Helping Your Garden Get Through the Heat
By Jos Van Hage
Sunday, August 02, 2009 10:19 AM
This hot, dry weather is beginning to dry things out and moisture is one thing that plants need to grow and remain healthy. Here are some watering tips.
Ø Mulch is a very good thing to use in water efficient gardening. It reduces evaporation from the soil, keeps the soil cool and keeps weeds down which competes with the wanted plants for moisture. You can take the extra step by first placing landscape fabric down and then the landscape fabric as the landscape fabric also aids in preventing evaporation.
Ø Shade also reduces moisture loss by keeping things cooler. Trees, shrubs, arbors, produce shade and you could plant shade loving ground cover plants underneath.
Ø Good soil is beneficial in keeping moisture in the soil. Added compost in the soil helps retain moisture and deep cultivation of the soil allows the plants roots to grow deep down where they will find more moisture. Poor soils such as rocky soil or that with a hardpan prevents the plants roots from going down as well as having poorer moisture endurance.
Ø Water during the cooler parts of the day such as early morning or evening, as there will be less evaporation. If watering in the evening you want to be careful on some plants that are susceptible to mildew and other leaf diseases when their foliage stays wet too long.
Ø For best efficiency, water the plants roots and not the foliage. If possible use a drip or soaker hose during hot weather. These are laid on the soil surface next to the plants and water the surrounding soil. When using overhead sprinklers there will be much more evaporation especially during the hot times of the day.
Ø Water deeply and less frequently as this will force the plants roots to do down to seek water making the plant less reliant on surface water. A plant with a shallow root system will dry out much more quickly. Water long enough so that the top 6 inches of soil is moist and then you will only have to water once a week.
Ø Trees and shrubs that are established will not need as much moisture as those that are newly planted so check before watering. When watering newly planted trees, shrubs, perennials etc., create a dam around the outer surface so that when you give the plant water it will not run away.
Ø When watering, if you see the water begin to run off stop then stop and allow the water to soak into the soil before watering again. On very dry soil the water will repel off so you need to allow it to slowly soak in. As it gets wetter it will begin to retain the moisture more readily.
Ø Allow the lawn to go taller and mow more frequently (once a week). When mowing do not cut more than 1/3 of the length at one time as you want to avoid scalping. Longer grass will shade the soils surface. Lawns that are too short will dry out, heat up more quickly and develop shallow roots. Lawns can go summer dormant and will come back once it receives sufficient moisture. So if you have to make a list of plants to water, put the lawn at the bottom of the list as it will go dormant and come back.
Ø Healthy plants are more drought tolerant, so keep plants healthy by checking for any pests or disease which will place the plant in stress. Care should be taken when fertilizing as it can be harmful during drought if you are unable to water. Wait until there is enough moisture so that plant can easily absorb the nutrients.
Ø When planning a landscape choose drought tolerant plants or native plants for areas that will not receive as much moisture. Also when planting, choose plants that require the same water needs in a group together as this will make watering more easier.
-Jos
Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Garden Centres in Prince George
- -Highway 16 West at Kimball Road
- -Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill road
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