Today's Blooms, August 15, 2017

Morning Glory at sunrise

Today I am linking up with Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day to celebrate with gardeners around the world and will share the blooms in my zone 6b/7a southern middle Tennessee, USA, garden.

A daylily rebloomed!!!

Mexican Sunflower

Sesame seed

A sunflower planted by a bird.

Each year I grow zinnias and when the hot, sultry miserable dog days of summer arrive, some will be covered with powdery mildew and leaf spot, others will be fine.   I find this a mystery.

I would like to give a better understanding of this situation.  Below is the path from the driveway to my flower garden.  When we bought this house years ago, I started planting in the far back corner by the field fence and began moving forward.  Every year I dig up a little bit more.  The area to the right did not get planted this Spring so I decided to save it and use it as my Winter vegetable garden.  I will start planting it this week if the weather allows.

Last year I scattered a few zinnias around to add color to the perennials and this year volunteers appeared all over the area; I let them grow.  The few volunteers on the right side of the path are doing great; however, the ones on the left side are having problems.  I am showing the path to make it clear how close the beds are from each other.

These are the zinnias on the right side of the path where everything is doing fine.

This is the area on the left side of the path where most of the plants are covered in leaf spots and powdery mildew. 

Leaf spot and powdery mildew are both caused by warm, humid weather, overhead watering, shade, and crowding.   I have found spraying a mixture of 32 oz water, 1 teaspoon Joy dishwashing liquid and 1 teaspoon of baking soda will slow the diseases. It won't cure them but will slow them down.

I have gone crazy trying to understand why some plants are fine and why others only a few feet away are suffering.  It is the same soil, weather, seeds, and location.

This week I finally realized the difference. I arose at sunrise to work in the garden (it is too hot to work later in the day) and realized as the sun rises, it hits the healthy plants about two hours earlier. Due to the tree line to the east of the flower bed, the healthy plants on the right side of the path dry earlier whilst the others remain covered in dew longer.  To me, it was amazing that only two hours of sunlight could make such a difference. Mystery solved; however, I am still seeking answers to cure these diseases and would love advice. 

Now is the time of year we call the dog days of summer, between July and the middle of September when the oppressively hot, sultry weather (Northern Hemisphere, southern middle Tennessee, USA, zone 6b/7a) causes a feeling of laziness.  So to celebrate this miserable time of the year, I asked Scooter, our local canine celebrity to pose for a picture in front of my one and only zinnia plant in the vegetable garden.

Scooter said, "This is an ugly plant.  Why do you want me to pose with it?" 

"It is not ugly but perfect because it is in full sun all day long (no diseases) and I want to show it off.  Also, you are the honorable, chosen poster child who will represent the dog days of summer."  I cajoled. 

"But Mom, it is too hot and oppressive out here in this bright sunlight.  I can't keep my eyes open...so sleepy...must lay down...."

"Scooter, SCOOTER! I will give you a  hot dog if you can stay awake for one second." I bribed.

"Deal." said Scooter.