Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Heat mixed blessing


Sunflowers  bloom in a garden on Upriver Drive. 
 (Dan Pelle / The Spokesman-Review)
Pat Munts Correspondent

The last two years, many Inland Northwest gardeners have complained about the not-so-hot growing seasons we’ve had. Well folks, it looks like Mother Nature decided to make us put our gardening skills where our mouths were this summer – I think we all can agree that it’s been a hot summer so far.

Yet from the reports I’m hearing local gardeners took up the challenge whole heartedly.

Several people had ripe tomatoes by early July, and I can’t remember the last time that happened.

The rain and deep soil moisture got the berry crops off to a good start even though keeping them from getting waterlogged was a challenge.

Of course not all is perfect, as the heat continued it did take its toll: Raspberries and blackberries were ripening just when the hottest weather hit and the combination of heat and low humidity dried some of them on the cane.

Tomatoes, the garden prima donna that they are, did fine until it got over 90 degrees. Then they started dropping flowers because of the heat. So, don’t be surprised if the number of ripening fruits tails off for a while. As long as the nights stay above 55 degrees in your garden, you should still get fruits setting on, now that it’s cooled off a little bit.

This may be the year people actually get cantaloupes and watermelons. I planted a very short-season watermelon and found a small fruit on it the other day. My cantaloupes are blooming like mad. Keep in mind I have a cold garden so this is a major accomplishment for me.

Right after our hottest weather, we got a quick spell of weather cold enough to register 33 degrees in Deer Park and 32 in Elk. Did anyone get frosted out with the cold? If you did, let me know. Send me an e-mail at patmunts@yahoo.com.

So what’s next? As the weather hopefully cools into early September, the gardens will begin recovering and start putting on a show for us again. Roses will get their second wind and begin blooming. Annuals also will begin blooming better. Late summer perennials will be at their best.

Early September is a great time to give your lawn some TLC. Water it deeply to help it along. Mid- to late September is a great time to aerate the lawn and then apply the most important fertilization of the year. If your lawn is in desperate need of renovation, check out next week’s article about how to renovate an established but trashed and fried lawn.

Roundup your frost protection materials now as our traditional first frost date is Sept. 15. While we have been spoiled the last few years with very long falls, it never hurts to have the floating row cover, sheets and tarps at the ready just in case.

So how much summer do we have left? A friend who gardened in Alaska for a number of years told me that when the fireweed stops blooming up there, summer is over. I have some growing in my back garden and I hate to tell you but the last flowers at the top of the stalk are finishing as I write this.

Ah yes, welcome to gardening in the Inland Northwest.