A POX ON HAIL

The heat of summer was finally over. The garden breathed a sigh of relief. Shade cloths, which had protected some plants from the intense summer sun, were finally removed. A storm was brewing with dark thunderclouds to the west. If I had happened to look at the radar I would have seen an ugly purple patch right in the center. It was about to hit us.

I heard the first pings hit the metal roof and shouted, Oh No! Hail. Isn't it something all gardeners dread for the lasting damage it can do to a garden. It came with such force sideways on. So much so that I ran to the front thinking it was about to break the big windows. Too late to do anything I just had to watch as it pounded away for a full 5 minutes. And then it was gone. 

I read in my genealogy research of how smallpox left terrible scars on faces which were very difficult for women. They would sometimes add a paste to try and fill in the holes. Something impossible to do with plants. 

Inevitably the hardest hit were the soft-leaved agave, A.desmettiana variegata and A. Joe Hoak. and octopus. If the hail had come straight down they would not have been damaged because they are under the cover of the patio but this hail came in a 45 ° angle. 

It was a full day before I would dare to go out and look at the damage. Sad as I am to see the damage on the soft agave it may be a lesson not to plant these. Not that we ever see them in the nurseries-maybe with this good reason. 

But then again, a few days later I noticed the damage on Agave Victoria Regina. Their leaves are incredibly tough and yet there are ping marks all over them.

All the agaves have dings. Some plants were saved by the house itself acting as a shelter. A plumeria was completely untouched.

This bunny ears cactus safely planted in the ground a couple of years ago did not deserve to be so pox-marked.

Unexpectedly the damianita, Chrysactinia Mexicana and skull caps were unscathed. At least I can be thankful for that.

All the blooms on the bougainvillea and Philippine Violet were wiped off, leaves shredded and stems dinged. I’ve had experience with this kind of stem damage before and the plants never recover. I am taking the pruners out and cutting back.

Even belle, our  beautiful saguaro did not escape unscathed although not visible from a distance.

The elephant food was defoliated on the leading side, stems battered and shredded. Thank goodness it is a fast grower. 

Down came the leaves on the desert ironwood, littering the path and making a big clean-up job where they fell on cactus entangling themselves between the spines. 

You can imagine the feelings of this gardener. 

I am undecided what to do with the worst hit of the agaves. I’m already thinking of removing them and creating more rockery planted with smaller cactus and agave. For now I am still trying to get my gardening mojo back. It will have to wait until the New Year.