Survival Tips
For Your Valuable Plants
 | | It's beginning to feel a lot like this! |
It's dry out there! It has been for a while and it looks like there is little or no significant rain in the forecast so it will be dry for a while. Extended dry periods cause a great deal of stress for your plants to the degree that, if you don't help relieve that stress, you could lose some of those plants. We want to get some information to you to help you care for your valuable landscape investments until mother nature decides to lend a hand again.
Non-established shrubs (those planted in 2011 or 2012) are especially vulnerable and need more than maintenance irrigation. Newly planted shrubs should be watered 3 to 4 times per week; the amount of water needed can be judged by the size of the container your plant was in when you bought it. For example, a plant that originated in a 5 gallon container should be given 5 gallons of water at each watering; a plant from a 15 gallon container, 15 gallons of water, and so on. If you don't know what size the container was that it was in, put the hose near the base and let a stream, about the size of your little finger, run for a half hour or so. (Less for clay soil, more for sandy soil.)
Non-established evergreens need to be watered once weekly using the same formula as for shrubs. For 15 gallons of water plan to water for 3 to 4 minutes (based on city water pressure); 20 gallons, 5 to 6 minutes. These are approximates but they should give you an idea of how long to let the water run for each watering.
 | | TreeGator |
If you'd rather water without keeping an eye on the clock consider using a Treegator. A Treegator delivers water directly to the root area of a newly planted tree or shrub with no run-off or evaporation. Just place it around the trunk of the tree or shrub, fill it with water and walk away. It really couldn't be much easier.
Even established, large canopy trees are experiencing stress this year. If you remember, we had what felt like summer in March followed by hard frosts and very cold temperatures. The new, young leaves that got a head start were frosted and even burnt around the edges so their growth wasn't ideal. Now we've had a great lack of precipitation which adds even more stress. Water your established trees 1 to 2 hours a week. (For a tree with a 12" caliper at 4' from the ground, water for 1 hour.) Watering even once a month will help.
Consider using Root Stimulator and Myke for any of your landscape plants. Trees and shrubs planted with Root Stimulator and Myke are showing significantly better resistance to the stresses of this spring and summer. (Both of these products can be added after planting and even to established plants.) A Ross Root Feeder is ideal for deep watering as well as feeding.
If you haven't fertilized lately, we recommend doing it now. Typically, the next feeding would be in late fall but getting nutrients to your plants now will be an added defensive tactic to use. A well fed, well watered plant will be much better able to resist these stressful conditions.
As you know, trees compete with grass for water and nutrients. Using a nice cedar mulch will improve appearances and help to keep the soil cool and will help keep the soil moist. A 3' to 4' circle of mulch would be ideal. Keep the mulch away from the trunk (no volcano effect) and your watering project will be much easier.
If you have hanging baskets, window boxes etc. that are sometimes in shade, test the soil before watering. Don't water if the soil is moist but be sure to not let the soil dry out. Plants in plastic containers dry out very quickly. Be vigilant. You might consider using moss in wire baskets instead of plastic. Moss will retain moisture and will also breathe, preventing the soil from remaining too soaked.
 Use the rule of thumb for watering lawns: 1/2" of water, 2 to 3 times per week applied during the morning hours. If your grass appears to need more water, add a watering of 1/2". Keeping your lawn hydrated not only keeps the grass green but healthy too. Healthy grass is more disease and drought resistant and a significant side effect of a healthy lawn is its cooling power. A dry, dormant lawn radiates much more heat than a lush, green lawn does.
These are few of the highlights we wanted to get to you to help during this dry spell. If you have any questions or you want to see any of the products (and others) we've mentioned stop by the garden center. We're always here to help!
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