Extended times of absence mean that you need to have someone tend to the trees--I am recently married and the wife is still working off a 45 day notice at her school in Saigon--the paperwork for the marriage must be done there because that's where she lives--I have gone on a few trips before and there was one friend here who I taught how to water the trees. I was going to be away for almost 2 weeks.

Turned out to be a little over that.

I got a text message, a week into the trip:

'Everything watered ok, very hot here, two of the trees don't look so good'

Hmmmmm?

I took the time to teach this gal three rules of watering the trees, stressing rule number one...

I came home to find three trees, right in the middle of the bench, stone cold toast. They are tropicals so they will probably come back however, I've lost 2 years of good work on the one. Smaller ficus, my medium sized Water Jasmine and the nice little antidesma acidum I've had for about 3 years now. Nothing else just those 3 trees.

The answer was the Water Jasmine--leaves brown and 'shrivled' up but still hanging on tight...she didn't pay attention to Rule number 1...

Make D...ned sure the water coming out of the hose/sprayer is cold before you water anything!!!!! It was hot the whole time I was gone and she was in a hurry one day. Probably 110 degrees on the courtyard, when she watered at high noon maybe more, the water coming out of the hose was probably 150 degrees, OOPS!

Yes, Rule #1-run the water until it comes out of the hose/sprayer 'cooler' before watering. Back to square 1.

Bob