Today’s high might be a low. We’re looking at 63 degrees . . . and I’m looking at my fall jacket. My plants can’t put on jackets but I’ll bet some of them wish they could. My tomatoes, which put on some serious growth when it was warmer, seem to be holding steady. The peppers are showing signs of arrested development. And my nasturtiums, which love the heat, aren’t doing much at all.

The good news? Well, there is some. The cooler-than-normal temperatures have helped with the drought. If it had been as warm as it usually is this time of year, lawns, gardens, shrubs and trees would be even more drought-stressed than they are now.  Still, most of need to be watering regularly. (Remember, early in the day is best. Longer, deeper waterings are better than frequent shallow waterings. And don’t forget about the trees. Even though they may not show it as quickly as other plants, they’re affected by drought, too.)

Other good news? The dry weather has kept some pests and diseases at bay. I haven’t seen any signs of powdery mildew yet and the slugs seem to be waiting for their chance to sing in the rain.

How’s your garden doing? Is it thriving in our cool summer or is it waiting for Mother Nature to turn on the heat?

Have you checked a weather report recently? Who ever heard of a high of 70 in mid-July? That makes me laugh, but I might not be laughing later in the summer when my tomatoes and squash are stuck in neutral.

On the other hand, we had a yummy stir-fry at my house tonight with pea pods, broccoli, green peppers, onions and my first-of-the-year garlic. All of which came right out of the garden. The shrimp (which I did not grow, thanks for asking) weren’t bad either.

What’s the report from your place? Or, from your plate?

Are you eating what you’re growing? Ripened a tomato yet? Reveling in flowers?

Or is everything behind and you wish it would warm up to get those plants back on track?

At mid-season, what’s your assessment of the year — in terms of whatever you’re growing?

Okay kids. Time for today’s quiz.

Who knows which subterranean critter makes tunnels like this in the photo in my backyard? And which pesky mini-mammal makes those big piles of dirt all along my ditch? And which whosit dashes into the weeds and scares the (insert your favorite expletive here) out of me if I let things get overgrown (and we all know by now that I do, right)?

I’m pretty sure the tunnel is the work of moles, who eat grubs and worms. Unfortunately, their tunnels seem really near the surface this summer, maybe because it’s so dry. That’s bad news for my lawn, as though it needed any more obstacles.

Ever seen those giant piles of fresh dirt that show up overnight? I suspect those are the calling card of gophers, which are snacking on plant roots. I don’t care too much if they eat roots in my ditch. But have you ever tried to  mow around those piles?

Finally, consider the voles. Favorite food of owls in winter.  I’m sure I scare them more than they scare me, but the startle is pretty darn good, none-the-less.

Do you face down any of this gang in your lawn or garden? I try to ignore them, but sometimes I have secret fantasies about a smooth, healthy lawn (you thought I was going to say something else, didn’t you?)

Shrub roses are beginning to grow on me.

Like my new clematis, I walked into Linder’s looking for one thing and came out with two shrub roses, a Frau Dagmar Hartopp (pink) and a Carefree Sunshine (yellow). Both promise to be super hardy, but in Minnesota, anything is possible. No?

(Note: I was going to buy a Sven or Ole shrub rose, but the name Frau Dagmar totally cracks me up. Plus, I really liked its big, red rose hips.)

So all you rose fans, is there anything I can do now to ensure long term survival of my newest impulse purchases? I have them both in a sunny spot with plenty of mulch. Are they heavy feeders? When is the best time to prune?

Thank you for all you help — Happy gardening!

I have one of those gardens that gets a little overgrown if I don’t constantly tend to it. And I haven’t been constantly tending to it. So IT’S A JUNGLE OUT THERE! 

I’d be afraid to walk around in my own back yard — if I could get there. Right now, the Annabelle hydrangea has completely taken over the stone pathway, the Aumtum Joy sedums and Johnson’s blue cranesbill have obscured the sidewalk and the grapevines that climb the fence are reaching across to the house, covering the route to the garage in a creepy, low-hanging canopy. I swear some of the impatiens reach out and grab my legs as I walk by.

My garden needs a haircut. And I’ve got the time to do it this weekend. The problem? I feel kinda sorta guilty about cutting plants back.

I feel silly admitting this. I mean, I know I’m not killing living things. As a matter of fact, lots of the plants I cut back will just put on more growth by the end of the season.  But I still feel bad. Am I the only one? Or do you say a little apology before you do a drastic pruning, too?