We all hope our “rainy season” will return in several weeks as typical for this time of year. But if dry weather continues, there are some simple steps we can all take to help our plants remain healthy despite the lack of moisture. Unfortunately, some gardeners will unwittingly wait until plants are heavily distressed, which makes it harder to restore their viability.
Signs of Plant Stress
We may already be seeing signs of distress with our plants. Wilting or browning leaves, even leaves that have dropped off entirely. Others include curled or spotty leaves, pale colors and drooping. And as we see the signs, we can be assured our soil has already dried out.
Add Mulch
If you didn’t originally mulch your flower beds at planting time, add a 2-3” layer of natural mulch (i.e., pine straw or bark chips) around your plants to help their roots remain cool during peak daytime temperatures. Importantly, the mulch will also prevent evaporation of moisture in the soil.
Add Compost
Dampened organic compost will slowly release moisture to your plants as needed. Likewise, the organic materials within the compost will break down and benefit your soil in the long run.
Water Smartly
Whether or not you have water restrictions in place, manage your water use wisely. It’s important to make sure you direct water to the root depths of your plants. A slow watering process will allow the moisture to deeply penetrate the soil rather than run off. Hand watering or using a soaker hose can help with deep watering. And water regularly during morning or evening hours to limit evaporation from direct sunlight.
Avoid Fertilizing your Plants
Fertilizer will typically require water to be effective. And in dry weather, moisture is at a premium so any fertilization will obviously increase water needs. Likewise, growth brought on by fertilizer will similarly increase water needs. This can be avoided by simply not fertilizing during dry periods.
Prune Damaged Plants & Replace as Needed
In the driest conditions or where water restrictions have been enacted, you may need to prune damaged, dying or dead leaves and/or stems. If viability of a plant is in question, replace with more drought-tolerant options. These include, but are not limited to, Agave, Beach Sunflowers, Coneflowers, Desert Rose Plants, Lavenders, Oleanders, Purslanes, Ice Plants, Pygmy Date Palms, multiple Cacti and others. Your choice will depend on your location and previous plant selections.
Remove Weeds
Weeds will compete with your plants for available water. Remove these weeds to ensure that all available moisture can be directed to your plants.
Add Wind Breaks & Shade
When soils are dry and temperatures are high, wind can further dry out your soil. Unfortunately, the best type of wind breaks – shrubs and trees – will take time to grow and are not immediately practical. Shade cloth, burlap and even straw bales can offer temporary wind breaks if placed to block the prevailing wind. Some can even offer shade during the hottest times of day.
Planning for Future Dry Spells
Obviously, it’s too late at this point but planning now can help prepare your flower beds for the next period. Organize your plants within your beds according to similar water needs. This will allow you to better allocate your resources, especially during dry spells. Choose drought-tolerant plants (see above) for your garden and flower beds. Most will do well during extended periods of dry weather once established. And mulch your flower beds up front rather than waiting until the soil dries out.
Hopefully we’ll begin to see some rainy days soon. And as always, the team at Your Farm and Garden is available to answer all your plant questions!