Gotta get some DEET! Spray it on the minute you go outside... can't do it in the house. Works for me! But you're probably right that the cause is the general wetness from the Monsoon. I have a lot of the bloodsuckers. Bring on the bats.

Doggone right; it's whining time again! Me? Didn't get enough rain and tired, tired, tired of this horrible heat and humidity. If I liked this weather, I'd live in Florida! My joints hurt, my ankles are covered in mosquito bites and I *hate* being outdoors! When is cool (relatively speaking) weather coming back??!!!!

Sign me, Had Enough!

Oh, yeah - my kind of thread!!!!

The Bermuda grass in the back 40 must be nearly waist high now - and I'm sure that's where my freakin' skeeters are coming from, but it is just TOO FREAKIN' HOT to get the whole thing mowed down in one swoop.

I AM SO Sick of SWEATING.

There, I feel better. At least until I open the door again....

Maybe you guys should move to Chandler. I never see a single skeeter here! :)

Easy

Stop whining! Summer is winding down, it is almost September. Sure it is hot, but we are on the downside of it now. Pretty soon you all will be complaining about the cold...frost...and the rain....

LOL ... I hope for an early fall!

What Me Whine? I've been bummed since the first of the month when the rain and wind knocked the plants over or beat them to shreds. Only one remaining zinnia standing taller than me, some shabby looking roses and a few leaning sun flowers. Arborist coming to trim the leaning, top heaving, trees. I'm only sitting in the yard at dusk to watch the many bats swirling overhead. Out of state company arriving late September and am hoping I can resurrect the yard by then. Thanks for sharing - I feel better now knowing I'm not alone with these garden woes.

I will whine about this weekend being so hot and dry, but I just tell myself that it is almost the end of August and we have almost made it through another summer. Also remember how HORRIBLE last summer was, so dang HOT and dry. This year, truly, has NOT been that bad!

Susie
*ducking and protecting head* :)

Susie, where have you been? Not too bad?? I guess not if you like steam baths - which is what I feel like I'm in every morning I'm out watering. I could save money just by leaning over the plants and dripping. Hmmmmm.....

It's our forum, we can whine if we want to- whine if we want to...
YOU would whine too if it happened to you!
Y'all know that moldy oldie, right?

I second every sentiment uttered here. I never used to be bothered by mosquitoes but boy howdy, every time I go outside for a half-second the little wankers are all over me! The grass in the yard has grown out by the time the mower is done mowing (not really a complaint, except for the person doing the mowing, the grass looks fabulous and we haven't watered it in three weeks). It's just way too miserable to go out weedwhacking in the alley.
It's going to be drying out quite a bit here in Tucson this weekend, but it's going to be over 100, too. The mixed message gives me mixed emotions!
I think I'll make me a couple of bat houses and hope that wasps don't move in instead...

101 degrees at 10:20 pm last night in Yuma. Nothing has died in yard yet(except zinnias) but I will probably have a heart attact when I get the water bill for July and Aug.

Yes, hot and muggy muggy muggy! I know some parts of town got flooded this season, but here in the Litchfield Area we had almost nothing. Very wierd - several areas right around us got hit with severe storms and we got miniscule amounts of rain!

My roses are gonners, Mexican bush sage stripped clean by ants, lilac vine - ditto, and bats are living in the breezeway pooping on the walkway. No skeeters though! And my tomatoes and squash are going crazy... my garden hutte looks like the proverbial little shop of horrors. Lots of blossoms on the tomatoes which will probably crisp up in this weekend's heat and croak. Dang.

More rain and cloudy days would make me happy.

I am whining also! I am new to the gardenweb and was happy to find this site. My plants and I are ready for fall and winter! Our part of town misses the good rains so I do atleast an hour a day of hand watering in addition to dragging the sprinkler around, and deep watering of the trees and bushes. It is the worst most humid summer I remember, but my red salvia have been very happy with the conditions . My zinnias were eaten by gold finches that ate the flowers and the leaves. I had never seen that happen before. Has anyone else had that problem? I am looking forward to talking to other gardeners at this site and learning hopefully from all your experiences. None of my neighbors care about gardening.

I am with the Birdlady. I did not think this summer was so bad with the exception of a couple of weeks in July.
Most of my plants survived and now my clematis and honeysuckles are blooming. It is true that I have to water almost every day but I think it is worth it.
I enjoy being outside most of the time except now that the mosquitos are invading my yard. I have never been attacked
like that from mosquitos. By the time I get inside my legs
are covered by red, swollen spots.
Are they still spraying for mosquitos?
Does anybody else is plagued by snails? I have so many of
them that there is no end in site.
Since I do not use any pesticide all I can do is collect them and throw them in the garbage can before they come
to pick it up.
I like the birds but instead of eating mosquitos and snails they are eating my tomatoes, grapes and oxalis bulbs.
How is this for whining?

Rodica

OK, now I have two new reasons to whine: 1) My snail vine that was so lush and had climbed all over the fence is dying and I haven't a clue why. :-( 2) Regina has a clematis - and it's *blooming*!! I wanted one of those, too, but was convinced that they weren't going to live in Phoenix since they did so well in Prescott. MY birds are having to scrounge for bugs in the yard since I have nothing but peppers and they don't seem to care for those. I have a bumper crop of mosquitoes and whenever I go out to water, I must look like Don Quixote sparring with windmills. I *hate* those @#$%^%#$ suckers! And I HATE THIS HEAT!!! Is that enough whining for one day?

Quietyard- do you have a bird waterer in your yard? Many times when birds eat flowers and leaves and tomatoes and other succulent items, (hearts-n-flowers are a particular favorite) they are looking for a moisture source. I bet if you put out a water dish (rinse daily or use Mosquito dunks) you might have better luck with the goldfinches...

Susie

Tomatofreak

I know that this will cause you more whining but I have 8 clematis and 6 of them are doing great and from these 6 3 of them are blooming now.
I have 2 clematis pitcheri that are blooming all spring, summer and fall and sometimes if the winter is mild will bloom sporadicaly.
I have a clematis Etoile de Violette(I think) that every year is getting better. This spring I counted 40 blooms and it's got 4 blooms now.
I bought from E-bay to canyon clematis this year and they are growing beautifully but no flowers yet.
Most of them receive just morning sun and I planted lots of plants around their roots but one of the pitcheri is in full sun but intertwine with wisteria and the perenial morning glory and I quess it's keeping it shaded.
The other reason is the soil; very moisture retentive, full of earthworms. I fertilize them several times a year with organic fertilizer and top the soil with organic matter as often as I can.
I wish I have the same results with the tomatoes.
If you have the right spot maybe you should give them a try.

Happy gardening
Rodica