Re: [SG] Pulmonarias/drought

Yes, I stopped growing pulmonarias because they never seemed to survive a
dry period, which I've come to realize is inevitable every July here. We've
been lucky in New York City in that the water restrictions have been pretty
mild; in some suburbs they've been stringent enough to seriously affect
gardens. There is a silver lining to three summers of drought, though--I've
hardly seen a slug all season. I feel like I've been handed three hours of
free time a week, and for the first time ever I'm seeing what my hostas look
like undamaged.
Nancy (in NYC, zone 6B)

>In a message dated 6/21/99 2:06:42 AM Eastern Daylight Time, CCREDUX@AOL.COM
>writes:
>
><< I find the mildew that is so prevalent on P. 'Mrs. Moon' is easily
>eradicated
> with one dousing of any fungicide.Pulmonarias should stay nice from spring to
> frost.I think the problem is that many of us are stingy when it comes to
> watering. Puls must be moist. >>
>
>Some of us do not have water.  Some of us on the east coast have been
>experiencing a drought.  The southern farmers are a nightly TV item.
>
>I find that if I water here and there it is practically useless as the
>surrounding soils leach away the water immediately.  A full scale drought
>period is indeed woeful to the gardener.
>
>There have been three very dry summers previous to l999.  We have our fingers
>crossed for a bit more rain this summer.
>
>Water districts in my area have restrictions of all sorts.  This year we are
>reading "if you had restrictions last year, they are the same this year".  My
>garden is served by a well and there are several ponds.  We are not able to
>use tested clean well water on the garden when it is needed in the house.
>
>Pumping pond water is a laborious and time consuming chore.  We have cistern
>collected water for the garden and this is, of course, limited.
>While I think unlimited watering furnishing optimum conditions is ideal it is
>not possible for many of us.
>
>Therefore, with tongue in cheek, I advise pulmonaria longifolia types which
>do not mildew.  Mrs. Moon and similar types can be sheared off completely and
>will return later in the summer.  In fact, they mildew so often for me that I
>shear them immediately after flowering.
>
>For all of the parched east coasters there may be hope.  We have had storms,
>not rainy periods, but storms twice in the last week.  Previous to that we
>had a grey cloudy period of a week producing not one drop of rain.
>
>There are two books: The Dry Garden by Beth Chatto and The Undaunted Garden
>by Lauren Springer.  Both deal with low rainfall gardening.
>
>Claire Peplowski
>East Nassau, NY
>z4
>
>
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