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I'm writing this out for container growers as my last two seasons have been a bust. Around the first week of July it gets extremely hot in Michigan and this typically amplifies by August. This year we've had long gaps where there is no rain for weeks. Right now my three giant trees have about 60% leaf drop and I'm so annoyed

If you want to see healthy foliage and fruit, you absolutely need drip irrigation with spot spitters. I have around 40 potted plants in 15-30 gallon containers. Watering these is absolutely dreadful and can take hours. While I do this manually a few times a week, water leaks out before reaching the roots and it's a huge waste of water and money. The only plants that have been holding out strong with no leaf yellowing or drop are the ones that have containers shaded by the roof of my garage. What ends up happening when you have multiple days of high 80s is the roots start to burn when they're in direct sun. Container trays do help but if you're not diligent with watering, your plants are still going to fry out fast.

Next year I will have a hands off approach with drip irrigation. A buddy of mine does this with every fig he has. Fifteen minutes a day, twice a day on a slow drip and has zero maintenance. Trees are very healthy and loaded with fruit. The most important thing to remember with watering is that you never want to over water anything. This reduces brix and shows visible results in poor fruit quality.

I agree about the drip system, it makes a difference. But 80s?? I will take any day, my are days of 95-100
The plants that survive are pomegranates, figs, and Myrtles.

The hotter it is the more often you need to water, when it hits the 90s here I water every day unless it's cloudy, sometimes even twice a day when I am not the only person watering.

greenfig wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 3:12 am I agree about the drip system, it makes a difference. But 80s?? I will take any day, my are days of 95-100
The plants that survive are pomegranates, figs, and Myrtles.

Haha! We average high 80s sometimes 90s in July and August. What's amazing is my in ground pomegranate is untouched. Have not watered it a single time this season. What really ticks me off is after writing this, we've had intense storms the last 2 days and will most of the week

How do you care for yours in that kind of heat?

pombazaar wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 10:12 pm How do you care for yours in that kind of heat?

I don't do much at all, just some watering once every 3-4 days. The trees are at the edge of the grass sprinklers and don't get too much water but seem to be happy!

That's good to know in the event I ever move to a hotter climate. I would love to be in an area where I could put about a dozen or more in ground. My short term plan is to maintain these in a greenhouse which will gain me an extra month at the start of the season and extend it an extra month at the end of the season. I really need to get buds in late April/early May.

pombazaar wrote: Tue Aug 10, 2021 12:40 pm That's good to know in the event I ever move to a hotter climate. I would love to be in an area where I could put about a dozen or more in ground. My short term plan is to maintain these in a greenhouse which will gain me an extra month at the start of the season and extend it an extra month at the end of the season. I really need to get buds in late April/early May.

My Sirenevyi is still flowering! It is a late variety for sure but flowers in August is a bit unusual.

I'm so tempted to grow one of those but even all the folks in Cali and the entire west coast say that it's late. I don't think it'll stand a chance here. This year my Belbek flowered for the first time, late in the season. Next year I expect to see much earlier flowers. This variety grows like a weed.

pombazaar wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 8:10 pm I'm so tempted to grow one of those but even all the folks in Cali and the entire west coast say that it's late. I don't think it'll stand a chance here. This year my Belbek flowered for the first time, late in the season. Next year I expect to see much earlier flowers. This variety grows like a weed.

Try Angel Red, Sverhranniy, Medovyi Vahsha, Sumbar, Azadi, Syunt

pombazaar wrote: Thu Aug 12, 2021 8:10 pm I'm so tempted to grow one of those but even all the folks in Cali and the entire west coast say that it's late. I don't think it'll stand a chance here. This year my Belbek flowered for the first time, late in the season. Next year I expect to see much earlier flowers. This variety grows like a weed.

I'm in Fresno, my Parfianka is super early. Fruit looks bigger than a baseball and bright red while the wonderful (and most other varieties) are golf ball range.