Despite searing temps hot enough to cook an egg, the man and I braved the heat to check out the community garden next to Coppell city hall. The garden was awash in summer colors of yellow and orange. The cosmos were in full, rampant bloom, along with zinnias, lantanas, loosestrife, sunflowers and roses. It gave us an opportunity to observe how the vegetable plants fared in this heat. We saw several pepper plants fruiting, in addition to tomatoes, blackberries, squash and melons.
The first Lady in Red salvia has bloomed. It may be 100 degrees hot, but the summer bloomers love it. Don’t see how the kale are holding out…they are in part-to-full shade, but I expected them to wilt by now.
I discovered my Asahi zuru in dire straits–walked out on the porch yesterday and noticed that most of its leaves were curled and drying. I questioned the waterboy–who swore he had been giving the japanese maple plenty of water. Then he later recanted, stating that maybe he missed it after all. So, basically, the poor tree has been struggling through the past few 100 degree days…can it be rescued?
Despite several gallons of water to saturate the soil, I believe more than 75% of the foliage will be lost. I am just waiting to see when they will be dropping off. I hate to write off this JM even though it lost most of its variegation last year and probably won’t get it back. It’s still a Japanese maple and pretty in that JM way.
One of my Titan vinca seedlings–still planter box squatting–bloomed this morning: a pale pink with rosy center. But where are all these blasted black ants coming from? They seem to favor the vinca and are chewing tiny holes into them–all of them! I’m readying the spreader to drop the insect-killer on them!
The newest salvia greggii in the salvia bed has bloomed finally. Also, I’ve noted that the confetti lantanas and Purple Star verbenas in the front bed are enjoying their new home. The recent Hot Lips salvia addition keeps growing and growing…soon it will sprawl like the other Hot Lips in this bed. The dahlberg daisies are irrepressible, non-stop bloomers. As is the Thai basil, shortly before I gave it a haircut.
