Drought Enduring Annuals of New England

During the terrible New England drought last Summer, some of my annuals put on a real demonstration of endurance. Because May was very cold and wet here in Maine, it was June 10 before my annuals for cutting were planted in rows in the vegetable garden. June, in the meantime, had turned unbearably hot and dry. My light soil had already dried out, and the seeds showed no signs of life until after we had light showers on June 20th. About five days later several varieties popped up, and proceeded to grow and bloom as usual, despite the continued heat. They had no artificial watering whatsoever and, front then until September, only a few scattered showers at intervals of several weeks, plus a few foggy nights. There was a thin layer of dressing under them, but even this was probably of little help in such a dry season.

The most successful plants were thick rows of dwarf marigolds and dwarf hybrid zinnias which were about normal size and a riot of color. Candytuft and babysbreath were more scattered, but the few plants bloomed happily and continuously. Others which came up, but were rather stunted both in height and in size of bloom, were the tall zinnias and marigolds, bachelor-buttons, a very few calendulas, and also orange cosmos – this the most surprising, perhaps since it usually prefers cool weather to start. A few asters appeared but grew very slowly and were very late in blooming, while annual hollyhocks germinated but refused to grow tall.

In another part of the garden, portulaca and California and Shirley poppies self-sowed and also bloomed all Summer with no care whatsoever beyond having the largest weeds pulled once or twice. During the worst heat waves, the marigolds and zinnias drooped and wilted badly, but recovered promptly over night, and showed no permanent damage.

E Babb

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• Tiny Gardens Surge With Color From Spring To Fall