tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post2479420382580498697..comments2024-03-28T13:18:03.669-07:00Comments on Succulents and More™: Pictures from a long, hot summerGerhard Bock (Succulents and More)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-6281844714865116282015-08-07T12:38:09.423-07:002015-08-07T12:38:09.423-07:00I guess I watch too much Walking Dead :-)I guess I watch too much Walking Dead :-)Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-65676525463746228422015-08-07T11:17:29.483-07:002015-08-07T11:17:29.483-07:00I was just a kid the first time I saw that forest ...I was just a kid the first time I saw that forest fire sky, and "eerie as hell" and "apocalyptic" describe it perfectly :~((( Love the "army of zombies" comment!Luisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04042236324318156854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-76355105054586228512015-08-04T11:56:07.275-07:002015-08-04T11:56:07.275-07:00You know what's funny? Almost as soon as I wro...You know what's funny? Almost as soon as I wrote this post, the temperatures dropped. Today's expected high is only 85°F. Unreal!! I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Mid-90s again in a few days.<br /><br />Realistically speaking, we won't get rain until mid-October or so. Another 2 1/2 months...Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-56732417466797265892015-08-04T11:53:36.723-07:002015-08-04T11:53:36.723-07:00We have two A/C units, one for downstairs and one ...We have two A/C units, one for downstairs and one for upstairs. Fortunately we don't have to run them much. Our whole-house fan sucks in cool air all night long, and in the morning we simply close all the windows. The house stays pleasant until the late afternoon. Because of the time-of-use metering we have for our photovoltaic system, running the A/C before 6pm would be prohibitive expensive anyway.<br /><br />I'd love to capture the gray water from the washing machine, but because of where our laundry room is located and how it's plumbed, it's virtually impossible to do that without structural modifications.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-21015697507939781592015-08-04T11:49:57.965-07:002015-08-04T11:49:57.965-07:00Seeing a sky that color is eerie as hell, especial...Seeing a sky that color is eerie as hell, especially in conjunction with the smoke. I expected an army of zombies to appear from up the street!Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-45479715571681245542015-08-04T11:49:01.038-07:002015-08-04T11:49:01.038-07:00AAARGH. I thought you're having the perfect su...AAARGH. I thought you're having the perfect summer there on the SoCal coast, especially with the recent rainfalls you had.<br /><br />We had huge ant problems when we bought this house. I tried all the things you're trying. After a while they just disappeared on their own and haven't come back. I still don't know why. The same goes for the rat infestation we had a few years back (in the yard, not in the house, thank god).<br /><br />What did the ants do to your quartziticola? Would love to know more to prevent it from happening here.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-14488366364216925202015-08-04T11:46:07.096-07:002015-08-04T11:46:07.096-07:00I hadn't stopped to think that quite a few pla...I hadn't stopped to think that quite a few plants actually like high humidity. Just look at the tropical lushness of Florida and Hawaii.<br /><br />Succulents don't handle the humidity too well though. They're more like me :-).Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-39994703675752443702015-08-04T11:44:23.179-07:002015-08-04T11:44:23.179-07:00Portland has had some crazy temps this summer. Peo...Portland has had some crazy temps this summer. People who don't have AC must have gone bonkers.<br /><br />To a degree, saving water is a choice. If I wanted to, I could keep the spigot running, I suppose. The only ill effect would be a higher water bill. But I'm trying to do my part as a good Californian...Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-21489726532495079842015-08-04T11:42:18.535-07:002015-08-04T11:42:18.535-07:00Thank you for sharing your leucospermum story. At ...Thank you for sharing your leucospermum story. At least I don't feel like I'm the only one who can't get these to thrive. If only their flowers weren't so darn beautiful.<br /><br />I continue to be impressed with that 'Bonsai Blue' jacaranda!Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-49582503234212846432015-08-04T11:40:59.460-07:002015-08-04T11:40:59.460-07:00You've been lucky because Napa can get quite h...You've been lucky because Napa can get quite hot, too.<br /><br />I'm going to take a long and hard look at the entire garden this fall to see what I can plant that will look good year round, winter and summer. I think I'll replace quite a few herbaceous perennials. More grevilleas and banksias, maybe.Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-29347933359912120252015-08-04T11:38:57.214-07:002015-08-04T11:38:57.214-07:00I'm trying hard to have a few elements of trop...I'm trying hard to have a few elements of tropical lushness. Not easy, considering what we have to work with. You make it look so easy, and you don't even live in the tropics!Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-83313791938589163562015-08-04T11:38:04.741-07:002015-08-04T11:38:04.741-07:00Yes, the first reason of the season is pure magic....Yes, the first reason of the season is pure magic. When will it come this year???<br /><br />The more tropical plants I have get extra rations from the water we collect in the kitchen and showers. That's the only way I can keep them going. Gerhard Bock (Succulents and More)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17583583634141549759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-3380143913162028992015-08-04T07:40:10.974-07:002015-08-04T07:40:10.974-07:00So hot! Glad that most of your plants are hanging...So hot! Glad that most of your plants are hanging in there. We've had higher than normal temperatures this summer but nothing like what you've had and we're still cooler than Portland. Awful smoke but I'm sure you're using it to take some interesting photographs! Hoping you get rain soon!outlawgardenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08273973572989510382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-75862147311296901922015-08-03T19:48:18.578-07:002015-08-03T19:48:18.578-07:00You and your garden are holding up better than I w...You and your garden are holding up better than I would in 104F. Stay cool! I hope your house has A/C. The smoke is so bad.<br /><br />Tried washing machine water? My Syzygiums are thrilled with it. Use greywater-intended detergent...Hoover Boohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03083294821646284424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-23164972665892479702015-08-03T14:58:16.378-07:002015-08-03T14:58:16.378-07:00Quite a bit of color despite the drought! Orange s...Quite a bit of color despite the drought! Orange sky is novel, but smelling the smoke makes it scarier I imagine!Alanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13393082652312828458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-67767949979808922602015-08-03T11:37:13.342-07:002015-08-03T11:37:13.342-07:00Like Kathy in Napa, the highest temps have been hi...Like Kathy in Napa, the highest temps have been high 80s, occasional low 90s, but incredibly humid. Young verbascums mushed away from the humidity. Keeping the garden drier has made the usual ant problem even bigger. I'm battling ants with cinnamon, black pepper, and will try corn meal. The whole house smells of the cinnamon sprinkled on the window moldings to bar entry! The ants have just about killed my Aloe capitata var. quartzicola. And a creature dug up a thriving Leucodendron 'Safari Goldstrike.' In short, the usual summer attrition! I sympathize with your high temps -- there's nothing more enervating for people and plants.Denisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13048985060349929026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-1941913325876044652015-08-03T11:00:13.879-07:002015-08-03T11:00:13.879-07:00Heat is heat; it just feels different when the tem...Heat is heat; it just feels different when the temperature is 98º and the 'feels like' is 110º. Humidity is easier on plants, harder on we who breathe in heavy air that feels like a blanket. Kin in central Florida are wishing they could send their rain to the West Coast. Will Rogers was right.Jean Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09000315400392984647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-70724325665756100782015-08-02T22:20:22.208-07:002015-08-02T22:20:22.208-07:00As you know we've been hot, 103, 101 and 97 fo...As you know we've been hot, 103, 101 and 97 for Thur, Fri, Sat...but of course the difference is I can water, and have been. For the most part my pants are unfazed by this summers excessive heat, because of my generous watering. I feel a little crazy doing it but hopefully it's for a good cause (the fundraising tour). I do wonder what the garden would look like if I weren't being so generous, no doubt a lot more like yours, although thankfully our smoky days have been few.danger gardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09227500551609537140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-5091739815264294852015-08-02T21:08:58.118-07:002015-08-02T21:08:58.118-07:00I sympathize and I hope you get some relief from t...I sympathize and I hope you get some relief from the heat - and the fires - soon. We're in a fire sensitive area too (in fact, I had trouble getting someone to insure us for fire when we bought the house) and I get nervous every time I see smoke. I'm glad your dwarf Jacaranda is doing well - I'm still seriously considering getting one myself this fall. I'm sorry you lost a Leucospermum. If it's any comfort, the one I bought from the Australian Native Nursery died almost as soon as I put it in the ground - I rue my decision not to leave it in its pot until it was more developed.Kris Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07097260283693156795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-21485954615379729102015-08-02T17:18:01.637-07:002015-08-02T17:18:01.637-07:00I have to say we have dodged the bullet on the hea...I have to say we have dodged the bullet on the heat here in Napa--we had some mid 90's last week but for the most part the high 80's are all we have had to contend with.Never the less , my garden is looking mighty sad, mostly water related . kshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10847026541797857854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-58358705017528519932015-08-02T14:59:47.955-07:002015-08-02T14:59:47.955-07:00The lushness of the Jacaranda, bananas, begonia et...The lushness of the Jacaranda, bananas, begonia etc defies the heat and drought you guys are having there. Interesting to hear about the plants that are not that heat tolerant, and those that are which fortunately are a big majority of your garden. Garden is still looking great! And hopefully you all get some rain respite from the heat soon.Mark and Gazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09427245730390252976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1615100786320943903.post-18483936533310550002015-08-02T13:46:34.045-07:002015-08-02T13:46:34.045-07:00Omigosh! So many days over 100F. When will it end?...Omigosh! So many days over 100F. When will it end? And at least two more months of dry weather as you say. You have my greatest sympathy. Fire and heat; been there, done that. August is the month I always want to leave California. Go to Alaska where it's cooler or go to the the San Juan Islands, or anywhere it is raining, but I never do. I welcome the first rains so much. Your survivors seem to come from hotter and wetter areas like the tropics and are looking good. Can't keep aeoniums looking good here either, even with water. Have to plant something in front of them. I love that the begonias are doing so well. Would that we humans who don't like heat could do as well.Jane Stronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05016381279699618539noreply@blogger.com