vanilla scent. This flower has to be deadheaded daily in order to keep having flowers. Its main objective is to set seed so if the spent flowers are not removed, then no more flowers.
Trees and shrubs need gallons of water. A large mature tree can transpire (humans perspire) up to 500 gallons of moisture through their leaves in a day. Evergreens just sort of shut down and this is when you start noticing the brown needles.
That is the evergreens way of conserving moisture and Ponderosa pines are well noted for the needle browning. Fruit trees need water in order to make good fruit, don't skimp on the watering of the fruit trees if you want full sized fruit. You do have to make the decision of using a lot of water or cut down and have small fruit.
The bad part of cutting down on water is the possibility of stressing the tree that in turn can cause other problems such as a stressed tree is vulnerable to insect attacks.
Watering early in the morning is best but if that can't be done, then late evening when evaporation is lower.
Now that we have the garden and trees watered. Are you taking care of yourself by keeping hydrated? You all take care during the heat. You can go to the library and read—it's cool to read in a cool place. Wonderful gardening magazines in the reading area this month to read. Enjoy!
Gardening questions? We are as close as the phone 455-7568 or e-mail at: [email protected]
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