Summer heat!!

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Charithea

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Summer heat!!
« on: July 03, 2016, 09:02:25 AM »
 Lack of rain in the Winter and the high temperatures that we are experiencing are drying up everything. On our return from Athens, a few days ago, this is what we saw. Photos below. Compare photo of salvias a few weeks ago and now. My sister did her best to keep them alive but since the temperature in our garden was 40+ every day she was fighting a losing battle. Luckily the cacti, jasmines and some other toughies are stopping our garden from looking brown all over.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Summer heat!!
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2016, 01:12:54 PM »
I know this might be a ridiculous idea, certainly would not look attractive and I have never tried it so it has not been tried and tested and therefore is not a recommendation.

Those very large cardboard boxes which all the big clothes stores in town throw out to be recycled might come in useful here. Fold in the top and bottom flaps to give the box more rigidity and stand them around the plants while you are away or even just for part of the day when the sun is at its strongest. Some light will get in from the top and the scorching rays will be kept off the leaves and soil around the roots. I

f you use the boxes for only part of the day they can be folded flat when not in use. In the autumn they could go to their original destination, the recycling bin. They might look a little less unsightly if you slit them down one side, turn them inside out so that the plain brown corrugated card is visible and then stick them up again. If you get strong breezes  you could put canes inside the box  pushed  ???into the soil to stake them in place so that they don't get blown onto the plants and break stems  etc,

Just an idea ... ???
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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Charithea

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Re: Summer heat!!
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2016, 07:34:30 PM »
Thank you David.  It is an excellent idea.  I need to be more organised really or maybe be less stubborn or so ambitious to try a grow 'plants' that need extra water and shade in the Summer. I half heartedly tried to shelter a salvia a few years ago using my straw had but the poor thing died. My friend who lives in Nicosia and has an even hotter environment uses white umbrellas to shade her succulents.  She says it is effective. I am trying to be more selective with what and where I plant things but occasionally I give in to short term measures.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2016, 07:37:21 PM by Charithea »
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

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Charithea

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Re: Summer heat!!
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2016, 11:00:15 AM »
Here are some photos of a few fighters in our garden. They seem to say 'Bring on the heat' we can take it. I apologise for not being a good photographer but there is a small hope that my photos will improve in quality.  I am having my birthday soon and maybe a 'smart camera'  will do the trick. The flowers of the Rosa x odorata 'mutabilis'are much small now by are still cheerful. The Rudbeckia fulgidais the sole survivor of a batch that I grew three or four years ago. It is in partial shade but has been producing a few flowers that seem to last forever.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2016, 11:06:46 AM by Charithea »
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.