Dog days of summer....clay saucers

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Well, I’m back in Houston and back to trying to establish a routine…I’m teaching two classes this summer term, I may end up going crazy but I need the money….I want a car!!

Did I hear a collective gasp of disbelief that I don’t have one? =)

Oh well, I suppose it’s unusual, especially for Texas…

My plants survived the two and half weeks I was gone, due to Larry’s intervention (though somewhat sporadic) with water….They were a little parched but made it…(thanks Larry, you know I love you, who else would come out into this burning heat to give the plants H2O?!)

There is a new product that touts its ability to keep plants alive without water for up to 2 weeks, I asked the guy at the store to explain that to me and he told me it puts them into a type of hibernation??!! I have to say, I did not have the heart to try it on my plants. I trust Larry more.

I did try putting clay saucers under some pots…the idea was that when they are watered the saucer will hold the extra water and help keep them moist…and….it works!! For the most part. I was kind of scared that because they were clay they would also absorb the water too quickly leaving my plants high and dry…but actually that doesn’t happen. It is working wonders with some geraniums – the ones planted in clay pots – the ones planted in plastic pots don’t seem to need it, and in fact one was maybe too moist, as it had some yellow mushrooms growing in the soil…

Amazingly, the strawberry plants survided, but are quite small still – I did FINALLY plant them in their strawberry pot and I took your advice, GOY and lined it with plastic to help retain water…we’ll see how it goes, the strawberry plants seem to like it, and they all have new green shoots! I’m not sure they will ever give me strawberries but it’s been fun growing them from seed…

I now plan to put saucers under all my plants….I’ve put the geraniums in the shade, it’s at this point that they get ugly (many people give up on them and just throw them out) but if one is patient, they will rebound in October, when the weather breaks…

• 7 Jul, 2008
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