So Much Sky by Karen Weir-Jimerson

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...because all the best garden advice is local

July 12, 2012
Hot and Dry in July 

Greetings!Vernoica in her garden

   

Who knew 90-degree days could feel like a break in the weather? Must be summer in the Midwest.

   Right now, it's all I can do to keep up with watering chores in the garden. There's rain predicted for Friday, but who knows?

   Granted, we are lucky to be in Iowa, moisture-wise. Garden plants, overall, need about 1 inch of water a week and guess what Iowa averages most of the spring and summer? Yup--one inch a week.

   The exception is late July, August, and early September. That's when we need to lug out the garden hoses and sprinklers and do what much of the rest of the country has to do all summer and fall.

   Back home in Kansas, nearly every really nice house has an irrigation system. That's true in much of the rest of Midwest and country, too. But here in Iowa, you can get away without an irrigation system--but this time of year you also have to be an absolute watering fiend.

 

Happy Hose Time,  

Veronica Lorson Fowler  

 
The Dry Report

 

drought ma of iowa Iowa's drought continues to worsen. As of July 10, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, about one quarter of the state is "abnormally dry," a little over half is in "moderate drought," and a large patch in central eastern Iowa is in "severe drought" 

     It's heartbreaking to read the stories of Illinois and Indiana farmers who are cutting down their stunted corn crops. That certainly puts my small hassle of additional backyard watering into perspective. Click here to see the Iowa map for the drought status of your area. 

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Can You Water Too Much? 

 

Watering can

It's a good question posed by a "friend" on our The Iowa Gardener Facebook page.

   The answer is yes and not really. Depends on the plant, the weather, and other variables.

You can indeed water too much if the pot has no drainage hole (major bad!), it's a drought-tolerant plant such as a succulent, or the weather is cool, which contributes to fungal diseases taking hold.

   It's hard to overwater if the container does have a drainage hole, you are watering steadily and keeping the soil evenly moist (rather than letting it get super dry and then soggy wet), or the plant is a moisture-lover, such as hibiscus, ivy, lobelia, pansies, and others.

   Other watering info of interest:

   Summer Container Watering and Care: Keep your plants in pots looking lush even in the worst weather.

   Watering Basics: Spend less time and money watering with better results.

   Create a Mini-Bog: Group thirsty plants like astilbe, hibiscus, ligularia, hydrangeas, and others and then lay plastic underneath to keep the soil moister longer.

 
Less Mess With Lilies  

 

trimming stamens on lillies

The Oriental and Asiatic lilies are in their glory now, and make fabulous cut flowers. The only problem is that the pollens on their gorgeous stamens brush off on clothes, skin, and drop on furniture and tablecloths. 

   Easy fix: Just take a manicure scissors and snip them off. Granted, you lose the look of the regal stamens, but for me, it's a good tradeoff

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Issue: 69

Garden To-Do List

 

 Don't let hot weather get you discouraged. Extended heat and drought can make a garden start to get ratty-looking and fewer things are in flower. But even 15 or 20 minutes of weeding, cutting back, deadheading, mulching, and watering can make a huge difference.

 

 Harvest early and often for the most tender, sweetest produce and to keep plants producing well. Tip: You can harvest tomatoes when they're about halfway red. Bring them indoors (away from insects) to finish ripening indoors on a countertop. They'll still have that great, full home-grown tomato flavor! Click here for a plant-by-plant breakdown on how to tell when produce is ready to harvest.

 

 Annual flowers are at their peak now--a great reason to plant them in the first place. They're one of the few things that look fresh this time of year. Keep them well watered, deadheaded, and well fertilized (apply a granular or liquid all-purpose fertilizer according to package directions).

   

 Deadhead flowers

 on annuals, perennials, and some shrubs. It keeps your garden more attractive and in many cases, it will encourage more flowers. Check out our videos on deadheading flowers by clicking here.

 

 Avoid planting, transplanting, or dividing anything other than a tree or shrub right now. It's so hot that smaller plants will struggle. It's best to wait for cooler weather. 

 

 

Editor's Choice
Garden Events

Saturday, July 21 
Arbor Creek Vineyards, Maxwell
From 8 a.m. through lunch. Am I a freak or does getting up early on a Saturday summer morning and doing (and learning) some pruning in a vineyard sound like loads of fun? Grab a fellow freakishly minded garden friend and go! Surely there's gotta be a nice glass of wine in it for you at the end, right?
 
Click here to see more upcoming Iowa garden events.

Click here to let us know about your garden event!

 

Garden Quote  

  

Ah, the Internet. I went to look for some good "It was so hot that...." jokes and found the following. Keep them at the ready when you open your next electrical bill. You'll need the laugh.

   "It's so hot that pigs are complaining about sweating like fat humans."

   "It's so hot that on the way home from the supermarket, my dinner cooked itself."

   "It's so hot that the Sahara called to laugh at me."

   "It's so hot that I saw a dog chasing a cat, and they were both walking."

   You get the idea. Got any other good "so hot" jokes? Please post them on our Facebook page! (Go to Facebook, log on, and search for, "The Iowa Gardener.")