Hot, Hot, Hot !! What's a gardener to do ?
Hot, Hot, Hot !!! What's a Gardener to do ?
Over the next few days, we are going to experience some dangerously high temperatures here in the low desert of Arizona. As I write, it is 109 degrees Fahrenheit outside with 4% humidity. Below is a weather link if you are interested in more details.
https://www.google.com/search?q=weather+phoenix&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&gws_rd=ssl
Tuesday, it is supposed to be 121 degrees Fahrenheit ! Neither I,nor my plants, have experienced anything like this sort of heat before. I am not sure what it is going to do to the tomatoes, but I will definitely let you know. Watch this space later in the week.
In the meantime, watering and any gardening will be done early in the morning, when it is cool(ish), if 80 degrees Fahrenheit can be called cool. In fact it is not necessarily the daytime heat that will kill the plants, but rather the fact that it does not cool off enough at night that finishes them off. They just never get any respite from the heat.
Last year many plants struggled on through the summer, manfully trying their best to stay alive. But the consistent heat finally did them in and although they were fine through June and July, it was not until late August/early September that despite my best efforts, they just threw in the towel, even though they had been cared for, shaded and watered sufficiently.
I am very interested to know what other low desert gardeners have experienced with this extended summer heat.
So please stay cool, wear a hat and sunscreen, drink lots of water and enjoy the photo below.
Over the next few days, we are going to experience some dangerously high temperatures here in the low desert of Arizona. As I write, it is 109 degrees Fahrenheit outside with 4% humidity. Below is a weather link if you are interested in more details.
https://www.google.com/search?q=weather+phoenix&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-SearchBox&ie=&oe=&gws_rd=ssl
Tuesday, it is supposed to be 121 degrees Fahrenheit ! Neither I,nor my plants, have experienced anything like this sort of heat before. I am not sure what it is going to do to the tomatoes, but I will definitely let you know. Watch this space later in the week.
In the meantime, watering and any gardening will be done early in the morning, when it is cool(ish), if 80 degrees Fahrenheit can be called cool. In fact it is not necessarily the daytime heat that will kill the plants, but rather the fact that it does not cool off enough at night that finishes them off. They just never get any respite from the heat.
Last year many plants struggled on through the summer, manfully trying their best to stay alive. But the consistent heat finally did them in and although they were fine through June and July, it was not until late August/early September that despite my best efforts, they just threw in the towel, even though they had been cared for, shaded and watered sufficiently.
I am very interested to know what other low desert gardeners have experienced with this extended summer heat.
So please stay cool, wear a hat and sunscreen, drink lots of water and enjoy the photo below.
Zinnia
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