Rick .......
>>>>> go into survival mode, which is a kind of dormancy. I am hoping to induce heat dormancy in the plants so that they will need less water to survive.
>>>Smart! Working with the plant's nature. I never heard of anticipating dormancy and trying to ease into it, but it sounds like a good plan.
I really never heard of it, either. I got the idea from knowing about roses found in abandoned cemeteries, abandoned homestead, ghost towns, etc. Most of those roses never received any supplemental water during the summer months because we don't get summer rains in most of California. The roses were not thriving, but they had survived without any "care".
That's the reason I am watering, now. Generally, the places where those roses were found got sufficient winter rains to keep the plants alive. I am trying to mimic that cycle. Who knows if it will work ? I think it's better to have a plan than to hope we don't have any water restrictions.
Smiles,
Lyn
