I have changed my answer to

#1 fear: animals will eat everything before it even has a chance to bloom. I am in the same predicament

Hurricanes. What will I find when I return? When hurricanes visit, we usually have to leave because we live on an island off the east coast of Florida. Last October, we evacuated to North Tampa when Hurricane Matthew approached. We stayed up watching the TV as the storm approached. About 9 in the evening I told my husband my garden was safe and urged him to go to bed. I tossed and turned. We called police in our community because we couldn't return until the bridge was safe to cross. We got home, I walked to the back yard and broke into tears. The plants were shredded. The yard is 35 ft deep and 80 ft wide. One begonia was pointing east and the Musical Note Plant was pointing west. The wind was about 95 mph and it swirled in the back yard. My Meyers lemon tree had some branches that were "braided". I'm short, so had to stand on a bench and try to untwist those branches. That's fun--lemon trees have thorns. Ten days after the storm, I loaded a container with 15 lb. of fertilizer and fertilized everyone in the front and back yard. We had received 8" of rain with Matthew, but all the plants looked sad and so very, very needy. The oak trees were stripped. I found enough twigs to start 3 trees! The beauty bush was shredded as were most of the plants.





And we had a neighbor's palm tree on our roof!



Within 3 months it wasn't evident that Matthew had passed. My garden recovered and grew and became beautiful!!!

Lack of rain. I can't water all the flowerbeds and veggie garden every few days. It hurts to see the cukes wilt, the beans dry on the vines, and the astilbes turn brown. I do what I can but nature HAS to provide some deep rainfall.

May and June together routinely provide 6+ inches of rainfall. We have gotten a total of 1.5 according to my rain gauge. The weeds are limp!

All the rain must be stopping here, before it gets to you, Yardenman -- we've had WAY more than our share so far.

"Within 3 months it wasn't evident that Matthew had passed. My garden recovered and grew and became beautiful!!!"

Arlene, it would be heartbreaking to have all that damage from the hurricane -- but things do grow back so quickly in the south!

Yardenman said:Lack of rain. I can't water all the flowerbeds and veggie garden every few days. It hurts to see the cukes wilt, the beans dry on the vines, and the astilbes turn brown. I do what I can but nature HAS to provide some deep rainfall.

May and June together routinely provide 6+ inches of rainfall. We have gotten a total of 1.5 according to my rain gauge. The weeds are limp!

So sorry to hear this! We're dealing with the opposite, though I can't say I'm complaining. In the last 72 hours, we've received over 2" of rain!

We've had an unusual amout of rain. The skeeters are celebrating! Saw 2 different forecasts for tonight. The 1st said 15% chance of rain but the other said 50%.

We also have coyotes altho I'm happy to say I haven't seen one. Someone in a neighboring hood posted a picture of a coyote just walking down the sidewalk. Not even jaywalking.

Neighbors across the street from me saw 2 baby kittens under someone's deck. Wish I could post the picture because they look like little escape artists. Anyway, they put out a trap, hoping to get those cuties to a vet. Guess what got trapped -- a possum. Surprise!

My worries are seasonal. Right now I worry when I see the daily afternoon wilting of things: Elephant Ear, Angel's Trumpets, Trailing Daisy etc, around 3-7 pm. They all like some fair amount of sun. But our summer heat affects even them. They all perk up again once the heat dissipates. But I have to fight the urge to water.

I get anxious whenever I have to turn or move my Plumeria trees. They are so brittle that branches easily snap off.

Seed starting is my anxious thing. I keep checking for sprouts . But even that I'm not taking too seriously these days. I've spent about 28 years gardening here, and about 10 actively swapping, there's so much variety in my garden now and I work full time, I just enjoy what works, and let failures thin the herd.

ShadyGreenThumb said:My worries are seasonal. Right now I worry when I see the daily afternoon wilting of things: Elephant Ear, Angel's Trumpets, Trailing Daisy etc, around 3-7 pm. They all like some fair amount of sun. But our summer heat affects even them. They all perk up again once the heat dissipates. But I have to fight the urge to water.

I get anxious whenever I have to turn or move my Plumeria trees. They are so brittle that branches easily snap off.

So when I see my Dahlia do this, I run outside to give it a little water; 20 mins later, it perks up. Should I not be doing this? I don't want to hurt the plant or the roots or its health but it looks so thirsty.

in advance!

What time of day are you running out, Jackie? I can't imagine anyone growing 200 or 400 dahlias running out for each one but it is sweet that you're taking notice. How about adding 2" of mulch to help the soil retain the moisture?

Got it -- it's the volume of plants you have. I only have one Dahlia and it sits outside my front window. It's very spoiled but it gives me beautiful pictures

The wilting is a way for plants to cope with the heat. They limit their exposure to the sun. Unless they are very dry they will recover with the cooler evening/night temps.

Oddly, my best judge for deep soil dryness is the Brunerra. When THEY wilt, I know serious overall watering is required.

Good idea to have an indicator plant. Back in the days I worked, I used the peace lily as a sign to water all the office plants except the pony tail plant, which I always used a water meter on.

Bonehead said:Good idea to have an indicator plant. Back in the days I worked, I used the peace lily as a sign to water all the office plants except the pony tail plant, which I always used a water meter on.

Yeah, I can generally tell when the flowerbeds need watering by sense of dryness around me. But If I see the Brunerra wilt the least bit its OOPS! Get out the hose fast.

It is really hard not to water a wilted plant. So I guess that is one thing that does bring me some actual anxiety.= even if I decide it doesn't need it right away. Peace lilies make good plant version of canary in a coal mine.

In my shade gardens I use coleus as indicator plants. If they look droopy I water.

Impatiens works for me in shade. They are quick to respond to a good drink.

Oh I am loving the direction of this thread. I have daylilies and Asiatic lilies in a mostly sun/part shade garden and I don't have a good indicator plant. I need to find a good one and plant it!

As always, I learned a new tip on my favorite place - this forum!!!

Have been waiting anxiously for my dancing ladies ginger to show up--- it finally did!

But my blue ginger have not Still hoping it will eventually - I think I'll have to dig it up.

The Indian pink is not growing as I hoped -

And then there's the dendrobium - roots are not growing - trying to keep medium moist and not too wet.

These were on my wish list so they are "special".