Rain, rain and more rain around here... I read today that in the past 77 days, only 10 have not had rain... almost 8.5 inches just in May... and I wonder why I can't beat the black spot on my roses...
You could be living in Scotland with the amount of rain you're experiencing Daisybeans. Just a typical summer for us!!!
My roses suffered badly during most of 2007 when we had a very rainy spring....11.20 inches just in the month of June that year. Then the faucet was turned off and we didn't get any more decent rain until this past January. They were really in bad shape, so I chopped them down to about 6 inches above the ground last fall. They did pretty good this year until the rains started again, I think I may need to dig them up this fall they just don't seem to be able to recover.
Sounds like one of our wet and cold summers, daisybeans. Are you certain you're not in Norway? I hope you'll get some nice, warm summer weather soon. We don't grow roses because of the climate. I can't be bothered to put in all the work needed to keep them pretty.
I'm really sorry to hear about all that rain there, Daisy. It will indeed make caring for your roses difficult. Just try and not give up. We are always here for moral support. I'm wondering if it is always so rainy there where you live. Do you have any way of gathering and saving the rain for dry periods?
Thanks for the comments, all.... I am not sure I would love it much if summers were always this wet... I guess you have all gotten used to it! Just like I'm used to hot and humid! It isn't usually this way this late at ALL!!! I am trying not to "complain" about it because we have been on the edge of drought for the past couple of summers... thie Spring, March was the dryest on record... then April - June the wettest on record!!! It's really weird! AND, now we are getting record breaking mosquitos... lovely... but the birds will be fat. And it's really green here! Our reservoirs are now 99% full. Even the ground water is considered "full" so it is overall, not totally bad. Just has been causing havoc for the farmer's (and gardeners...). The water table is very low b/c I'm surrounded by the Bay so there have been b i g puddly areas around the yard, slow draining. It's been really cool too, except for a day here and there of more typical hot sun. It will change eventually and then I will be "not complaining" about the heat! I'm not giving up on the roses... but I have a REALLY different feeling about them. It is a never ending battle. I "catch" rainwater (lately have been catching some in my BASEMENT ) and dehumidifier water generally speaking and have been doing that but then don't have a place to use it!!! I don't really have a way to keep the water for very long though. Yesterday my contractor guy came by to evaluate my basement and downspout problem... we both agree that as soon as he fixes my clogged downspouts, the rain will stop completely .... So, will we stop it now? Or wait? The power is going to our heads (ha ha... just kidding, obviously). Anyway, that is the rain-story from Maryland! Your moral support is greatly appreciated!
Here in Virginia we have had the same problem. It seems as though it has rained everyday for weeks and weeks. Everyone keeps an umbrella handy now. For the past 2 or 3 summers we had a drought situation which is now pretty much over.The yard is greener than I have ever seen it. Ditto on the huge mosquitos here also. I have a bumper crop of mushrooms in the yard too! I only have one rose bush and it is eaten up with black spot. I fought that battle with a rose garden several years ago and lost. I don't have the time required to keep them beautiful. I prefer the shrub roses that are more resistant to the fungus and don't need so much pampering. I think the weather this year has been unusual. Tomorrow the high temp is supposed to be 99 degrees and Wednesday it was only in the 60s???
Yup, Tammy, that's the story! Where are you in VA? I lived in Norfolk from 94-99. I miss it. I've lived a lot of places and that's the one place I would go back to if I had the opportunity. I didn't have a garden there though. I remember the crepe myrtles grew beautifully everywhere.
I am in south central VA, very near North Carolina. It takes about 3-4 hrs. to get to Norfolk from here. I love visiting Norfolk, VA Beach and Williamsburg. We have not had any rain in two days and it feels strange!
Hahahaha...we haven't had any rain in a month or more. You guys could send some this way. So hot and humid as all get out. I never complain about rain this time of the year, because come August and September, everything is parched! Come on rain.
Hey Tammy -- I hope to have that strange feeling very soon.... Today was day 1 without rain. It did feel odd. Whenever the sun went in ... I thought -- here it comes! I really loved the Norfolk/VAB area... miss it a lot, actually.
KG -- this has been a very unusual year for rain around here... we're usually, like you, trying to keep everything watered! I'm not complaining.... but I am truly noticing the impact of all this rainfall. I can't believe that I have MUSHROOMS in the yard. Anyway, if I could, I'd send you some... and I wish I could save some of it now, for later, when I'm watering every day and watching my grass get brown! Right now it is the prettiest, lushest green...
kuntrygal, sorry for the lack of rain in your area. Hope it rains there soon. I don't mean to complain about the rain either, but like daisybeans said, it has been an unusual year for rain in the mid-Atlantic region. All of the rain has been beneficial though, since we had been having a drought situation for the past 2-3 years.
