Tips for staying alive this summer in Louisville?? (California: house, scorpions)

[sstotz]

Hello!

I have recently relocated to Louisville from California, and this is my first summer in here (last summer I was traveling)..
If any of you have helpful tips for me for surviving these hot and HUMID summer months, PLEASE reply with some tips (i.e. keeping cool, fun events going on around town, tips on what plants that will actually not die in this heat (I just planted a very green garden in November and now its all dead)! Also,..is there anything I can do about the bugs?!?! Thanks in advance for all your help!

[missymomof3]

I have a very green garden that is still green. The secret is to water daily. I don't know where you are in town but there are many options as far as water is concerned (my favorite has been and always will be natural areas like Otter Creek park or a state lake) For bugs, skeeters don't like citronella candles. There are also sprays you can spray around the perimeter of your house. Or, you can do like my mother and have your house sprayed quarterly. As far as outside bug spray helps but won't keep everything off you. (I noticed they don't work on biting flies). Hope this helps!

[Steve S]

I'm your opposite. I'm a Louisville native who moved to San Diego. My advice is just get used to it. It means air conditioning in summer, and the furnace in the winter. Make sure that all your screens are in good shape, and drink plenty of water. I would talk to some of the local nurseries as far as getting plants that do well in Louisville. There are a lot of plants that are annuals in Kentucky that aren't out here. For example, I have some Impatients that are 10 yeas old, which you will never see in Kentucky.

[InLondon]

The humidity has actually not been bad yet. Not sure how your garden died because we've had lots of rain all year.

[KYcoyote]

Agreed, probly the coolest and mildest summer weather we've seen in years. My guess is newly relo'ed city slicker feeling homesick and lonely - but thats okay, nothin nobody haint felt at one time or another.

Meanwhile here's coyotes solution for ridding the place of bugs:

Kentucky wildlife includes numerous predatory insects including spiders, scorpions and preying mantis that will clobber whatever other insects annoy you most. If the city starts to bother you then spend time in the woods says me, say adventure to the zoo and/or nearby outdoor parks. Heck, bring long stemmed tweezers plus jar with holes punched in lid for collecting spiders and predatory insects for welcome into yer city home and garden. Bring em home, release and get used to em - then y'all soon learn to not fret over whatever insects bother you most.

And regarding plants, why try anything that aint available as seed in the feedstore? Tomaters oughta grow like weeds and beans are tough as nails. See what ye find at farmer's markets on Dixie Hwy - that'll be melons, pumpkins, squash, cumbers and whatever else folks successfully are growin.

Anyhow thats just my take. Summers are always slowest time of year, look forward to September. You'll be fine, reconnoitre planting fresh garden come May/June or November for po'taters.

[dixiegirl7]

Originally Posted by Steve S

I'm your opposite. I'm a Louisville native who moved to San Diego. My advice is just get used to it. It means air conditioning in summer, and the furnace in the winter. Make sure that all your screens are in good shape, and drink plenty of water. I would talk to some of the local nurseries as far as getting plants that do well in Louisville. There are a lot of plants that are annuals in Kentucky that aren't out here. For example, I have some Impatients that are 10 yeas old, which you will never see in Kentucky.

We can grow impatients in Kentucky, they just need to be in partial shade and watered.