It has been beautiful here the past few days,but too hot for tender seedlings and old widowed women. I sat some plants out by the front door (purchased plants, WS seedlings, and bulbs that didn't quite get the care they needed during their stay in the garage over winter)and to my dismay, or shock, when I stepped outside they all looked like they had been plopped down in the middle of the Sahara Desert not the middle of the Appalachian Mountains! It's hot. And let me add, I am one that has been whining about how cold it has been lately. So we go from what felt like freezing to this?? They are calling for rain/thunderstorms starting Wednesday, and that is fine by me. I only wish I had my plants out in the garden before then, but doubt it. Somebody pass me the Pina Colada, or Margarita, or whatever the popular beach/hot weather drink is!

I didn't find anyone addressing when the water runs straight through the soil in the pot because the soil won't hold it. IÂm looking for help how to augment our soil in our containers. Our soil doesnÂt seem to retain any moisture so IÂm watering daily and my plants (dahlias, cannas, elephant ears) are wilting and peaked. My dahlias, especially, are losing leaves (yellowing and drying) at bottom of stalk and havenÂt gained any height in 3-4 weeks. We were excited how voraciously everything was growing and expected to see blooms a lot earlier (we had been planting tubers in early May in years past, but started them all in early April this year). ItÂs only the beginning of July, but weÂve had a hellish month of hot, hot, hot days and little to no rain through June here in the Baltimore area. Is there anything we can add to the established pots (plants are on an average 24-36" high) without emptying the pots completely? If it is too late for this yearÂs blooms, what should we add this fall when we empty the pots into the compost pile (yes, to be reused next year)?

I planted tomatillo seeds for the first time this year. My seedlings looked normal (not leggy), but as they started to grow more they grew tall and stalk-like. When I google pictures of young tomatillo plants, that appears to be normal (relative to regular tomato plants, that is). Of course, if your other plants are looking leggy, that's surely a sign of not enough light. It doesn't take any fancy grow light. Even regular room bulbs (5000k color temp) work fine. I've got my seedlings under 3 desk lamps with standard-size 100w-equiv LED bulbs in them, and it seems to be sufficient. (2 tomatillo plants top-center.)

Are those the normal species, or a hybrid or ? Because those 3 trees are very atypical of the norm. I’d say train them while young and maybe they will improve. Call me if you want to discuss. My info is on my website. Here is a little about me : Studying and growing the species since 1967. In 1967 I regularly watched and studied one of the first Dawn Redwoods planted in the U S A. Seeds given to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, one of which was planted near my home, in the late 1940’s. Even in 1967 this tree was over 60' even though it hadn't been brought to USA but a couple decades. Since then I have studied and planted many in Tennessee. My biggest DR now approaches 90 feet high and 3 feet dbh. I have five here at my estate Arboretum (www.WhiteHouseArboretum.com). Two are the Goldrush / Ogon types. Give full sun and perimeter room to grow. If growing an individual specimen tree, never trim branches above thigh high. Likes moist well drained soil just like most trees. A slight north slope is loved in Tennessee. My 53 years of records and studies reveal that in TN, on an average to good site, you should expect these growth rates : Year 1 to 15 = 2’ to 3.5’ max per year, Year 16 to 25 = 2’ to 2.5’ max per year, Year 26 to 40 = 1’ to 1.5’ max per year, Year 41 to 60 = 1’ or so per year, Then commensurately lowering for future years. If you push for extreme buttress and distorted base with dominant low limbs, then height growth may be less than I stated in my table. On Dave’s Garden I posted some pics of some of my favorite local middle TN DR's. The big DR that I am standing beside the trunk, was struck by lightning around ten years ago, leaving a scar almost to the ground. But it was not phased at all, and has healed over since and never slowed its growth. Since 2000 it has reproduced numerous progeny throughout the neighboring forest. It is impeccable. I love this prehistoric tree. Tons of Dawn Redwood fossils have been recovered in North America. Known to exist during the dinosaur eras. I recently purchased a fossil DR recovered in USA.