July 2011 regional garden bloggers' report

Well, 2011 continues to give our regional garden bloggers more wacky weather, from record rains to drought-and-drown precipitation. Here’s more on what’s going on in their back yards:

Catie Anderson:  (Willamette Valley, OR)

Well, first a review of the soggy weather this year: In March, we set a record for latest first 60-degree day in a calendar year and a record 28 days with measureable rain. In April, we set a two-month rainfall record (for March/April) of 11.47 inches and the fewest 60-degree days or above – six (the average is 26). As of today, we’ve only had one 80-degree day. Our spring ranked second wettest on record. Impressive, but not tornadoes or floods or fires!

Since then, I've continued trialing a deer fence we made from fishing line and green garden posts. This was very effective – I actually was able to enjoy blooming tulips for the first time in that bed! I am going to use this in other areas in the future. A couple days ago, I watched a pair of does move around the outside of the fence but they avoided the fishing line – didn’t even stick their heads in. The best part is you really can’t see it. In fact, I’ve run into it several times – of course I am a klutz! I’m going to use this method around the plants I’ve put in for the Tesselaar "Great Gardens" contest.

Catie in her raised-bed veggie gardens - fenced in to protect them from browsing deer.

Last weekend, we built raised beds in our new, 8-foot-high, 30- by 40-foot, fenced-in garden and discovered we built it on top of a rock pile. Just my luck! Six hours later I had pulled 400 pounds of rocks out of a 4- by 16-foot bed. Later, I planted tomatoes, basil and carrots and it felt so good to dig in that soft soil. We had fresh basil in our salad that evening. 

Shirley Gardner:  (Boise Idaho)

June 21st – the longest day of the year and we’re just finally having some summery weather. Of course it went from the high 50s to the 90s within a couple of days – whew! The cool temps and all the rain have caused the growing season to be about a month behind here. First time I ever remember not having peonies blooming in time for the cemetery on Memorial Day. My leatherleaf viburnum sure loved the rain, however, and was quite wonderful this year. I love my Color Flash^® Lime astilbes. I planted them around the base of my bloodgood maple and they’re quite happy there. The Flower Carpet^® roses are covered with buds but haven’t started to bloom yet.

We’ve also been working on getting in the new drip lines for the vegetable garden. It’s quite a job but we’re almost done and the veggies are loving that slow, deep watering.

Becky Dziarnowski  Ignacio, CO – La Plata River Valley

The honeysuckle fragrance is heavenly, irises and daisies are in bloom and the wild lupine is ready to blossom. Hummingbirds are fiercely defending their territory with the cicada chorus in the background. The wild roses are fully open, bee balm, clematis, salvia, vinca and lavender all blossoming while the wild sweet pea and lilies are ready to burst. Summer is finally here!

 
Becky's view of the La Plata River Valley in Colorado. 

Luckily for us, no garden pests yet – only us humans fighting off the no-see-ems.
 
My Flower Carpet roses are a brilliant emerald with their first buds ready to open. Even though spring was not too pleasant this year, the vegetable garden is all in and flowers on the verge of creating their beautiful displays. Petunias were slow to start (still just 40 degrees at night), but the daytime makes up for it, hitting 95 degrees today. As soon as the temps stay above 45 at night there will be no holding anything back. Our biggest challenge here is the vast difference in temperature from morning to night. As true gardeners, we wait to discover each glorious new arrival every day. So enjoy, enjoy and if anyone wants to do a little weeding…

From Carmel Booth: (Atlanta, Georgia area)

I guess now that I have been here for 29 years I am considered a native! And we natives know they don’t call it HOTLANTA for nothing! This has been quite a spring! My zone 7ish garden has already seen torrential rains, severe thunderstorms, drought, tornados, sun and lots of hot!! With more days of 90-plus temps, this summer should be its own adventure in gardening!  My daylilies are working overtime, as well as my Flower carpet roses, echinacea, hosta and hydrangeas.

Carmel's tall, purplish-black-leaved Tropicanna cannas in a mixed container

It can be strange weather here. But more often than not, we have beautiful, clear days and it is usually pretty, although hot! The hardest part is trying to figure out if you should/could or need to water! We hadn't had any rain for more than a week so I decided to water last night. This afternoon we had severe storms! (Almost an inch of rain in about 30 minutes, then they were gone!) We also have pretty strict water laws. I try hard to let Mother Nature take care of the watering, but she either drowns us or we can't squeeze a drop out!

In my last post, I discussed the tree I had to remove that provided the shade to my hosta garden.  I have since moved 20-plus plants! Thankfully, I have some wonderful, full-sun-tolerant hosta that I think can stay, but only time will tell. Among them I have Tropicanna^® cannas and a peony. I can’t wait to see them bloom. The white hydrangea and the Flower Carpet red roses look beautiful together.

Please be kind to us this summer Mother Nature!  I really want to see my gardens grow!