Summer in Alabama can be one of the most beautiful seasons to grow flowers, but it can also be one of the most challenging. This summer proved to be interesting.
We always stay one step ahead of the seasons. We prepare for summer in spring, fall in summer, spring in fall/winter. The system works, but you never know what each season will bring. I share all of this because I think it’s important it understand that the planning is just as important as the execution. We start beautiful zinnia seeds inside as well as lisianthus in hopes that we have a beautiful crop in summer. The dahlias are planted in late April in hopes for a small summer crop. What was different about this year?
The summer started out beautifully with plenty of rain to keep flowers blooming. According to weather data, we had 12 inches of rain in May and 10 inches in June. This is almost unheard of. We did have quite the time with Japanese Beetles. If you do not have those, consider yourself lucky. They will decimate roses and are quite destructive.
July turned hot and dry. With an estimated 3 inches of rain, we were issued multiple heat advisories throughout the month which makes it unbearable to go outside even in the morning.
Why is the weather so important? With heavy rain, crops can rot. We lost a few dahlia tubers in this manner. The rain combined with high humidity and high temperatures can cause a multitude of fungal diseases including powdery mildew and black spot. These can impact a variety of plants and we actually lost a few zinnia plants due to disease. We still had beautiful flowers this summer. Some of the best we have ever grown. The lisianthus were stunning and were probably the highlight of summer.
So how do we use this information? I think it’s important to recognize that every growing season within a year (and as a whole) is different. It is hard to say that next year will be more of the same, but as we begin to notice trends, it does help us make informed decisions about what to grow, how much to grow, and what to cut out. I know succession planting will be part of our game plan moving forward as well as making small adjustments to how much we plant and when we plant. The heat is often unbearable so it may mean we adjust what product we have available during the hottest part of the year.
The dahlias have perked up and the heirloom mums are growing. The weather is unusually cool for late August, but it is a welcome reprieve from the heat of the summer. With the change of the seasons on the horizon, we are hopeful for a beautiful fall.