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Gardening in Dry Weather
The spring this year has been
unusually dry. But the dry weather should not be a deterrent
to your normal spring gardening plans. These water-wise
gardening tips from the certified experts at GardenPA.com
can help you keep your yard and garden vibrant and green
through this dry spell.
Water-wise Gardening:
Set watering priorities
-- You may not be able to water everything, so set priorities
to water the plants most vulnerable. Generally those
plants, trees and shrubs that you put in the ground
this spring should be first on the list. Trees and shrubs
that have been established for several years should
be OK without supplemental water unless the dry spell
extends for several months.
Lawns
-- Lawns with established cool weather grasses, such
a blue grass and fescue, should be fine through the
spring. If it is still dry as summer approaches, these
grasses will go dormant in the dryness and heat and
lose their lush green color, but will not die. If you
choose not to water your lawn, the green will return
with rain and cooler weather. If you just planted your
lawn this spring, or if you reseeded bare spots, by
all means water until the grass is well-established.
Mulch Appropriately
-- A thin layer of mulch will help conserve soil moisture
in beds and around trees, but don't over-do it! One
to three inches of shredded bark hardwood mulch is plenty.
Don't pile mulch around tree trunks, making the dreaded
"mulch volcano." Too much mulch encourages
root growth into the mulch layer and stops water from
reaching the root zone when it rains.
Water slowly and deeply
-- A common mistake made by gardeners is to water just
the surface of the soil with a quick pass of the sprinkling
can. This may actually harm the plant by encouraging
root growth near the surface where roots can quickly
dry out. After watering, dig down a few inches to make
sure that your water is reaching the deeper roots and
encouraging deep root development. It's better to water
deeply once or twice a week than shallowly everyday.
Soaker hoses or drip irrigation can help you accomplish
this without having to stand for hours with a hose or
sprinkling can.
Water in early morning
or early evening - Recent
studies have shown that plants respond best to watering
during the early morning or early evening hours. But
don't water too late in the evening. Plant leaves should
have a chance to dry before nightfall to reduce the
chances of fungus or mildew diseases.
Don't waste water
-- Direct sprinklers carefully so that you are watering
only the plants intended and not the street, the driveway
and sidewalk. Soaker hoses, mini-sprinklers and drip
irrigation are excellent ways to keep your plants watered
very efficiently with little waste. Water is a precious
resource and all the more so during dry conditions.
Use it wisely!
Irrigation
-- Consider installing an irrigation system that is
designed and operated to conserve water. Often, these
systems can save water compared to garden hose and lawn
sprinkler use.
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Water-wise gardening
tips |
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