Hello from Cincinnati, currently disguised as the Sahara desert [ Edited ]

[becke_davis]

I keep getting emails from friends asking how we are doing with all the rain and flooding. That would be NORTHERN Ohio, not to mention northern Illinois and Wisconsin. Here in Cincinnati we're doing rain dances, begging the northern regions to send some our way.

Cincinnati is right across from the state of Kentucky -- separated by the Ohio River which, if you didn't know, also divided our states during the Civil War. South of the River (Kentucky) was the South, north of the river (Ohio) was the North. Slaves escaped by crossing the wide river when it was iced over in the winter. If that has ever happened in this century, I haven't heard of it. Certainly not in recent years. But I digress.

Anyway, here in Cincinnati it is hot, hot, hot. It's been in the 90s mostly, with a few memorable days in the 100s (I'd LIKE to forget them) and a refreshing few in the 80s. It rained for a few minutes on Saturday night but not enough to make much difference. People have pretty much given up on watering lawns and trees are dropping like flies.

I knew I would be traveling a lot this year so for the first time in decades I didn't plant annuals or containers -- I know what summers are like here, and if you can't keep up with supplemental watering, you might as well not spend the money on flowers that are going to shrivel up and die in a few days or weeks.

A neighbor asked if I would speak at her garden club meeting next month, or if I prefer, take them on a tour of my garden. She was embarrassed because her garden looks so bad right now. I told her just about every garden in our area looks bad right now -- especially if they are in a southern exposure, as mine is. As far as a tour of MY garden? Not this year!

Even no maintenance gardens need work, and I've been gone so much mine has received pretty low maintenance this year. This is one reason I'm glad I've got hardscapes -- deck, flagstone paths and patio, a fire pit, a double wooden swing -- things to focus on when the garden isn't in bloom.

Barnes and Noble is featuring a garden book on its main homepage this week. I haven't read it yet -- have any of you?

Message Edited by becke_davis on 08-29-2007 12:24 PM

[caroline88]

Becke,

It is good to read your post and know you are human like the rest of us. Some gardening programs have these pretty pictures that are just pretty pictures, not live gardens. Which is probably one of the reasons why I am not too fond of garden shows.

I lean toward the cottage type of garden. Except without the roses or anything else that has stings on it. I am not too fond of rule books either so if my garden turns out to be a weird mixture of different gardening ideas. So be it.

I wish you well on your travels and with that terrible weather. Too much or too little of one or the other does not sound like many plants would love to be there. Mine are happy. Though it is a bit chilly for this time of year, they get plenty of sun and plenty of rain. Here's to hoping for a few dry days in a row so I can get some weeding done.

Caroline
The Netherlands

[becke_davis]

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caroline88 wrote:
Becke,

It is good to read your post and know you are human like the rest of us. Some gardening programs have these pretty pictures that are just pretty pictures, not live gardens. Which is probably one of the reasons why I am not too fond of garden shows.

I lean toward the cottage type of garden. Except without the roses or anything else that has stings on it. I am not too fond of rule books either so if my garden turns out to be a weird mixture of different gardening ideas. So be it.

I wish you well on your travels and with that terrible weather. Too much or too little of one or the other does not sound like many plants would love to be there. Mine are happy. Though it is a bit chilly for this time of year, they get plenty of sun and plenty of rain. Here's to hoping for a few dry days in a row so I can get some weeding done.

Caroline
The Netherlands

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It's nice to hear from you! It's still in the mid-90s here and the skies are blue, without a cloud in sight. Beautiful, but we could really use some rain. I've lost a couple of conifers this year, in part because I wasn't home to water. I say "in part" because even if I was home, I don't believe in a lot of supplemental watering once plants are established. I want plants that are survivors, and unfortunately this year it's a real survival of the fittest thing.

I am fascinated by plants, so my garden is often a hodge-podge -- knowing about design isn't the same as always using it, and I've got a weakness for trying new plants even if I don't have a place for them. But, as I mentioned, I have worked less in the garden this year than any time in memory. At the same time, I've been writing more than ever. Sometimes the "writer" side of being a garden writer forces the "garden" part to the side. I have to remind myself that things go in cycles, and that I don't need to beat myself up if I can't split myself into enough parts to keep the garden up to par.

I wish we could trade -- I'll take your wet, chilly days and you can have my 90 degrees and dryness. Hopefully we will soon feel the cooler autumn weather moving in, but the way it's been going it will probably jump right into the 30s, no autumn at all.

[caroline88]

Hi Becke,

I am sorry but there are no takers here for your dry and hot weather. Though I just digged through my closet in search of my pair of bed socks, chilly is more easily mended.

Sorry to hear about your conifers. I am just like you. Plants and trees will have to be able to fend for themselves or they should go and live in some fussy plant nursery. Fortunately, I am blessed with good soil (that retains moisture for a long time) and strong plants. And my prayer for a few dry days in a row, appears to be answered according to the Friday-Sunday predictions.

Happy Gardening, on paper or outdoors
Caroline

[becke_davis]

One of the problems I have is that my back yard gets saturated every spring, when we tend to get a LOT of rain and cool weather, and then later in the summer it completely dries out for months at a time, in baking heat. There aren't many plants that like those kinds of extremes, unfortunately.

[KathyS]

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becke_davis wrote:
One of the problems I have is that my back yard gets saturated every spring, when we tend to get a LOT of rain and cool weather, and then later in the summer it completely dries out for months at a time, in baking heat. There aren't many plants that like those kinds of extremes, unfortunately.

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Hi, Becke and Caroline! Long time....no see!

I can't exactly bleed at this moment, for you all.... since we've had over 110 degree temps, no rain, for weeks/months have gone beyond reason, here in So. Calif. But this morning we had fog! Cold! I got outside and worked my heart out, getting rid of all of those dead plants! I haven't been outside much....I've never seen anything like it. I finally had to give up watering. We have to conserve.

The temp extremes have been unbelievable the last couple of days. But I welcomed the cold fog this morning. It was like a breath of fresh air. I went to the clubhouse, and the pool was 86...warmer then the air at that point. I almost jumped in, but decided not to, not having my bathing suit on!

Tonight it feels like Fall is in the air....I think, but it won't last long....still around 90 (cool for us). I may go to the nursery and see what they've got blooming, since I certainly don't have anything much blooming here. My one geranium, in the pot, did very well....kept it in the shade (reflective sun) all summer. Bloomed nicely. The one volunteer Vinca did very well in the heat.....butterfly bushes are still doing fine. One teeny carnation survived....anyway, just odds and ends of nothing all that nice to look at. I also can't find my clippers. I can't for the life of me figure out where they went. I think I'm going to buy two pair, and spray paint them florescent red! Maybe I won't loose them! I ripped out all of my Morning glories by hand. Looking pretty sad. Seeds went bouncing everywhere!

Ok, Time to hit the books/bed....stay well!
Kathy

[becke_davis]

Hi Kathy! Your fog sounds kind of creepy! It cooled off here for about 5 minutes on Sat. night,then got hot all over again the next day. I can't imagine your 110 degree heat -- they always say, it's not the heat, it's the humidity. Well, I agree humidity makes it worse, but when it gets above 95, I don't care whether it's humid or dry, it's too hot for me!

[KathyS]

Hey you....good morning! Fog? Creepy? You've been reading too many mysteries! Ha! Morning fog usually burns off, here, in a few hours after the sun comes out. In our coastal areas, it can hang around all day. But it does pump up the humidity, that's for sure, especially when it gets hot. I was throwing on my wheel this week, here at home, and after a few minutes I couldn't see what I was doing because of the sweat pouring into my eyes. I've never worked *up a sweat* throwing pots, before!

Where I live, our inland fog can get so thick, driving in it at night can be almost impossible. I worked with a gal who called this fog, *one dotters*....this means you can only see one of those road/reflector dots, one at a time......can't see any further in front of you. And you can't drive any faster than that. Your windshield gets so wet, you have to turn on your windshield wipers.

London fog? Is that creepy?

Kathy

[becke_davis]

Well, San Francisco fog doesn't seem scary, but when I was in Wales (St. David's) years ago, I saw this huge fog bank roll in and it was so thick, it really was kind of scary -- like a white-out (in a blizzard). That may have changed my feelings about fog. When I was young I read a book called Fog Magic that I loved, though, so I guess I think of it as being somewhat mysterious.

[caroline88]

Fog? Won't go out unless I really have to. I am not scared of it, except in traffic because then it is quite dangerous. But it just does not feel good on the skin.

The summer has been wet and chilly but with enough sunny days in between to make the plants happy campers. The baby buddleias which I made from cuttings. (Just stick 'em in the ground and see what they can do, with a little water help) Have grown into strong healthy plants. Smaller than their parents but they are still young.

The garden is too full of plants. I am starting to remove some of them. Perennials too. Such a shame but too full is too full. There is a small bush that is creeping out at the side of the garden. I want to move it to the center and that is where I am tossing the begonias that I like less because they disappear altogether during wintertime.

Yesterday I watched a gardening program. It was about annuals. I do not have annuals and I don't have empty borders either. But I decided to watch anyway. Guess what? I learned something useful. He had a wooden fence and decided to paint it in Old English Green. And said, that is one way to make the fence less visible.
It just so happens that a few years ago, my neighbour put up a fence and I think it is about time I went ahead and "hid" it. So those two are my Fall projects for the garden. If it will remain dry long enough to do some painting but I can start by clipping away all the branches and plants that touch the fence.

Caroline

[becke_davis]

Why is the weather all or nothing lately? You got all the rain and cool weather, while I got the heat and drought. If only there was a way we could send each other some of our local weather!

[kiakar]

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becke_davis wrote:
Why is the weather all or nothing lately? You got all the rain and cool weather, while I got the heat and drought. If only there was a way we could send each other some of our local weather!

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I know the weather has been extreme for awhile now. We need rain terrible but its getting cooler especially in the evening and nightfall. Here in Central Va., that is.

[caroline88]

I know, life is not fair

All we can do is hope and pray that the next seasons will be better.

Best wishes,
Caroline

[becke_davis]

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caroline88 wrote:
I know, life is not fair

All we can do is hope and pray that the next seasons will be better.

Best wishes,
Caroline

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So, Caroline -- while we are still having unseasonable heat and thinking about global warming, I'm wondering if this is normal weather for you, or are you having weird weather, too?

[caroline88]

Becke,

I think we stole your rain because we had a wetter summer than usual.

There are two opinions on global warming circulating around these here parts. One, that this is just the normal variation that you can have in weather and this summer is not caused or influenced by global warming at all.

Second theory, global warming will show its ugly face in a while yet. But when it does, the sea levels are going to be rising much higher than had been expected up to now. And no politician cares to spend a dime on taking care of things. The problem is still too far off into the future so it won't get up high enough on the agenda.

Saving for a home (with garden!) on higher ground,
Caroline

[becke_davis]

It sure felt like global warming in Chicago over the weekend. My son ran in the Chicago marathon, which was shut down because of a heat emergency after 300+ runners had to be treated for heat stroke and/or heat exhaustion, and one runner died. My son did complete the marathon, but he walked several miles instead of running. It got up to 88 degrees, a record for this date in Chicago. Today it is finally cooler here. I'm not sure if it's st6ill hot in Cincinnati, I'm still in Chicago.