The last weekend of June is getting a reputation in these parts, a HOT reputation. June 26-28th 2021 brought the infamous "Heat Dome" and record setting high temperatures for Portland of 108, 112, and116 F. This weekend brought another warm forecast...
...with actual temps of 93, 99 and 97. Thankfully this wasn't anywhere near as hot as last year, but still significant for gardeners, as those highs were completely out of line with the cool wet days we've been experiencing. When your plants are used to partly to mostly cloudy days, with highs in the 70's—then hitting 85 by 10:30 am is quite a shock.
On a personal note, I was thankful to be able to walk the garden this year to prep and water with ease. Last year I'd just had ankle surgery and wasn't able to get outside throughout the day and check on things. It was hell wondering how my plants were doing, to not be able to run out and shade something that was showing signs of wilting—like the new growth on this Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl'. It was so crispy ugly after last year's heat that cut it off. Then wouldn't you know it, this year's fresh new spring growth was still tender when this heatwave hit...
Ditto for the Sinopanax formosana, only it wasn't just new growth that was scorched under three days of relentless hot sun last year, the old foliage turned brown too. It looked so bad I decided to cut the trunk back, way back. Would it respond? Or did I just kill a very expensive plant? It responded, but now I needed to protect those tiny new leaves!
Ditto for the Schefflera delavayi...
So this is what my garden became...
Frost cloth, doing double duty as shade cloth.
It turns out those big brown new leaves on the Rhododendron sinogrande, are also kinda tender.
Something I found out as the heat progressed. The shorter one made it behind the cloth, the taller one did not, it's leaves went limp and folded in on themselves. Thankfully a good soaking when the sun went down and they recovered
The Schefflera delavayi looks like it's performing some sort of finger-puppet show.
Rather then move the new treasures gathered in this stock tank, I built a shade barrier here as well.
I also took down my garbage can lid planting from the back of the garage. In addition to the heat, strong evening winds kicked up. If the sun didn't crisp these guys up, the wind may have knocked it down.
This is one I missed! Augh! The tender new growth on a prized Pyrrosia sheareri. As soon as I caught it, I built another shade wall, fingers crossed it recovers.
Don't get me wrong, I'm am happy the summer sun has arrived. It just would have been nice for the plants if maybe we'd had a a few days in the high 80's, maybe a day at 90, before BAM! We left the cloudy, cool and rainy days behind and almost hit the century mark.
Even the agaves shared their unhappiness, as a few ended up with sunburned leaves.
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I did all kinds of covering of plants early in the spring to protect them from late frosts. But I am just having to let things fry now. Too much to protect. We've had days in the 90s for the past two weeks. So lots of things did not get done for the Fling that I hoped to do. Just noticed a while lot of brown foliage all over a big swath of Epimediums. Plus our neighbor just took down a tree letting western sun into a so-called shade bed. Feels like a losing battle some days.
ReplyDeleteUgh, losing tree cover is a very garden-changing event! Fingers crossed for you.
DeleteIt's heartbreaking to see the sun damage on Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl'!
ReplyDeleteFortunately you had Frost cloth on hand. It doesn't make for a very appealing sight, but so useful and thankfully temporary.
Seattle only got to 91-92 and we are back to the comfortable cool and cloudy.
Chavli
Actually what you're seeing on the Rhododendron 'Ebony Pearl' is the color of the new growth. There was no sun damage this time, thanks to the frost cloth shade.
DeleteIncredibile come si brucino le agavi! Attendiamo periodi migliori anche qui dove stiamo vivendo una delle siccità più gravi degli ultimi anni...
ReplyDeleteBuona estate :)
Poor things! I hope your drought eases.
DeleteMother Nature isn't responding at all gently to the damage humans have imposed on the earth - and unfortunately gardeners have been caught in the crossfire. I'm glad you're able to respond more quickly to those sharp temperature shifts this year. I probably need to follow your example and create movable screens. While our inland valleys are experiencing temperatures above 100, we've generally stayed at our below 95 so far but that's unlikely to last.
ReplyDeleteSo true about the cross-fire! I hope your temperatures stay below the century mark.
DeleteHere getting ready for heat waves is something we have a lot of practice doing. Come June the potted plants either go into the shade or get tucked into empty spots in planting beds so they have protection from surrounding plants--it's a whole regimen--like you in your region putting plants in the basement or greenhouse for the winter.
ReplyDeleteThose Rhodies sure have gorgeous foliage!
Great you can get double duty from frost cloth.
Gardeners are a hard-working bunch, aren't we?
DeleteLooks like you're having a similar experience to ours: Very hot, followed by cool, followed by hot again. I don't remember the dramatic variations during summer that we're seeing in recent years. Weather swings are "normal" in spring and fall, but these dramatic changes in summer are so unusual.
ReplyDeleteOurs was a wet cool spring and then BAM! Summer. No build up. But yes, the extremes are definitely on the rise...
DeleteFunny (NOT!) that we now have to protect against the cold AND the heat.
ReplyDeleteWell, at least when it comes out of nowhere like this hot spell did!
DeleteIt’s hard to know what to protect when everything has been so wet and cold for so long. I have noticed that the little heat waves always seem to come when my Jerusalem sage is in full bloom – the scorching heat always cuts the bloom time of something in the garden short. I really enjoy reading your experiences with pruning – I think that is something most gardeners struggle with and it is useful for everyone to see what works and what doesn’t.
ReplyDeleteI didn't do anything for the blooms that I knew would get zapped—the foliage damage is so much more long-lasting. It did suck to see the bright yellow/green of the callistemon blooms turn brown so quickly though. Glad the pruning info was helpful!
DeleteI sympathize with your crazy weather. Last year at this time we were in a serious drought with record temperatures and horrible smoke. This year we are drowning and cold. My drought tolerant plantings are suffering but some things like trees and shrubs will have tons of growth. Some wins some losses. Got to be philosophical.
ReplyDeleteThe extremes! I hear you...
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