gemini_sage said:Drought years can be so depressing. The first year I lived in this house (and moved most of the plants from the previous garden here) was a drought year. It was hot and everything was brown, I didn't even want to be outside at all.
Thankfully there are mature trees dotted around the yard, so I can almost always find a shady spot to play in the dirt.
Neal ...
Along with selection of roses that are naturally more drought tolerant, I have also trained my roses to be more drought tolerant because I know I won't have rain during the summer months and will have temps in the high 90s to low 100s. Also, I am growing roses in "lousy soil".
The soil has improved, but the basic structure under the surface doesn't change that much.
I haven't had any losses due to the drought. Some of the roses did show water stress during the second year of the drought, but I changed how I watered and my mulch materials and there was a lot less stress after the change. Yes, some of the roses went summer dormant, but not many.
I do wish I had more trees. During the summer months I have worse cabin fever than I do during the winter. I can work outside when it's colder as long as it's not raining or snowing. Day temps generally move up into the 50s by the end of January, so I can start working in the garden in January even tho' I don't prune until near the end of March or early April.
I yearn for more shade, but that won't happen here.
