3rd hottest summer in Austin’s history inching to a close
Have you heard any whimpering — or hopefully just stoic silence — from your Central Texas gardening friends this summer? Here’s why: we’ve been hammered by the Death Star and no rain for months now. It’s officially the 3rd hottest summer on record (as measured from June to August), and we know summer ain’t over here until October. We’ve endured 52 days of 100-degree or higher temperatures so far. We hit 110 degrees (not normal, y’all) in July. That kind of heat combined with little rain has had an impact on Austin gardens, even those planted for drought resistance. I’m hearing it from friends and family and seeing it in my own garden.
I filled a yard-waste bin with dead, shriveled plants last month, and pulling those out helped the garden look greener. I have more work to do, however, as soon as it cools off. But there are plenty of Texas-tough plants that shine in this kind of weather, including our hardy agaves, like the whale’s tongue agave (A. ovatifolia) pictured above. Also, lovely silver ironweed (Vernonia lindheimeri var. leucophylla), pictured here. This West Texas native, which can admittedly look scraggly and unkempt at other times of the year, really struts its stuff in summer, thriving in decomposed granite with only rainfall for irrigation.
Magenta pom-pom flowers stand out against silver foliage.
When Austin bloggers hosted Garden Bloggers Fling in May of this year, many attendees commented on the number of water features in Austin gardens. Summer is why. Fountains, basins, even a glazed pot or stock tank turned into a small pond create an oasis in a hot-climate garden. Mine is alive with crimson dragonflies, flashes of orange goldfish, and bobbing thirsty birds all summer long. Plus your pond plants, like this burgundy-leaved crinum, will be happy as clams in the heat because their roots are nice and cool in the water.
I hope your garden is making it through the summer, if you garden in a challenging summer climate like I do. Let me know how it’s going in the comments below, and share your fall gardening plans. Summer may be too hot to do much gardening here in Texas, but it’s the perfect time to plan for fall, which is coming soon. I promise.
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Yikes! That sounds rather intense, to say the least. I’m glad you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Intense is right, and not in a good way. I’m ready for fall!
I hate to complain to someone that lives in near desert area but we have had a horrible summer too. Way too many days in the 90’s and too little rain. This is a summer I want to forget.
It’s all relative, what your garden is used to (and you!). Here’s to fall’s arrival soon, Lisa.
Fifty-two days at 100+! I’ll have to keep that in mind when I feel like complaining about our summer heat. While we also hit 110F in July, the rest of the summer has been tolerable by comparison to yours and, even though we’re dry as dust, that’s normal for us, at least at this time of year. I hope fall comes early and brings you much better weather. I love that Crinum.
I remember it was 100F when I visited you and other L.A. gardeners a few years ago, Kris, and that heat has stuck in my mind when I think of your summers (even so, the low humidity was nice!). I’m glad to hear such hot weather is an exception.
Pam, I love your web site and FB page. I’ve learned so much about native plants and drought tolerant gardening from your posts. I am in Dallas TX and experiencing the same hot summers as well. My garden is drought tolerant with natives and some agaves, cacti and succulents in containers. Lantana, Salvia Greggi, butterfly bush and Mexican Petunia are providing good color in this Texas heat. Right now I am enjoying the hummingbirds flying through and we are getting some much needed rain today. Thank you for sharing your garden knowledge with us. Olga
Olga, thank you for your lovely comment! I’m so glad to hear you’ve found helpful info at Digging, and also that your garden is alive with flowering plants and hummers, even at the end of a long, hot summer. And yes, yay for rain! We got a little here in Austin today too.
Here in Piedmont area of NC, it has been predictably hot with brief periods of respite. However, it is the humidity that’s a killer. Add a wet spring followed by intermittent thunderstorms (to date we’ve had a total of 35 inches of rain) and you’ve got a recipe for lots of bugs and fungal diseases. To get anything done in the yard is next to impossible unless you like sweat dripping in your eyes, soggy clothes and breathing as if you are in a sauna with a damp rag over your face. BUT, fall is right around the corner so I take solace in the fact that I will eventually enjoy some cooler weather while raking thousands of leaves!
Ah, yes, our famous Southern humidity. I know it well (Austin gets it from the Gulf of Mexico) and feel the same as you about gardening in it. A big nope! But yes, fall is coming soon, and we’ll garden our hearts out then, right? Hang in there!
52 days over 100! What a nightmare. Several years back, a freak weather event caused the foothills of western WA to have over a week of 100+ temperatures, with a few days at or near 108. I never want to go through that again. I can’t imagine 52 days. I think a lot of gardeners are looking forward to fall this year.
In the year from hell — 2011, which shall live in infamy — we had 90 days over 100F degrees. This summer has been awfully hot, but nothing like that one, if that puts it into perspective. Of course I’d prefer zero…
Hi Pam, I guess God gave us a little respite as our yards recover from hurricane Harvey about a year ago, as our rainfall has been decent this year. We went from nothing for months to 16 inches in a week earlier this year, plus more sporadic rainfall, so we are greener than normal for this time of year.
I have ruellias, esperanzas, durantas, vitex, firecrackers, firebush, thyrallis, oleanders and jatropha adding color and attracting hummers and butterflies right now. I don’t venture outside until late in the evening, sometimes past dark, as there’s always weeding and pruning, and even then it’s hard to breathe!
Your crinum is to die for, I adore burgundy foliage. I am also eagerly awaiting respite from the north, hopefully Texas has a wonderful autumn! Thanks for all of your gardening inspiration, I don’t comment often, but I always enjoy your posts.
Thank you, Heidi, for reading and for your comment. I’m glad you have had a respite from the hurricane rains, and your garden sounds like it’s recovered beautifully! The spider lilies are up here, and that means fall is definitely right around the corner.
We’re drowning up here in Wisconsin. A brief respite today and then back to rain tomorrow. Lots of dividing, adding some new things on my schedule if it ever dries out. Over14 inches of rain in August and almost 3 inches in the first three days of Sept. Still, your weather sounds dreadful to me.
I am so sorry to hear about the nonstop rain up there, Linda. Flooding is scary stuff. Hope you guys dry out soon.
My Austin garden has suffered, too, Pam. But I have to say I am absolutely amazed at how some things that looked so desperate for water a few days ago have perked up now that we’ve gotten about an inch of rain. I water with drip irrigation and had decided this was the summer I was going to give up on the salvia forsythia, a big clump of which is planted underneath a Texas persimmon. I guess the persimmon (which I adore) was sucking up all the water, but today the salvia is perky and upright and seems to be ready to put on that fall show. Ditto for some salvia Mexicana and my poor American Beauty Berry that is planted outside the irrigation line. I’m SO relieved that we have a rainy week ahead, and I know my plants will appreciate it, too!
Yes, the rain is making a difference this week. Since I wrote this I’ve gotten 1-1/2 inches. And it seems widespread this time. I’m looking forward to the forsythia sage blooming too.
We’ve had about the same here in the piney woods of East Texas. No measurable rain since early May has withered many of our beautiful Dogwoods. Today we are getting some tiny, brief rain showers but not enough to wet the sugar sand we have here.
I hope you’ve gotten some real rain since Tuesday, Ann. We have here in Austin, with more predicted through Sunday. Finally!
We had a miserable summer, but not as bad as yours. Longing for autumn relief, just as you are.
We’re expecting another heat wave this coming weekend. Summer lasts a long time in So Cal.
Here too, but we’re finally getting a break this week — rain and cooler temps. I hope it breaks for you soon, HB.
I’ve got 3 oxblood lily blooms, with 100 plus to come, so I’ve officially turned the corner on this tough summer! Daylilies seem ok. Fall plans are smaller than usual due to Utah trip coming up— additions will be both spuria and bearded iris. Iris sale is Saturday. We’ve several new sculptures and a glass mosaic skyscraper is underway. Come see us!
I’d love to, Tom! Maybe October?
Your garden looks wonderful, despite this summer! You are a genius with your plant selection. Working outside every day, I feel like the dead, shriveled plants you are pulling out. Phew. Come on fall!!!!
Well, these were the ones looking good before the rains, haha. Since I wrote this last week, we’ve gotten nearly 5 inches of rain! The garden is looking much happier now, and so am I.
I’m in Shady Hollow and we had one inch of rain (July 4) since y’all’s rainy fling expedition to the WFC – we missed every single shower. My pathways were dust under my feet. Now – almost 12″ of rain in the last two weeks. Texas! Ever amazed at how lush everything can be (even if not as fully grown through the summer as usual) after rain.
Southwest Austin does seem to miss out on a lot of the rain that comes through Austin, based on conversations with several gardening friends who live there. And you’re right that Texas weather is all or nothing. I’m glad your garden made it through another tough summer, Kate.