How to Survive and Prosper
in Hot, Dry Weather!
We are receiving numerous daily phone calls and visits to our nursery from our
concerned customers asking questions about their drying trees, shrubs and
landscape plants. We feel your pain! Keeping plants fresh and healthy with high
temperatures and very limited rainfall is a real challenge. When dealing with
drought conditions there are viable steps for you to take. Following these guidelines
will be beneficial for your state of mind and your gardens well being!
Preventive and Remedial Treatments
Slow, Deep Watering is Key!
Stick your finger in the soil! This sentence is probably the most repeated
sentence heard here at County Line Nursery. So many of our wonderful customers
still do not understand the tenets of slow, deep watering vs. the concept of watering
every day, sometimes even two or three times a day! Water by conditions, not
schedule! That is the most important rule of all. We recommend a deep, slow
soaking. But before you water, kneel down, dig a little and stick your finger in the
soil to check that the root ball of your trees or shrubs actually needs water. If it is wet,
don't water! If it is dry, then put your soaker hose on or your regular hose on with a
slow drip. Hydrate the root ball than stop!
If you need watering tools, we have Gator Bags, Arbor Rain bags which hold 32
gallons of water, Plant Nannies for your hanging baskets or houseplants, Aqua
Globes, soaker hoses, Flexon hoses, Watering Wands... just about anything you
need to care for your beautiful plants!
Plant Drought Resistant Plants
This bit of advice is an excellent rule to follow! It may not be the most timely advice
now that we're in the heat of July, however, it is something to consider whenever
planting your gardens. Planting drought resistant plants in the landscape is an
effective method of minimizing the effects of drought.
Drought tolerant Annuals include: Ageratum, Asparagus Fern, Calendula
(Pot Marigold), Cannas, Celosia (Cockscomb), Cleome (Spider Flower), Dracaena
Spikes, Flowering Tobacco, Geraniums, Globe amaranth, Lantana, Madagascar
Periwinkle (flowering Vinca), Marigolds, Melampodium Mexican Heather, Pentas,
Portulacca, Salvias, Statice, Sweet Alyssum, Wax Begonia
Drought tolerant Perennials include: Achillea, Artemisia, Asclepias tuberosa,
Baptisia, Centaurea, Certostigma, Chrysanthemum pacificum, Coreopsis verticillata,
Delosperma, Dianthus, Echinacea, Gaillardia, Gaura, Geranium, Grass
Chasmanthium, Grass Pennisetum, Grass Panicum, Helenium, Helianthus,
Hemerocallis, Lavender, Liatris, Lonicera, Lychnis, Penstemon, Perovskia,
Rudbeckia, Salvia, Scabiosa, Sedum, Sempervivum, Solidago, Stachys, Verbena
Drought tolerant shrubs include: Abelia, Bayberry, Boxwood, Burning Bush,
Butterfly Bush, Cotoneaster, Deutzia, Forsythia, Holly, Hydrangea, Bigleaf
Hydrangea, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Annabelle Hydrangea. Juniper species, Leyland
cypress, Magnolia, Star Mahonia, Leatherleaf, Mockorange, Mountain Laurel,
Nandina, Potentilla, Pyracantha, Scotch Broom, Spiraea, St. Johnswort,
Sweetspire, Viburnum
Drought tolerant trees include: Box Elder, Silk Tree, Birch, Hackberry, Osage
Orange, Japanese Black Pine, Bur Oak, Black Locust, Sassafrass, Siberian Elm,
Japanese Barberry, Flowering Quince, Dogwood, Juniper
Mulches
After you have installed your plants, one of the most effective methods of water
conservation is weed control. Weeds can consume more water than all your
ornamentals put together. An effective, long-term method of controlling weeds is to
put a 3- to 4-inch layer of mulch around your plants. This limits the need for hand
weeding and using herbicides.
Mulches add organic matter to the soil, which promotes root development and
improves the soil's moisture-holding capacity. Mulched natural areas eliminate
competition for water and nutrients from turf or other ground covers. Mulches should
be applied to the "dripline" of the plant whenever possible. However, a narrow mulch
ring around plants is better than none! Do not apply mulches against the stem and
root collar of plantings. This could be detrimental to the plant.
Fertilization
Maintaining adequate soil fertility will help prevent nutrient stress and minimize the
effects of drought. Slow release fertilziers are generally optimum. Fertilizer should
be applied after drought has ended and soils are recharged by rainfall. Applying
nutrients during a drought will have little impact on plant growth because water is the
limiting factor. This fall, be sure to come in and purchase the appropriate Plant Tone,
Tree Tone, Holly Tone, or Rose Tone Organic Fertilizer for your trees and shrubs!
The addition of mycorrhizae products that contain live spores of the fungus,
(BioTone from Espoma, Plant Sure, or Roots), may be beneficial especially on trees
affected by root problems. Research has shown that these products stimulate root
growth especially when applied with fertilizer.
Pruning
Dead and dying limbs on landscape plants should be removed. These limbs may
harbor insect borer or canker disease fungi that may continue to further dieback and
decline. If crowns are very dense, light thinning will help reduce demands for water
and nutrients. Avoid significant pruning of live brances because this will add
additional stress from defoliation and wounding.
Anti-Transpirants
Anti-transpirants are materials applied as a spray to the foliage which provide a
barrier to water loss. We carry Wilt Stop, a natural nontoxic product derived from the
resin of pine tress. Wilt Stop forms a soft, clear flexixble film on treated plants which
protects plants from drying out, drought, wind burn, sun scald, winter kill and transplant
shock. (This product is also a great preservative for your cut Christmas trees!).
Pest Management
Insect pests and disease organisms weaken trees by defoliation or by causing stem
and root damage that impedes absorption and translocation of water and nutrients.
Drought stress plants are particularly prone to pest infestations. When you notice
pest or disease problems, please bring us a sample of the plant and insect
(if possible), in a sealed plastic bag. We will diagnose the problem and suggest an
appropriate biological or chemical solution!
|
|
