Moving into August in a "full sweat!"

Hello Daylily Friends,

Well I finally got the front end of the Greenhouse clean. So, the full Greenhouse has been cleared and cleansed. To make my point I am showing a picture looking toward the entry door rather than looking at the coolant system. I will have to say, however, that there are still a few plants in the Greenhouse, but these will be moved as the season continues toward September. I am always so pleased to get the Greenhouse cleaned, and I must say that this is a big task to get accomplished. I have thought about having a larger Greenhouse, but I would have to be "nuts" to want to do such a thing. If cleaning the Greenhouse that I have is such a tall and substantial order, imagine what the issue would be with a Greenhouse twice as large. Well, I am satisfied with what I have where my garden grows.

I heard on the news that last summer we had 27 days where the temperature was 90 degrees or higher. Already for this summer of 2010 we have had 49 days where the temperature has been
90 degrees or higher. Consider that we still have another 26 days of August in front of us. As I listen to the weather report on the local news the forecast is for 90 degree weather as far as a forecast can be made. No relief in sight. Clearly, it has been very, very hot. Nevertheless, I keep working. I tilled one of the rows beside the barn, and then I raked it smooth and clean. I will soon get this row planted like the others that I have planted. Before I tilled the row I put down plenty of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Tilling this in really has helped in the past, and I'm looking for the same success again. Then, after the new plants are in the ground, there will have to be plenty of water applied. I will do my best to get this done.

Well last night it rained! At long last we had a little thunder shower. Now it wasn't much, but it did help. How many times do we have these long, long periods of heat, and then a little thunder shower? Well, as I said, any rain helps. I might also note that my dear wife Diana dug up one of my plants, and brought it to me. She thought that the plant was "dying." Well, it wasn't dying, it was just going towards dormancy in the middle of the hottest days of July and August. You wouldn't think that a daylily would do this, but I have seen it happen a number of times. Daylilies sometimes have odd plant habits.

We still have blooms, and they are so good to see. I have been noticing a beautiful "lavender" with a gorgeous white eye and green throat. There have been three tall scapes on the plant, and I've been waiting to see the "perfect" bloom. Well, I could wait no longer for the best bloom; I simply went ahead and took a picture. I am anxious to produce lavenders, and I'm pleased that I now have several to work with. I may dig up one fan of this beauty to take into the Greenhouse. I'm sure it would do well, and at the same time I could see the mature growth next year with the plants left outside. This lavender is now Seedling 1-421.



I might also add that I have now registered 12 new daylily plant names with our new Registrar, who is my good friend and our former AHS President, The Honorable Kevin Walek. One name that I like is TOOTH FAIRY NIGHTMARE. Well, more news later.

Bill