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Arizona Gardening

Holy Toledo! Now that's what I call RAIN!

18 years ago

I'm working from home today. Holy Cow, this is what I call RAIN! I live in Marana in a neighborhood called Dove Mountain. The national weather service said that 1.6" of rain was reported at Moore Rd & La Cholla, with up to 2" possible within 1 hour.

Well, I'm tellin' you, our streets don't often flood here, but they sure are flooded right now. Just when I think the rain's over with, it starts up again. My cats are going nuts w/all of the thunder.

Good thing the grading on the sides of my houses were done well, because there's like a small creek or large stream running from the front yard to the back yard right now. LOL!

Gee, I should have shut off the drip system this morning, ya think?

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Comments (8)

magnetogram
18 years ago
yeah, you might wanna turn off the drip system for a few days. mushrooms all over the place is a sure sign that it's humid. haha

i just made it back to my car right before the rain hit. i was coming out of pima canyon. from my perch i could see the whole city. quite active today and i don't think it's over. let's hope it's not.
Desert_Heat
18 years ago
We just had a downpour roll through the Ahwatukee area. Lots of standing water and it is cool outside now. We got a nice rain yesterday and the night before as well but nothing like the storm that just came through.
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I am truly sorry that so many of you in northern zones are experiencing this hot and humid weather. I do hope it won't last long for you. It is fairly typical where I live although it is setting in a bit earlier than usual this year. We are about to have our hottest June on record. But from late May until late October here we can count on most days with temperatures in the high 90s and 100s, nights in the 80s, and humidity through the roof. Every summer I reach a point where I simply cannot keep up. It is too hot and miserable to work outdoors long enough to take care of it all. I have whined here before about how discouraging it is to watch everything roast and fry. Well, all these comments of yours are oddly reassuring for me. You see, I've wondered whether I was just being lazy when I throw up my hands and despair each summer. I look at all your garden photos and see the luscious color, the healthy plants and immaculate care you have taken and I cringe with shame when I see my own...browned at the edges, drooping sadly, too exhausted to make a show. Surely if I were a good gardener my borders would resemble the gorgeous ones to be seen here. However...your comments here suggest that my own summer misery is not a personal failing so much as a predictable reaction to extreme conditions. Perhaps I am normal after all! I'll take that comfort and thank you!
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Here is CLOWNS IN WASHINGTON as it grows here. The name makes me laugh whenever I pass by it! I sent Bret a name which he will hopefully use next year. It will be a perfect companion daylily for CIW!! I like several of his names for cultivars, such as DESPERATE HOUSECATS. Don't grow that one but do grow ONE CAT TOO MANY.
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They don't call them rain lillies for nothing.
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That is quite a transformation, Roselee. A person who hadn't seen your garden many times over several years, would think it had always been like this. It looks settled, and comfortable. I'm not yet a fan of ornamental grasses, but yours look really nice. My Texas Copper rain lilies are blooming, but no pink blooms yet. Jim
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Deck was stained, now its raining
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Yeah...kinda tough without seeing it. What Cabot series is it? The tint-base #'s are on the bottom/front of the can. (I'm asking this because some people call the "Semi-Solid" stain "Solid"....) For Cabot Decking stains, there's about 4 series it could be. I'd consider doing a light/even sanding...and use a paint-thinner wipe, after vacuuming dust off. Faron
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eileenaz
18 years ago
We got an inch and three quarters on our rain gauge, which is pretty accurate! That's in Tucson near 5th and Wilmot.
My lawn looks uncharacteristically fabulous- Even three female dogs can't put yellow spots in it right now!
Easygoing
18 years ago
Only a couple of spritz's out here in Chandler, south of Chandler Blvd, East of Cooper... *pout*. ;)

Easy
User
18 years ago
I'm in Mesa......we've been underwater for several days now... Exaggarating, of course, but I'm in that area that got the inch 2 days ago, then we got 2 1/2 yesterday, all on top of what we got several days ago and last week. It's wet here!

Lynn
Bizfarmer
18 years ago
Over here in Gilbert we have received 4 1/2 inches in eight days! Feels like Oregon around here. And to make matters worse, our lawnmower crapped out last Sunday, and by this coming weekend the grass will be 6 inches high and due for a scalping! Our rainfall total since the first of the year is over 11 inches. Amazing!
Louisiana_botanist
18 years ago
Yesterday morning (August 10th) on my way to my desert research area I was amazed to see numerous crop fields, roads, and unfortunately homesites flooded along US 95 btwn San Luis and Yuma. This afternoon (August 11) storm clouds are building southwest of the Shilo Inn in Yuma. I suspect more rain tonight. Noticed a few herbaceous plants sprouting the last few days in the desert.

Hopefully by the time I depart to Baton Rouge end of next week I can see something in the desert other than dingy cresotebush and dead Plantago ovata, Allonia incarnata, Oenotheras, and invasive grasses.

I've always chuckled when Arizona locals complain about "high humidity". The last few days it has felt like the Louisiana sauna I am all too familiar with. The humidity combined with 108 degrees F in the blazing sun is pretty uncomfortable. At least no mosquitos, fire ants, and redbugs!!
Kathleen W
18 years ago
Hey Louisiana botanist! It's cool to hear your report, observations of a visitor. I am sure you will see plenty this trip. It's been quite a wet summer following a quite wet winter/spring. Also good to hear we are not crazy to complain about the humuidity - as a MI native, I know all about it but still each summer when it arrives I am unhappy about it. On the flip side, I am enjoying the rains tremendously. Oh and watch out, we do have mosquitos and fire ants :) In fact we lead the nation in cases of West Nile virus carried by mosquitos...not a great first place but there it is.

Have fun in the desert!

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