Lifeline

There's been no rain in days and days.  It might be climate change; it might be an aberration.  The usual summer pattern of hot, humid, and hazy, followed by a downpour to break the soupiness, just has not borne itself out this year.  Not always so bad - sometimes a humid day is simply followed by a lovely, pleasant, drier day - don't look a gift horse in the mouth, right?  Flip side is there is no rain.  Leading to some of the flora not holding up so well.  Looking to be in rather critical condition, frankly.

I was raised in the Confucian Buddhist tradition.  We put up photos of our departed on the family altar, on death anniversaries, to celebrate the life that was.  The tricky part is to find a photo in later life that is reflective of the departed, but no so advanced as to be frail or evoke sadness - one seeks a still robust photo, but if there is just a frail photo, well, that is better than none.  So, on that note....

Calabrochoa.  The now-horizontal one was quite vigorous in its other pot, before I transplanted it to this bigger planter.  Leaves have yellowed, but it still seems to be blooming, so perhaps not all is lost.  During this dry spell, I have been administering doses of water.

Hibiscus transplants.  The one on the right looks shriveled and dry.  But maybe, just maybe, some of the roots are still alive and kicking under the soil.  These, too, get water administered to them.

Japanese maple transplant.  Note leaf on the soil, with one of the formerly two leaves, fallen, to the right side.

And then this established hydrangea.  When I water it, there is too much at once, it all dribbles out of the bottom of the planter - wasted water, sadly.  How to slow down the rate at which the water can be administered?

Then I remembered my little seed plug containers, with the tiny hole for slow drippage.  Plugs are spent or will not germinate, but at least the flow can be controlled, somewhat.

So a few of the plug containers are at the bottom.  The first few drained more quickly than I would have liked, but then the subsequent ones barely drained at all.

Water still in the plug container.

Slightly better photo - despite the incorrect orientation.  Note smudge = water, reflecting the light.

So there we have it.  Hopefully it will perk up the plants when we come through.