We had almost an inch of rain, followed by intense sunshine and an absence of additional, cooling rain. The result was 100 degrees of Real Feel or - Phoenix during the Inferno season. All the plants and trees were processing the abundance of rain and turning it into humidity.
The chiro and his wife asked how the roses were doing in this heat. I pointed out that roses enjoy cool, wet weather. They tolerate cold quite well. In this heat they bloom fast and the flowers are done quickly. That is when I prune most often, because the spent flowers are eager to turn into hips, seed pods that mark the end of bloom production.
The genius of one Dow Chemical CEO was to store up cash during boom cycles, spending it on rival companies or new facilities during recessions. Everything is relatively cheap during a recession, but many companies spend their cash expanding during boom cycles.
The garden is similar. Rain brings on the boom times in plant and bug production. Everything loves a drenching rain, liquid fertilizer, a pleasant and refreshing bath. I position my empty rain-barrels to catch as much as possible. They are emptied before a rain to give special plants an extra boost, filled during the rain, then emptied again during the dry cycle.
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| I have White Profusion blooming, not as plump as these flowers. |
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| The flowers are sweet like candy, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. |
Current Targets for Stored Rainwater:
- The Elephant Ears are above ground, mulched, and ready to grow. They need plenty of sunshine and rain.
- Some roses need an extra boost. The $2 Rugosa roses have budded and need water to establish their roots.
- The replacement bare-root roses will need a long soak before planting and some extra afterwards. They should arrive today.The thunderstorm is tomorrow - maybe.
- Favorite plants get extra attention, like the new Mountain Mints and a Bee Balm that just bloomed.