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I moved into a house last year with lots of shade and great perennials. I never watered a thing, as I am a firm believer in the survival of the fittest. We have had reasonable rainfall all year.
Now we are facing several days of 100+ temps,and the first thing to wilt was my giant hydrangea. The blooms had just faded and I was contemplating pruning it back (it is right by my front door and cannot be allowed to get too big)
So should I go ahead and prune it?
and should I water it during this intense heat? Or will it bounce back appropriately when it cools or rains? Whichever comes first.
Do not prune anything in the hot weather. Yes you should water but water either early in the morning or after the sun goes down. It isn't logical to assume that plants don't need a drink when it gets to be 100 degrees and humid, it is logical to assume that you do water them when the sun is not quite so hot..i.e., morning or after the sun goes down. Take care of you too in the high heat. Make sure your time out there is limited, drink lots of water and take it slow. Hot hear in CT as well. We have a pool but try not to spend a lot of time exposed in the sun while swimming, there are shady sections, and sit under the umbrella or in the shade in between. Treat your plants the same way!
Location: Went around the corner & now I'm lost!!!!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmnita
If your garden is sturdy and the plants healthy prior to the heat wave even without rain, though they may be gone this year they will return next year. As for the Hydrangeas, according to our gardening expert in our paper, they are about shot this year. It is probably too late to perk them up and she says to trim them back now. MY problem, is I don't remember exactly how she said to do it. I know if you screw up on the trimming you won't get many blooms next year... We are watering everything on and around our front porch and doin my garden, but the rest we have given up on for thiis year. even our veggies are almost gone and we are really watering them. I think I will pull most of them (except for the tomatoes) out and call it a bad year...
Nita
Don't pull anything yet just be patient!!! Last year we in the South went through a terrible drought. My vegetable garden and potted plants I watered 2x day. When the heat broke in the early Fall everything began to grow like crazy and I planted a Fall garden and it took hold very well. During that year my front lawn was one of the worst looking in the neighborhood because I refused to water during a drought. But this year after the frequent rains we had this Spring my grass looks as good as the other neighbors who wasted water last year keeping their grass green.
I truly believe drought is a season which shows which plants are the most hardy for the region and actually forces the plant to establish deeper root system. I plant mostly native plants and see the difference in water demand compared to those that are not. I have Hydran on the north side of the house and I did nothing for them BUT they were planted before I bought this home. They also dried back last year but they made it though this past Spring but not as big as they typically were the previous year to the drought
In summer, I both water and mulch, grass clippings work well, mulch heavily particularly if you also have a veggie garden. You will get a much greater yield from mulched plants. Your tomato plants will thank you.
I never heard of not watering in the summer. It's kind of common sense . . .especially when you see something dying . . .
I don't know where you live but there are many places people water little or not at all. We lived in NO VA for 7 years, had a wonderful garden and I don't think I watered 1/2 dozen times. Most people didn't even own a sprinkler and you rarely saw a hose being used. So I guess what your think is common sense sorta depends on where you live. Actually this held true for living in Eureka, Ca as well. We had berries, swiss chard, Bok Choy and fruit trees. There no one watered..
nope, not everyone and everywhere. In fact, this year, due to our drought even the golf courses are browning because they do not have great sprinkler systems. Many people are letting their grass die out as there is no way we can water enough to save it. So, no, not everyone waters in the summer. Have you ever lived in a place like, say, Eureka CA or in parts of the NW or NE where there is enough rain that keeps things wet and if it doesn't people just suffer though droughts?
Now, when we lived in So Ca a lot of people had built in sprinkler systems or we watered every few days and the same in NM. Most people in NM did depend on desert type of landscaping but they watered their veggie gardens with sprinklers, auto or otherwise. We had an automatic system. So, it does depend on where you live.
I moved into a house last year with lots of shade and great perennials. I never watered a thing, as I am a firm believer in the survival of the fittest. We have had reasonable rainfall all year.
Now we are facing several days of 100+ temps,and the first thing to wilt was my giant hydrangea. The blooms had just faded and I was contemplating pruning it back (it is right by my front door and cannot be allowed to get too big)
So should I go ahead and prune it?
and should I water it during this intense heat? Or will it bounce back appropriately when it cools or rains? Whichever comes first.
It's sort of like asking if you should drink when you are thirsty! Your plants are alive and they need care, food and water like we do. Especially hydrangeas. Plus, I would think you would want them to be pretty and healthy and not wilty and sad. But definitey no watering in the heat of the day. Either early morning or as the sun is going down.
We have invested many thousands of dollars on our yard and more man/woman hours than you can imagine. We have 7 $50 hydrangeas that were planted this spring along with some expensive boxwoods - they are all watered every day when it is over 100 degrees - which is every day lately. We have 3 trees that we planted 2 years ago - they are not close to fully grown - they get deep watered once a week in this heat. We use a drip irrigation system that is very efficient - no overhead watering and we water in the wee morning hours before the furnace blast begins. Our garden is holding up beautifully - nothing wilting or browning except one astilbe that I thnk is getting too much sun. We have invested in our garden, it is a thing of beauty and enjoyment for the whole neighborhood and for us - yes, we water our garden.
nope, not everyone and everywhere. In fact, this year, due to our drought even the golf courses are browning because they do not have great sprinkler systems. Many people are letting their grass die out as there is no way we can water enough to save it. So, no, not everyone waters in the summer. Have you ever lived in a place like, say, Eureka CA or in parts of the NW or NE where there is enough rain that keeps things wet and if it doesn't people just suffer though droughts?
Now, when we lived in So Ca a lot of people had built in sprinkler systems or we watered every few days and the same in NM. Most people in NM did depend on desert type of landscaping but they watered their veggie gardens with sprinklers, auto or otherwise. We had an automatic system. So, it does depend on where you live.
I'm letting my annuals (zinnias) go. I don't feel right watering them with this heat and dryness (Dallas). Most of my perrenials are heat and drought resistant, but I am giving them some water. I've spent too much money and energy on those plants to let them die, and they are going to give me a wonderful show come this fall.
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