2nd Thoughts on 2nd Spring

One of the things I love about gardening is the science of it, the gaining of knowledge and competence by trial and error. With that, I have to admit my 2nd spring experiment hasn't gone so well. Like many of you, I don't always get my plants into the ground the minute I get home. And, so, some of those plants I cheerily brought home didn't make it past Sacramento's Second Summer! But, I learned that the asters and the alyssum were the more fragile...and the vinca was quite up to our late-August heat wave.
Lessons learned: 1) the Second Spring isn't quite the same as the First Spring...duh...it can be really hot, so be prepared! 2) plants do better in the ground which stays cooler and more likely to be watered than the small easy to dry out compartment of the 6-pack.