You think you've got it bad, 'Up Nort' were just finishing our tours and pulling out the snow shovels- lol.

"A pessimist is one who feels bad when he feels good for fear he'll feel worse when he feels better."

Hope you find some optimism soon.

Paul

You need to experience the "lows" in order to appreciate the "highs". If this is the worst thing to happen to you in your lifetime, you are extremely lucky.

I hope you took lots and lots of photos. Many times, Phil, you have made my day with your pics. Go do a rain dance...

-Babka

Babka,what really irks me is that down slightly south of here in northeast Georgia,and the upstate of South Carolina,they had been getting thunderstorms every afternoon! The only thing is,some of those thunderbumpers were damaging,with downed trees,and I certainly wouldn't want that! Some more rain sure would be nice though,and yeah,I know the hostas will survive;they've survived worse. I just want to vent once in awhile! The tourists that come up every year from Florida,sure don't complain,even though for awhile they were in"Florida with mountains",because it was so hot here in June. It's actually cooler now that we are into July! Go figure on that! Take care,Phil

Phil, I believe you are retired like I am. Working in the gardens is good exercise. That's a benefit even when the hostas do not look so good right now. We have a week in the 90s, just watered everything, it is good to see all plants enjoying my water.
It can get worse. My neighbor just told me that 3 houses down a deer was seen scouting around. That's probably because the town designated a wilderness area as a new nature park, and activity there must have caused that deer to look for a new home or food source. I will visit HD today to buy deer repellent, to spray on all my hostas. A possible disaster is waiting there, never had a deer yet.
Bernd

Those damaging TS's, with high winds and torrential rain = flash floods, were all around me, but not a drop fell here!
No rain since June 2, except for a couple of brief showers, that were barely measurable in the rain gauge and no water made it through the tree canopies.

I have thousands of plants, some that require a regular application of moisture to survive. Too many for hand watering, consequently, my "Rain Birds" and soaker hoses are in constant use, day & night, to provide 1" of water, per week to the garden.

Most of my Hostas still look good and I've found only a few with slug damage. Guess there's enough hungry predators around to keep them in check! The Fireflies have been abundant this year, so there may be even fewer numbers in the future.

I'm an eternal optimist and I'm sure it will rain again.
Hopefully, sooner, rather than later!

Yeah,Bernd,I am retired. But,watering is not an option,as my gardens are a long way from the house. The main good thing is,they are in the woods,which keeps them cooler than out in the open. Georgia Rose,I don't know where you are in zone 7,but upstate SC always gets rain when we don't. We are just south of the high mountains,so most rain rarely gets over them,and west of here are more high mountains,some of which are over 6 thousand feet,so we are in a kind of bowl. Most of our rain comes from southwest,up from Georgia. It will eventually rain again,but for now,it's getting bad! I planted some hostas down my driveway,three weeks ago tomorrow,and they have yet to have rain fall on them. Phil

Hey Guys,things can always be worse.Way up North,it is great hosta weather,low 60's alot of rain(to d--n much)!!I would like to see some sun before the snow flies in September!!hehehehe,Judy

Phil, I have read your postings with pictures of hostas on slopes in the woods. Though that did not show the actual distance to your water supply, probably at your house. But being an engineer, I had visions of having a pond or rain barrels at the house, then using an electric pump and a very long hose or pvc piping to bring that water into the woods to your hostas. -- only thinking. I am watering here lugging hoses, 2 in the back, 2 in the front, and sprinklers, less complicated and less maintenance over the long run than those automatic systems, I believe.
Bernd

Here in our area in Maryland, we haven't had rain for weeks and weeks now, I've lost count on how many. This coming week is all in the upper nineties, I'm talking 98 tomorrow, 99 next day and through the week with no rain possible so far. Never have seen it this bad so early. I feel like I'm just walking around with the hose in my hand continually and not really getting anywhere. So we feel for you too!

Phil, I feel your pain! I'm in Maryland with Sandy and the only rain we have had for WEEKS is a TS that came through Last Tuesday morning that did a heavy "Dump and run-off".

Tomorrow is a holiday for fed workers so I have no grandchildren to baby-sit. Am I sleeping in? No, I am getting up at 6:30 to water the gardens. (We have already given up on the grass)

I am going to Iowa on Wednesday for a week and I know my husband will water, but he doesn't do so as heavily as I do.
I hope it rains every day while I am gone!

chris

I'm in Maryland too. We had about one inch in the whole month of June, not much more in May, and not one drop so far in July The grass has all died. Unfortunately, I moved here this year so everything is newly planted and has not set roots down yet. Not good. I am lugging watering cans and hauling hoses.

Sorry,ya'll,I didn't mean to open a can of worms! I hope you all get rain soon ,as do I hope we get some here. I am only watering my newly planted ones from 3 weeks ago today. It still hasn't rained on them,so I am watering every other day,just to keep them going. So far,they are doing alright. They are transplants from another part of the garden,and haven't dropped back at all,except when the afternoon heat wilts them a little. They're only driveway hostas like Undulatas,A Hoosier Harmony,Gold Standard,and one Patriot,so they should be fine. Phil

I thought the hosta season was over, too. We've had a real dry spring, too. Then all of a sudden, we've gotten lots of rain, which is totally unexpected for this time of year. My new Barbara Ann has put out some new shoots as has Paradigm, both of which I bought in late spring. Don't give up hope yet. A few days of real rain could make a difference. They say it may rain again this week, too. My hostas look great. I'm stunned. Now is when they usually start downhill.

Bkay

No rain predicted until this weekend,and then only spotty. The whole eastern seaboard is in a blast furnace! That's odd,coming from Texas,considering they are usually extremely hot,and we are not. The weather is just nuts! It was 90 again today and still dry as a bone. The red clay exposed to sun,is hard as terra cotta. Oh,well. Phil

Hot, muggy and dry here as well. I had today and have tomorrow off from work, so I'll be out there at 6:30am like this morning watering my plants until about 10am when the furnace kicks on. Then in the house to hibernate until 7pm to water some more. When I go back to work, I'll be too tired to water afterward and will be more choosy as to what gets watered. I should go to bed so I'll wake up in the morning!

Karen

So sorry to hear about the drought so many of you are experiencing! Watering gets expensive. Ironically, I'm seeing stories on the news about areas with serious flooding right now. Seems like it's always feast or famine.

I guess I'll quit complaining about all the rain we've had (especially since we aren't flooded), and say a prayer for the places that are having drought this early in the season.

Deanna

Yippie we had some rain yesterday, not a lot, but it's a start. Some trees have already turned color or lost leaves.
I'm appreciating the truly tough plants that can withstand high temps and drought and not miss a beat. Daylilies and Coneflowers bloom without a care. Rose of Sharon was always more of a weed tree with pretty flowers but now I value the show it's putting on. Some hostas not faring so well even with supplemental water, the temps were just too hot for them.

I must be lucky, Here in Vt. my hosta garden is just glorious with absolutely no help from me. It is situated around two dying Austrian pines and has at least a foot of pine needles on the ground. I wish I could say the same for my roses. or as I like to say, my JP feeding lot.

Just a trace of rain on Friday,not even showing in my rain gauge. No rain at all yesterday,and hot and dry again today. Some hostas are yellowing up,and most are leaning toward the ground. It doesn't look good,and just when I am going to the Dixie regionals at a nursery north of here,to buy more hostas. I guess I'll have to keep them in the garage until rain comes back some day! Hope you all are still having rain,but we are not. Phil

Hey Phil,
Why don't you divide a bunch of hostas. It will make you feel better. I just made 65 one gallon babies to give away and sell next spring. It will give you some hosta fun.

Finally!! It rained half an inch last night,and more is on the way,in fact it's raining right now! This will be my final report,and I will stop whining. Swmogardens,I don't have anywhere the amount of hostas you have,so that would not be an option. I never divide my hostas so they can as big as they can. When I want a new one,I buy one. Over and out! Phil

Appears you are getting more rain now, according to Radar images. But none here in the NE GA Piedmont, on my little corner of the world.
I'm into the 6th week without rainfall. The longest continuous period I can remember during the 44 years at this address. Even the 07-08 drought years weren't this bad.

So far, I've managed to keep the trees and shrubs watered, with ¼ mile of garden hose, about the same amount of soaker hoses, 6 fixed overheads and 3 portable ones, plus 4 wands.

Since most of the 1000+ Hostas are under tree canopies, they have fared pretty well. Those in exposed locations are watered by hand, 2-3 times per week. They're hanging on, but I am not seeing much new growth.

Happy for you Phil, If any water is excess, please send it my way!

That's odd? I thought The upstate of SC and NE GA was getting rain when we were not. Every day,I see on the SC TV stations thunderstorms in that area. Just where are you in NE GA.? phil

Ha, ha, it is pouring rain here right now!!! Phil I think your rain made it to my area. Saw a beautiful double rainbow at 5:30 this morning and thought it was a good omen, wish I had my camera with me.