Greetings Summer Survivors!

We've almost made it through another sizzling summer, with just a few ( ! ) more blistering days left. Fall begins officially Sept. 22.......but may take a few more weeks until I really believe it! Sun, wind, heat ( ambient air temperature ) , soil, and water all play major factors in the success of our plants. As the temperature finally drops below 100 degrees consistently, start cutting back on your irrigation to once a day, early in the morning. Put on your big sun hat and bravely venture out to your garden to check for summer casualties. It's a good time to lightly prune, weed, check irrigation, and begin fantasizing about your annual color. More about that soon. Some plants, like people, may not tolerate the heat even in shaded or protected areas, and sadly experience the dreaded "meltdown". The plant's cells disintegrate and collaspe from the heat. ( I can relate to that! ) Unfortunately, some drought-tolerant plants that perform well outside of our desert area often fail here because of our ridiculously-crazy heat and extreme cold. Ah, life and gardening on Mars........