It is sizzling hot outside again today! I got up early and watered and did most of the deadheading of my roses, except for the bush where the robin has made a nest. I was surprised how much deadheading I had to do actually.

I also did a little weeding. The weeds are coming at a fast and furious pace and the vines make me crazy. Especially the things that are not the wineberry bushes but like wild raspberry vines that are super prickly. Umar Mycka and his crew will be back to tackle invasives and poison ivy soon. Dog rose, bittersweet, poke weed, and so many other vines! The vines especially this year seem to be going gangbusters. It’s like we never pull them out at all and we pull and we dig and we pull.

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My later peonies are blooming. The Itohs weren’t as prolific as last year, sadly. Now I did buy three bare root peonies at the Philadelphia flower show and I have planted those and I will have to keep an eye on them because planting them now can be a little risky. I usually plant them bare root in the late fall. I bought Buckeye Belle, Walter Mains, and Red Charm.

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A pleasant surprise to greet me this morning is my Old Blush China rose that I just planted bare root is starting to bloom. The small pink blooms smell heavenly! And I have a return of some pretty pink foxglove I planted last year.

Other things starting to open are the mountain hydrangeas. They are the ones that look more lace cap in appearance and they’re airy looking. Some of the Oak leaf with their conical blooms are also starting to open.

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Mountain Laurels also are still blooming. Echinacea are starting to bloom and even a couple of zinnias! It’s a little early for zinnias to bloom I think but I’ll take it.

My arborist also stopped out today because my one dogwood is looking a little poorly. it needs more water apparently. It’s at the edge of the woodland area so it’s competing with very big trees for moisture and it has gotten hot early. So I will just do my best to keep it watered. My other new trees seem to be doing well so far and I just have to keep an eye on them.

It is like August outside. It’s pretty gross and I will be getting out the biologic fungicide to drench the roses as I see bits of black spot.

Happy gardening and stay cool.