Hi everyone!
I am a newbie both here and to gardening as a whole, so my apologies if this is in the wrong forum.
I live in the northwest 'burbs of Chicago, the land of the yo-yo weather, and I have never had a garden in my life until four days ago. There was an area of the front where our three dogs have peed for four years. Needless to say, the grass was all burned away and the soil (at least on top) was pretty crappy. Four days ago, my husband and stepson, got rid of whatever grass was left in this 6' X 6' area as well as the ruined, clayey top soil. We then decided to put in a butterfly garden. I am a first time gardener and purchased the makings of a butterfly garden (daylillies, echinacea, a butterfly bush, catmint, and a yarrow plant on Monday. I also purchased something called 'Bumper Crop' which is supposed to be an organic soil conditioner. The people at the nursery said the main thing I SHOULDN'T do is overwater the plants - they send the plants I picked out 'thrive on benign neglect'. I transplanted them into well watered holes yesterday with the conditioned soil and water sense mulch surrounding but not covering the root balls, but when I came home today (Tuesday), they were all majorly droopy. Today and tomorrow, we are going to be hitting 95 degrees (105 with humidity). I watered them again today and they perked up a bit, but am wondering what I should do tomorrow when it gets over 100 again? I also have a gardenia plant, a jasmine plant and a patio tomato plant all in containers who also looked majorly droopy. How often should I water them? The plot is in full sun from 10 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock at night. Also, should I water the plants in the morning, when I get home at 6, or at night? I just really don't want to kill the first garden I've had in the first week I've had it!
Right now, I have a watering can that can trickle and one of those hose heads that have the varying settings from mist to soak to jet stream.
Again, my apologies if this is in the wrong forum. I just really need help!