Taking Care of Your Plants During A Drought

The lack of rain in conjunction with excessive heat tends to take a quick toll on our beautiful, hard-earned landscapes.  Take heart...there are some simple tips that can help get us through the heat.  Using one or several of these tips can help preserve our precious water.

STEP ONE:  CHOOSE WHICH PLANTS WILL GET WATER

With severe droughts, you may have to abandon some plants to their own devices.  First choose plants that are most likely to survive with little water such as drought tolerant plants.  If there still is not enough water to go around, you may have to choose between the plants that are most important to you (those you can’t do without) and the ones you are indifferent to.  Newly planted trees, especially those put in this spring, must have water, so make them a priority.

STEP TWO:  CUT BACK DROOPING PERENNIALS

Cut back any perennial plant that shows signs of losing its leaves, or any that are shriveling.  Plants lose moisture through their leaves.  Eliminating a lot of leafy surface will also help cut down on moisture loss.  This will work for many perennials, especially when they are past bloom.

STEP THREE:  SPRAY TREES WITH AN ANTI-TRANSPIRANT

Do not cut back trees and shrubs.  This will only encourage a growth spurt, which takes energy that drought-stressed shrubs and trees cannot afford.  Instead spray the leaves of trees with an antitranspirant or anti-desiccant to help leaves retain what moisture they have.  This will form a thin film over the leaf and slow transpiration or water loss from the foliage.

STEP FOUR:  WATER EARLY

Morning temperatures are cooler and with reduced solar radiation, there is far less loss of moisture due to evaporation.  Plus water trapped in the foliage will have a chance to dry out during the day thus minimizing the chance of fungal infection, especially during humid weather.

STEP FIVE:  WATER SLOWLY AND DEEPLY

Roots grow below the surface.  Watering slowly will allow the moisture to penetrate more deeply into the soil where the roots are rather than running off the surface.  Creating depressions or water traps around larger plants that require lots of water will help to hold the water where you want it so it can saturate the soil.  Remember to water trees at the drip line and not just at the trunk.  Most active roots of a tree are further away from the trunk.

STEP SIX:  WATER THE SOIL, NOT THE LEAVES

Plants take up water through their roots.  Water landing on foliage will be lost to evaporation. 

STEP SEVEN:  CONSERVE PRECIOUS WATER

Connect a rain barrel (decorative too!)  To downspouts to collect rainwater.  Wash the car on the lawn rather than on the driveway.  Redirect gray water such as bathtub or dishwater, into holding thanks to be used in your garden.

USING THESE WATER-WISE GARDENING TIPS

STEP ONE:  THE SOIL

Think of soil as a sponge that holds and releases all the ingredients that your plants need to live.  Soils that drain moisture quickly (such as sandy or rocky soils), will compound the effects of a drought.  The best way to amend your soil is with organic matter.  The more organic matter you add, the better moisture retention you will get.  There are many sources:  composted manure, composted leaf mold, mushroom soil, decayed grass clippings and other plant material, or your own compost generated from plant wastes.

STEP TWO:  CHOOSE DROUGHT TOLERANT PLANTS

Drought tolerant plants are specially adapted to grow well in regions that get little amounts of normal rain.  These plants require less water to live.  Plants best adapted to dry conditions include the following:  Plants with deep taproots that find their way down to moisture and store it.  For example, yucca, butterfly weed and balloon flower.

Gray leaved plants covered with hairs that will; help trap moisture. 

For example:  lambs ear and artemesias

Tiny leaved plants, which do not lost moisture as rapidly as their larger leaved counterparts.

For example:  lavender catmint

Succulent plants, which carry their own moisture supply.

For example:  sedum and hens and chicks

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DROUGHT EMERGENCY RESTRICTIONS

You can water under emergency drought restrictions - but only between the hours of 5pm and 9am, using one of the following methods:

1)  Hand held container

2)  Hand held hose equipped with an automatic shut-off nozzle

3)  Irrigation system designed and operated

- to restrict the application to specific plantings

- to restrict timing or total volume

- that ensures effective conservation

CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL WATER AUTHORITY, AS OTHER RESTRICTIONS MAY APPLY.