Good point, Kitty!

Alyce Elliott
NNY zone 4

At 04:14 PM 9/30/2012, you wrote:

I don't think it's just water involved.  Remember about 10 or 15 years ago when AHS came out with their heat zone map?   Even with plenty of water some plants just cannot handle the heat.  We experienced triple digits for a week straight - which had never happened here before - and high 90s surrounding that week with a few more triple digits thrown in here and there.  That might be normal and easy to handle for a plant that's designated as a heat lover.  But the plants I grow here, I'd bet many of them don't have heat ratings for these temps.
 
Kitty
neIN, Zone 5

----- Original Message -----

From: l*@hotmail.com

To: p*@hort.net

Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 2:18 PM

Subject: RE: Anemones

And isn't it the perennial hope of gardeners..."It'll be better next year!" Interesting that we had the same experience, except my garden is reversed from yours -  front is shade with trees, back is full sun.

Lil T

Georgetown ON

z5

---

Date: Sat, 29 Sep 2012 09:19:23 -0400

To: p*@hort.net

From: a*@northnet.org

Subject: RE: Anemones

Lil, here in northern New York, Zone 4, I had much the same experience as you.  I believe I may have lost some astilbes, I have several varieties.  I cut the most affected ones to the ground because they had turned brown.  Other astilbes seem to be fine.  My Japanese painted ferns wilted in some gardens as did some hostas!  My Jack Frost brunnera is OK.  I was going to divide it this year but now I will wait since I only have the one.

I, too, watered daily but it seemed impossible to catch up with the drought.  I wonder if the ground all around our gardens was so parched that it drew much of the water away from the soil in the gardens?  It's been interesting to see which plants have soldiered through and which have tried to defect.  Unfortunately I'm afraid some defectors have succeeded.

And, as with you, plants in the back of my house fared better than those in the front.  I've been assuming that it's because the back gardens are surrounded by woods, and the front gardens are surrounded by meadows. 

Here's hoping your failing plants show up just fine next spring.

Alyce Elliott

Oxbow NY

PS  Your previous post's poetic alliterations left me laughing loudly!

At 08:31 AM 9/29/2012, you wrote:

Hi Barb - We sure did get the heat and drought. However, because my gardens are so small I was able to keep both front and back well watered. Have never before been as diligent about watering as I was this year. Spend a lot of time cursing as I watch things wither away,

Lil T

Georgetown ON

z5

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Sent: Friday, September 28, 2012 4:05 PM

Subject: RE: Anemones

Ferns flopping face first flat. Failing fronds are frustrating. Likely lousy Linden leaching liquid from loam.

(I couldn't help it either, but its true. Only thing that has thrived in that garden is a coleus - the only annual in the whole garden)

Lil T