Strouper, we Texans went through similar drought conditions the past two summers - not a drop, everything brown and ugly. I had started to fear we'd never see rain again.

Then this early summer we had never-ending rains, and everything is still so green and pretty, it looks like Ireland around here. Really, we've never had green grass like this the first of Sept. So there's hope !

Carol

Strouper: Nope, no rain yet. It last rained while we were on vacation, around July 25, one evening. Since we weren't here, I don't know how much we got, but certainly not enough to carry us through all these 100 degree days.I water when I can which pretty much takes all of my garden time these days. With temperatures so hot, I just can't stay out there doing anything for too long.

A local weather guy gave some stats a couple of days ago. In August, to that point, around the 28th or 29th, we had had 25 days over 90 degrees, and 5 of those were over 100. And no rain. He said it was the hottest, driest August since records have been kept, some time in the 1800s.

The past few days we've had a little reprieve with highs in the upper 80s and lows in the upper 60s. I took advantage of that yesterday morning by turning my compost before it got too hot. This morning I'll water. Today we begin another week in the 90s.

We did not get that rain in Delhi Twp the other day. What part of N.Ky do you live in strouper?

Karen

My husband is an amateur weatherguy and records our backyard rain for a weather forum he is on and the month of August we only had .65" of rain. July was just as bad. We are currently in 'severe' drought status here in NC. Farmers in our county are recording 80% loss of soybean and 60% loss of cattle corn. Some wells are reporting going dry - we have severely cut back on watering because we are on well water also. I have totally written off this summer and have lost almost all my babies for fall planting. As much as I hate to wish for hurricanes we really do need tropical moisture here in the southeast - no high winds - just good steady 2-3 day rain......

Lynne

I'm in Florence Karen.
I went to Grand Vic yesterday to play golf and all of the corn in Indiana is dead as can be. It was all brown and it looked like the entire field would go up in flames with one simple match. Lynn I'd take a hurricane, tornado, whatever if it means that we'll get some rain along with it. LOL

Strouper

Wow...every 4-5 days?! Eeeeek. I don't know what type of flowers you grow, but my flower beds get watered maybe once every 2 weeks around here and we've only gotten a few days of rain since June. The few plants I grow that like more water (like Joe Pye Weed and Monarda) get a drink in between, but just at the base of the plant. Otherwise if the majority of my garden couldn't handle some drought then they gotta go :D
I believe the last total for this years precip was at 6.95", but we got a little more on Friday when a good storm came thru.

Vera, I also generally have to water about every 5 days. You have to realize that our precipitation deficit is near 12 inches and temps have been consistently above 90, mostly closer to 100. We have had unusual heat and drought going back as far as May, which is usually our wettest month. Not many plants can take that without a lot of additional watering. Besides brown lawns and dying plants and trees in home gardens, farmers are in serious straights. And September is usually our driest month.

I do add a lot of organic matter to my soil but nothing can compensate for these weather conditions.

Karen

Vera part of my problem is that I have all raised beds that are only 2 to 3 years old so I haven't got them where I want yet concerning organic matter and they seem to dry out much much faster. I also live on a lake and I'm constantly getting a breeze from it. Combine that with the raised part and it doesn't help at all. This fall I'm going to bring in a bunch of leaves and I'll probably look into doing some type of lasagna so that I can mix all of that into my dirt next spring. I've added a lot of mulch this year but it's still a constant challenge keeping everything moist.

Strouper

lynne: I thought of you when I heard the weather forecast this morning. He said that a tropical storm in the Atlantic should bring rain to the east coast soon, within a few days.

For us, 97 degrees, no chance of rain until a 30% chance on Friday. Average temp for this day is 81. Also said we have moved from a "severe" to "extreme" drought status.

Karen

Weatherguy said last night that this's been our 2nd rainiest summer on record. Very strange.

tosser: Count your blessings! I'd take too wet over this any day.

No doubt in my mind that this will go down as our hottest, driest spring and summer ever.

Karen

Ok, didn't realize the beds were raised.
As far as being below average....we don't get rain during the summer that amounts to much, in fact between June and mid August we were still at a 4" deficit. Actually that is Spokane's deficit; here we are 30 miles south and they get more than we do during summers; most storms and rain fronts split and go right around us. Our average ANNUAL precip (that's rain and snow) is 17" with the majority coming in April/May and starting again in October.
I use grass clippings and straw for mulch in some beds and none in others. The most drought/heat tolerant perennials I have in non-amended gravelly sandy loam soil would be:
Lavender
Thyme sp.
Blue Flax
Salvia officinalis
Ratibida
Coreopsis
Gaillardia
Saponaria (stays in check too)
Knautia
Echinacea sp.
Dianthus
Bergenia
Hosta
Sedum sp.
Sempervirens
Helianthus maximiliani
Heliopsis helianthodies
perennial alyssum
Hollyhock
Yarrow
Daylily
Bearded Iris
Foxglove (D. ambigua)
Lemon Balm (keeps it in check too)
Chives
Nepeta mussinii
Grasses

As for annuals I'd say:
Sweet Alyssum
Linaria
Coreopsis tinctoria
Zinnia
Tithonia
Amaranthus
Snapdragon
Clarkia
Moss Rose
Mirablis
Rudbeckia hirta
Larkspur
Nigella
Scabiosa atropurpurea
Sunflower
African Daisy (Vinidium)
Cosmic Orange Cosmo.

lynne: Are you close enough to the coast to get some rain from the tropical storm? I hope you don't have any wind damage or any of the bad stuff, just the benefit on some rain.

Karen

Yes! My turn finally came. I got 0.9 in. of rain overnight! I had all but given up. Temps are supposed to finally be cool this week, too, with highs around 80.

Maybe I'll finally be able to actually get a shovel into the ground now. I'm trying to trash some stuff but have been unable to even dig them out of the hard earth. And I can yank some big annuals that I have left for the sole purpose of protecting some 1st year perennials from the scorching sun.

I hope many others in the midwest have gotten the needed rain. I guess many north of here didn't really need all they got, and it's too little to late for farmers, but I'm finally a happy camper with my 9/10 inch.

Karen

We got it too! Just enough to germinate all the weed seeds that have been sitting dormant. I feel like a little whiney baby, but it has been tough.

no rain here and temps in mid to high 90s everyday - Gosh, this definitely doesn't feel like September.

I would love if it meant a warmer winter but it usually works in the opposite and we will probably have a colder than usual winter.

Please send some rain over here - someone??

Carrie

It rained here yesterday. But just sprinkles. I heard on TV it rained all around me. It has been weeks since we had a good rain. Last month the weather guy said we had a 10" deficit. I don't know what the defict is now.
I'm considering doing a rain dance in the backyard.