tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post1462228080075525805..comments2023-08-16T18:56:13.685+10:00Comments on diary of a suburban gardener: midsummer heatSue Catminthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-928224505056335742014-02-17T22:08:22.426+11:002014-02-17T22:08:22.426+11:00I agree, Steph. I try not to have too many pot pla...I agree, Steph. I try not to have too many pot plants because you really do have to water them. In the terrible heat I didn't water the bay tree that's in a pot because it felt too hot to go outside. All the leaves dried out and shrivelled up. Later I cut it right back and watered it and now it's shooting strongly from the base.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-54906735732458678852014-02-16T02:30:29.168+11:002014-02-16T02:30:29.168+11:00We are facing the same hot weather here. Like you,...We are facing the same hot weather here. Like you, I pity my plants. Some days, I water them twice a day - one time in the morning and another in the evening. The other day when I was not in town, a few potted plants dried up. Btw, whether indigenous plant or not, I think no difference when plants are grown in pots. Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05867061279916535777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-60237193868486804192014-02-15T23:28:40.637+11:002014-02-15T23:28:40.637+11:00Hi Donna, the wildlife really suffer with the heat...Hi Donna, the wildlife really suffer with the heat and the fires. Most of the birds in my garden are not colourful, but the lorikeets make up for it.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-83596228300635334952014-02-15T23:26:46.010+11:002014-02-15T23:26:46.010+11:00Hi Lucy, even within Australia, there are places t...Hi Lucy, even within Australia, there are places that have floods and other places that have droughts. I think there's room for an invention to transfer water to different locations. Or make rain. Probably easier to find plants that thrive in these conditions. I hadn't forgotten about tree following, just having difficulty keeping up blogging all together. But I'll definitely check out your Linky box. Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-42361770808938227972014-02-15T23:22:19.235+11:002014-02-15T23:22:19.235+11:00Hi linda, they are large fruit eating bats. Those ...Hi linda, they are large fruit eating bats. Those balls are the seed pods of the annual wildflowers, the nigella and the poppies. There's nothing much else to photograph that looks interesting. Certainly few flowers. Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-45861849071111830012014-02-15T23:17:55.749+11:002014-02-15T23:17:55.749+11:00sounds like you are having a pleasant winter in Ge...sounds like you are having a pleasant winter in Germany, Kirk. Last week people with asthma were told to stay indoors because it was hard to breathe in Melbourne because of the smoke from the bushfires. I hope your mum is OK - wisterias are monsters unless they are exactly in the right location and well supported. I've learned that lesson too late and sounds like your mum has too.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-61926797046693175702014-02-15T23:11:00.859+11:002014-02-15T23:11:00.859+11:00thanks Alastair - I'm enjoying it again - that...thanks Alastair - I'm enjoying it again - that week was unbearable but I can't stay out of the garden for long - might get withdrawal symptoms. Thanks for your good wishes.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-26785465354116921042014-02-15T23:08:14.123+11:002014-02-15T23:08:14.123+11:00perhaps we could find a wormhole to send some heat...perhaps we could find a wormhole to send some heat to you and some water to me!Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-75520190236290151032014-02-15T23:06:45.848+11:002014-02-15T23:06:45.848+11:00thanks so much, Billy, your sensible comment helpe...thanks so much, Billy, your sensible comment helped to snap me out of my self pity and panic. I realize I love the burnt look in the summer, green look unnatural.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-86957493712548157292014-02-15T23:04:15.896+11:002014-02-15T23:04:15.896+11:00Hi Tammy, I've seen two dead possums, not sure...Hi Tammy, I've seen two dead possums, not sure if died from heat or cats. Surprisingly I've seen dragonflies and butterflies, I would have thought it was too hot for them. The birds are around, they drink at the bird baths a lot. Thank goodness the 104 plus for a whole week was only on one occasion - so far. After that experience, temps in the 30s seem cool.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-21082575471545718592014-02-15T22:59:08.666+11:002014-02-15T22:59:08.666+11:00thanks og, if I close my eyes tight and concentrat...thanks og, if I close my eyes tight and concentrate hard, I can almost feel the dampness.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-25537484512027326802014-02-15T22:57:47.660+11:002014-02-15T22:57:47.660+11:00Hi Joy, I think my aesthetic is changing, I now lo...Hi Joy, I think my aesthetic is changing, I now love the subtlety of the Australian bush, and that is very hard to replicate in a garden. But I guess we all have some kind of ideal garden in our head that doesn't exist and never will, and as you say, is part of the fun (usually) but sometimes part of the frustration. Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-39391559028929610312014-02-15T22:50:00.388+11:002014-02-15T22:50:00.388+11:00The plants, and us, need to learn to be really res...The plants, and us, need to learn to be really resilient in this age of extreme and unpredictable weather. Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-57189899645758070512014-02-15T22:47:19.525+11:002014-02-15T22:47:19.525+11:00Hi Donna, luckily it hasn't as bad since that ...Hi Donna, luckily it hasn't as bad since that awful week. I wish I could send you a bit of heat to warm you up.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-88566812607288279732014-02-15T22:44:43.254+11:002014-02-15T22:44:43.254+11:00Hi Pauline, I was shocked today hearing about the ...Hi Pauline, I was shocked today hearing about the extreme wet weather you have been having, breaking all previous records. I wonder if there are more plants that don't mind the dryness and the heat compared to those that mind having their roots sitting in water? Both extremes are interesting horticultural challenges for us, just in case we are in danger of getting bored - as if! Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-72310315396344516902014-02-15T04:58:11.912+11:002014-02-15T04:58:11.912+11:00I just love the birds you have there. Hot and dry,...I just love the birds you have there. Hot and dry, really opposite than we have here in WNY. Hope you get the rains, I know you easily get fires with the dry climate as we have seen it on the news. I feel for the wildlife, they don't have the choices we have to get out of the heat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-64081407790340243692014-02-15T00:52:48.145+11:002014-02-15T00:52:48.145+11:00I wish we could send you some of our excess rain f...I wish we could send you some of our excess rain from England.<br /><br />I'm following a tree again in 2014. Would you like to do the same? I'm having a bash at using a Linky box on my blog for people who'd like to keep in touch with each other's trees.Lucy Corrander Now in Halifax!https://www.blogger.com/profile/14685242329129914772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-54191129946495048842014-02-11T23:19:17.564+11:002014-02-11T23:19:17.564+11:00hi Beth, that week was unusual and although since ...hi Beth, that week was unusual and although since then although it has been hot, it hasn't been nearly as bad. The flying fox colony is still very large and strong - and amazing. It will make a great post when I get myself organized. Sorry your weather is so cold - must be hard. Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-75374147705991973262014-02-11T23:12:33.195+11:002014-02-11T23:12:33.195+11:00hi dorothy, A lot of the plants in my garden are f...hi dorothy, A lot of the plants in my garden are from California, they seem to be suitable for the way our weather is shaping up and for what I'm trying to do. As Chris said, gardening is becoming quite tricky ...Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-63341922458339988602014-02-11T23:09:39.085+11:002014-02-11T23:09:39.085+11:00hi Deb, 15 days in a row over 100 is worse than I&...hi Deb, 15 days in a row over 100 is worse than I've experienced. And being pregnant or with a new baby too. If I'd known you then my heart would have gone out to you! And now - it's freezing worse than I've experienced! Maybe I shouldn't complain (but sharing it makes it feel better). Those birds are called Rainbow Lorikeets, they're native to Australia and quite common round here.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-80707026070501471232014-02-11T23:04:32.011+11:002014-02-11T23:04:32.011+11:00Dear RPS, we certainly are experiencing extremes o...Dear RPS, we certainly are experiencing extremes of temperatures! I'm glad you agree with my approach. It has worked so far for about one third of the garden. I don't think I'll live long enough to work out how to drought proof the whole garden. But that's to be expected, isn't it? Gardens are never finished, but gardeners are (lol)Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-28547966965389209022014-02-11T22:59:48.970+11:002014-02-11T22:59:48.970+11:00Dear Denise, it's better in the morning, unfor...Dear Denise, it's better in the morning, unfortunately I'm better in the afternoon! We don't have a watering ban at present, luckily, but apparently people are using so much water, we might need one again. There is a lot of green in the garden, as I wrote to Chris, I panicked and saw the worse. Thanks so much for caring.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-55124458788393811622014-02-11T22:55:59.051+11:002014-02-11T22:55:59.051+11:00Hi Janneke, I visited the colony today, apparently...Hi Janneke, I visited the colony today, apparently about 1000 died in that really bad week. There are still thousands there. I'll post a photo soon - they look amazing.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-80318914763412417582014-02-11T22:53:50.563+11:002014-02-11T22:53:50.563+11:00thx Chris, for your empathy. It's still hot, b...thx Chris, for your empathy. It's still hot, but I'm feeling a bit less paniccy now.Sue Catminthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14242341696447975933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-174929999542605112.post-29166817031065128382014-02-11T14:44:41.188+11:002014-02-11T14:44:41.188+11:00Flying foxes! I had to google them. Look kinda lik...Flying foxes! I had to google them. Look kinda like bats except maybe larger? Sorry you are having such a hot dry summer. In USA, we still have 5 more weeks of winter and the northern states have had a very rough winter. Southern states are starting to see hints of spring. You had 2 photos of a very dry looking plant with balls on it. Thought that was interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com