You can see I lost nearly all of my geraniums.

Sorry to here you lost these. Were you one vacation or something? What happened?

No, you know I'm still asking myself that...I think it was a combination of high heat/humidity during the day and an attack by ants...but how the roses weren't affected is still a mystery...I watered them, but they just kept wilting (the geraniums especially). Someone told me when the weather's too hot and you water plants, you actually may bake the roots, but I don't know if that's true...

Hmm. I say shade cloth again. A plant under stress doesn't like much to happen to it. Eliminate any direct sun and they may be more receptive.

I have lots of trouble with potted plants over here during our very hot humid northern Oz summers too ... those little pots become like ovens and the roots get cooked! Even with watering ... the water just dries up instantly in the heat - I now move nearly all my pots out of the direct sunlight over our boiling summer and sit them in trays of water along the covered verandah or even inside the house.

Where do you think I could get shade cloth, Greenthumb? I don't think I've ever seen it anywhere.

Bernieh, they're not always in full sun...they do get shade, but perhaps the amount of sun they got was still too much...

I'd inquire at any local nursery. There I'd expect most to have it shading the outside tables. They'll have some, or have a source. You know the stuff, those dark sheets they put over oudoor nursery tables like tarps? I see it all over in the desert in Utah and Arizona Nurseries. Keeps things from drying out or getting sunburn.

Mmmm...I will look for it, there must be some around Houston somewhere! Thanks!