Tag: watering

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Blessed Beneficial Rain

A good rain is such a blessing!  After weeks of hot, dry weather, we finally had some beneficial rain here in northeastern Massachusetts.  Heavy tropical downpours moved across our region today, a gift from hurricane Florence as the storm slowly moved east and out to sea.  Of course, those living down South who have just experienced 20 inches of rain are not feeling at all blessed right now, but I’m not talking about the kind of rain that leaves flooding and devastation in its wake.  Instead, I’m feeling grateful for the kind of rain that sets everything right again, washing away summer’s dust and leaving the outside world clean and refreshed.  If you take a close look at your trees, shrubs, and perennials after a soaking rain, you’ll see that they’re greener looking, perky and plumped up with moisture.  Some plants, like rhododendrons, even lift up their leaves, as if in thanks!

rhodie close-up
A Rhododendron Giving Thanks for Rain (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

This is the first September since I retired and I’ve taken the opportunity to do some major garden renovation of long-neglected areas.  This includes dividing and moving perennials to areas where they can spread out.  After digging a new hole for a plant, I add homemade compost and mix it in, ensuring a good start for the roots and improving the existing soil.  In addition, and just as important, I plan any large-scale gardening work so that it’s done before a predicted good rainfall.  Once the plants are settled into their new homes, I wait for that beneficial rain to work its magic because it’s true that the best water for plants is au natural!

My husband and I are fortunate to live in a small town where everyone has well water.  Although our water contains mineral salts, we don’t use a water softener and there’s no chlorine or fluoride which are commonly found in municipal drinking water.  Many plants are susceptible to chlorine toxicity which can cause scorched or “burnt” leaves and affect overall health.  It can also build up in the soil when gardens are watered regularly with chlorinated water.  In addition, according to J.W. Pscheidt, Extension Plant Pathology Specialist, Oregon State University, “Fluoride is an accumulative poison in plant foliage.  Accumulation may be gradual over time.  Fluoride strongly inhibits photosynthesis and other processes.”  Additionally, the heavy use of chemical fertilizers can also burn plants.

Even though our property has well water which is free of added chemicals, I water as little as possible from the outside spigot, preferring to wait for rainfall.  Although we don’t have a rain collection barrel, we do put out buckets to collect rain which I then use to water my flower pots and anything newly planted.  In addition, I use a layer of mulch every spring to conserve the moisture in my garden beds and any fertilizer I use is organic-based.  Using this regimen, I’ve noted an improvement in the overall health of my plants and gardens and I’ve saved myself a lot of outdoor watering!

beautiful bloom blooming blur
Using Collected Rainwater in Outdoor Pots (Photo by Torsten Dettlaff on Pexels.com)

Here are some tips for healthy watering practices:

  • If you have city water and love to garden, try watering outside only when absolutely necessary to minimize chemical build-up.
  • Collect rainwater in barrels or buckets and use that on thirsty plants.
  • If rainwater isn’t available, let tap water sit in your watering can for 24 hours before using to water houseplants or outside pots, thus allowing the chlorine and fluoride to settle out.
  • Plant outside before a predicted rainfall to help your plants get quickly established.
leaves rain green hosta
Rain on Hosta Leaves (Photo by Hilary Halliwell on Pexels.com)

For more on the many benefits of rainwater, click on this link:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/13/for-plants-rain-has-benefits-that-tap-water-simply-cant-deliver-9/

DISCLOSURE:  From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below.  I use these only for companies I trust.  When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.

 

 

 

 

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Watering Wisely

There’s no denying that this has been one hot summer not only in the United States but in Europe as well.  Record high temperatures, when the weather men put a “heat advisory” in effect, can be dangerous to our health.  We are advised to seek shade, air-conditioned rooms and increase fluids.  Even those of us in good shape are told to avoid vigorous outdoor exertion.  Our pets also need extra attention during hot spells.  We’ve all heard the horror stories of pets (and children!) being left in closed cars and dying from exposure.  Since high temperatures can adversely affect us and our environment, they need to be taken seriously.

Severe heat, like intense cold, can drive us inside for the duration.  But unlike cold snaps in the winter months, intense heat has a more devastating effect on our outdoor environment.  Weeks of high temperatures combined with lack of rainfall, a typical summertime scenario for many of us, take their toll on our reservoirs.  Small ponds quickly dry up, leaving fish stranded.  As we drive through neighboring towns we see the familiar signs banning outdoor watering and sprinkler use.  In particularly dry years, the leaves on the trees and shrubs actually droop, looking exhausted after their ordeal!

Our town has private well water and so we are immune to the signage warning us away from summer water use, but even though we can water, I prefer not to.  For one thing watering during a heat wave is kind of like running through a sprinkler – the moisture only lasts for that very short period of time and the heat evaporates it almost immediately.  It’s counterproductive since the much-needed moisture never really gets to where it’s needed most, the plant’s roots, and shallow watering leads to shallow roots which can compromise a plant’s health.  Also, when all we do is wet the leaves and soil surface, we leave our plants open to disease-spreading fungi.

Many experts say that to maintain a healthy garden we should water deeply, about an inch of water, at least once a week.  When you have a large garden and summer water restrictions in force, this can be impractical.  Soaker hoses are a great alternative to sprinklers because the water goes directly to the plant roots but, again, watering restrictions and drought conditions may limit the time you can use them.  Just as our climate is changing, so our watering practices must change.  We have to learn to water wisely.

So, how do we care for our gardens in the hot and often dry conditions of high summer? Take a good look at your garden on a very hot day.  You’ll notice some plants drooping under the intensity of the heat while others seem to just shrug it off.  As time goes by, you’ll want to plant more of the “shruggers” or those plants which can take the heat and still thrive.  Additionally, don’t bother planting a garden without mulching it since mulch is the best water saver of all.  For more on the benefits of mulching, see my previous blog, An Ode to Mulch.

Because hot summers are spreading far and wide and water is now such a precious commodity, xeriscaping has become popular in recent years.  According to Wikipedia, “Xeriscaping is landscaping and gardening that reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental water from irrigation.”  In other words, plant your garden with heat and drought shruggers!  I talk about some of these plants in my blog, Summer Power Perennials.  Look for plants that will grow in your hardiness zone but I’ll also list a few that you may already be familiar with and may already have in your garden.

Herbs such as lavender, oregano, thyme, rosemary and sage tolerate tough conditions with ease.  Prairie wildflowers such as coreopsis, rudbeckia and yarrow make excellent choices as do perennial grasses.  Daylilies, once established, are remarkably drought tolerant.  In the shade garden, hostas, ajuga, lamium and many ferns continue to look cool and serene even on the hottest and driest of summer days.

By gardening with heat and drought tolerant plants, we can create easy care gardens that will not only look fabulous all summer long but will help us conserve precious water as well.

purple bee insect violet
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below.  I use these only for companies I trust.  When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.

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An Ode to Mulch

Caring for a garden takes a lot of time, patience and work.  Although we’re all brimming with enthusiasm in spring, the summer gardening chores of weeding and watering get old fast.  When you have to squeeze in gardening between a job, housework and children, it can quickly become a burden.  So what is the number one thing I recommend to make gardening less labor intensive and more enjoyable?  It’s mulch!

Why mulch, you ask?  Well, one application put down in the spring lasts all season.  My personal preference is shredded bark mulch, although there are many different types to choose from.  You can either buy bagged mulch or have a landscaper bring in a truckload, depending upon your budget and the size of your garden.  If you’re young and energetic, you can easily spread it around yourself.  If you’re older than dirt (like my husband and myself), you might opt to have someone spread it for you.  Avoid the dyed stuff and go with the natural product which has a fresh pine scent.  Not only will your whole yard smell terrific, a mulched garden looks elegant and gives your home more curb appeal.

Mulch keeps your garden soil moist, thus limiting the time you have to spend watering.  You should still water any new plantings and during extended dry spells, but mulch holds the moisture much longer than bare soil so you’ll have to water less often.  Even outdoor potted plants benefit from a moisture-retentive layer of mulch.  So rather than holding a hose in the hot sun, you can hold a Margarita while you sit in the shade admiring your beautiful flowers and veggies!

Another benefit is that mulch suppresses weeds.  You will always have some weeds because they’re very good at what they do and Mother Nature programs them to use any available space in your garden to take up residence.  However, you’ll have a lot less weeds germinating in a three-inch layer of mulch and much less to pluck out later.

Lastly, a good organic mulch feeds your soil.  Year after year, layer after layer, mulch breaks down into compost and any compost is good news for your garden.  By keeping your soil healthy, your plants will be nourished the way nature intended.  Mulch also acts as an insulator, keeping the soil cooler in the heat of summer and protecting your perennials from severe cold in the winter.

So, if you want to spend less time working in your garden and more time admiring it, make a yearly investment in mulch and enjoy that Margarita!

green succulent flowers on pot
Photo by Tharatip Sukee on Pexels.com

DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.