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Many field trial managers and coordinators reported temperatures above normal, especially during August 2010.
Precipitation wasn’t as much of a concern, although some locations did report extremes with too much or too little rain. On the pest- and disease-control front, a number of trial sites reported problems with Japanese beetles.
 Eustoma ABC 1-3 Misty BlueCANADA
University of Guelph, Guelph Turfgrass Institute, Guelph, Ontario
Planted: May 24, 2010
Weather conditions: Early summer warm and wet, late summer warm and quite dry.
Pest/disease problems: Usual problems of white mold, powdery mildew and aphids. For the first time they had damaging numbers of Japanese beetles.
Best performers:
Agastache: Bronze Foliage
Amaranthus: Mira
Cyperus: King Tut
Echinacea: Warm Color Shades and Razzmatazz
Eustoma: ABC 1-3 Misty Blue
Kniphofia: Peachy Cheeks
Lantana: Landmark Sunrise Rose
Perovskia atriplicifolia
Petunia: Supertunia Pretty Much Picasso
For more: Rodger Tschanz, (519) 824-4120; rtschanz@uoguelph.ca.
COLORADO
Colorado State University, Fort Collins
Planted: Started May 27, 2010; finished June 18
Weather conditions: Cooler than normal June. Warm July and August with quite a few days over 90°F.
Best performers:
Bulbine: Yellow Compact
Calibrachoa: MiniFamous Compact Orange
Impatiens: Fiesta Purple
New Guinea impatiens: Super Sonic Magenta
Pennisetum: Vertigo
Petunia: Littletunia Sweet Pink
Rudbeckia: Denver Daisy
Zinnia: Zowie! Yellow Flame
For more: James Klett, (970) 491-7179; jim.klett@colostate.edu; www.flowertrials.colostate.edu.
GEORGIA
University of Georgia, Athens
Planted: Mid April to mid May
Weather conditions: From early June through September, the plants were subjected to 90°F+ and often 95°F+ with even higher heat indices. Sporadic rain fell, but irrigation was often required.
Pest/disease problems: Root rots in geraniums and vinca. Late in the season, the usual aphids, mites and caterpillars came calling.
Best performers:
Angelonia: Alonia Purple
Begonia: Super Olympia Pink Improved and Gryphon
Calibrachoa: Mini Famous Compact Saffron and Lindura Light Blue
Geranium: Caliente Orange
Impatiens: SunPatiens Compact White
Osteospermum: Crescendo Yellow
Portulaca: Pazazz Pink Glow
Scaevola: Outback Fan Dancer
For more: Meg Green, (706) 542-2471; http://ugatrial.hort.uga.edu.
 Cleome Senorita RosalitaMICHIGAN
Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens, East Lansing
Planted: May 17 through June 16
Weather conditions: Heavy rainfall in May and June. One storm in June had 70 mph winds. July was very dry and very hot. A lot of days in the high 80s and low 90s. Very little rainfall.
Pest/disease problems: In August started to see some mildew on plants including zinnias.
Best performers:
Acalypha: Tiki Island Sunrise
Angelonia: Angelface Blue Improved
Argyranthemum: Flutterby Yellow
Begonia: Solenia Salmon
Cleome: Senorita Rosalita
Gaillardia: Arizona Red Shades
Impatiens: SunPatiens Spreading Corona
Petunia: White Ray and Cascadias Violet Skirt
Verbena: Empress Dark Red
For more: Katie McCarver, (517) 355-5191 Ext. 1329; mccarve4@msu.edu; http://trialgardens.hrt.msu.edu.
PENNSYLVANIA
Penn State University, SE Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Manheim
Planted: May 18-20, 2010
Weather conditions: Consistently high temperatures above 90°F with many days at or near 100°F. Little rain fell for weeks, then sudden downpours of 2-3 inches occurred along with winds exceeding 40 mph. Then it was back to the hot temperatures.
Pest/disease problems: During the hot temperatures in July, western flower thrips became a problem. Aphids were also a problem. Alternaria blight on petunia and calibrachoa.
Unusual occurrences: Deer feeding on ipomoea was corrected by erecting a 5-foot plastic netting fence around the plants and spraying with deer repellent.
Best performers:
Cuphea: Mellow Yellow
Echinacea: PowWow Wild Berry
Geranium: Savannah Hot Pink Sizzle and Moonlight Pink
Nemesia: Sunsatia Lemon Improved
Impatiens: SunPatiens Spreading Corona, SunPatiens Compact Blush Pink and Sunpatiens Compact White
Pennisetum: Jade Princess and Vertigo
Petunia: Littletunia Purple Blue
Portulaca: Pizzazz series (Jumbo White, Tangerine and Pink Glow)
For more: Alan H. Michael, (717) 921-8803; www.trialgardenspsu.com.
TEXAS
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
Planted: Annuals planted May 27, 2010; perennials planted in 2009.
Weather conditions: April and May showed usual weather patterns, with temperatures in the mid 80s and the normal amount of rainfall. June arrived and temperatures started to rise to the mid 90s with very little rainfall. No rain in July and temperatures rose into the high 90s with little relief after sun set. Since August 1 temperatures were over 100°F degrees with no signs of rain or a break in temperature.
Best performers:
Alternanthera: Little Ruby
Echinacea: Hot Papaya
Euphorbia: White Manaus
Gerbera: Drakensberg Daisy series
Lobularia: Snow Princess
Penstemon: Red Riding Hood
Petunia: Soleil Purple
Rudbeckia: Denver Daisy
Salvia: Wendy’s Wish
Scaevola: Surdiva Blue
For more: Jimmy Turner, (214) 515-6580; www.dallasplanttrials.org.
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