Assessing the Heat Damage

I am probably being immature as our horrendous heat wave will continue today with temperatures predicted to be even higher than yesterday's inferno of 109. I've never experienced such, not even in Alabama. Although the humidity isn't as bad here, the sun is noticeably hotter. You can feel your skin blistering when standing in it.

Looking around the garden this morning and there are lessons to be learned.

Overall, most everything looks okay. These daylilies and hypericum seem unfazed and the bees are swarming -

But there is some damage and in unexpected places. We have been watering heavily in the evenings and mornings before the heat hits and were concentrating on the pots and usual suspects (hydrangea). 

However, I didn't give the smaller conifers or, of all things, barberries, a passing thought. That was a mistake.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies 'Pusch')

Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb'

 I had no idea barberries were so delicate!

A newly planted barberry and I can't recall the name of it. It is one of the golden-leaved varieties.

Berberis calliantha which I relocated this past winter

These plants have umbrellas over them today so I'm hoping they will pull out of this. Poor things!

Of course, even on the shaded deck, the fuchsias are not faring well. We could not even grow these in Alabama. I actually thought about bringing them all inside but that would have been a huge ordeal. Some look better than others. Most of the ones planted in the ground seem fine.

A marine front will push this nastiness out of here this evening and it will get down into the 60s tonight. Last night the low was in the 80s and I don't think our a/c kicked off. We are just thankful to have it. So many people here do not.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy