With temps running in the 90s, and humidity so high, it's too hot to do anything outside. I have to force myself just to go out and move sprinklers. A little rain would help, but it's just not happening. This weather is tough for new seedlings. I don't know that I've lost any seedlings yet, but I'm expecting it. It's impossible to keep the soil from drying out. That record high rainfall that I kept whining about in spring sounds pretty good about now. Forecast for today is 97°, high humidity, with a heat index in the 110 to 115 range.
I have to say that my hardy hibiscus seem to be loving the weather. They're covered with flowers, which normally doesn't happen until well into August. Buds are forming fast on lobelia cardinalis, too, which seems early for them. Tomatoes have lots of blossoms but are not setting much fruit and I fear it will be a bad year for my tomatoes. My new wintersown salvia nemorosa has put out a few flower stems, though the plants don't seem to be growing much. (And I normally find that perennials that bloom so fast after sowing are not very long lived). The armeria and gypsophilia that I wintersowed are OK, not doing much but looking healthy enough. The zinnias and marigolds started in spring by wintersowing method are blooming and doing OK, not getting too big though. And as usual all of my cutting grown coleus are loving this heat and humidity, though they're demanding water more often. And the cardinal climber is pretty pathetic. A lot of things need to be deadheaded, but it's just too hot for me to work outside.
How is your garden tolerating this heatwave? New seedlings?
Karen
