DROUGHT RECOMMENDATIONS

Lawns.

When extremely dry weather arrives, let established lawns go dormant, but after they are allowed to go dormant, apply about 1/2 inch of water every 10 to 14 days to be sure that the crowns and roots stay healthy. For recently seeded or sodded lawns, apply one inch or more per week to keep them alive. Young grass plants and sod simply don't have sufficient root mass to sustain the crowns during severe drought.

Establish priorities.

If it's a choice between trees, shrubs or perennials and the turf, let the turf go. It's harder to replace trees and shrubs than the turf. As with turf, recently transplanted trees and shrubs need water more than established ones.

How to irrigate.

A good, slow soaking is the best, and hold off on the next irrigation until testing the soil to see if it is actually dry. First remove mulch, if any, then take a spade or trowel and dig into the soil to see how moist it actually is. If a ball of the soil when squeezed in the hand remains in a ball, there is sufficient moisture. If the ball comes apart easily, the soil needs water.

How to water trees and shrubs.

Too much of a good thing describes the the practice of some home gardeners when it comes to watering trees and shrubs. Overwatering deprives a plant's root system of oxygen, affecting the root system's ability to function properly. Signs of water stress, including wilting and brown leaf tips, are substantially similar to signs of drought stess. To avoid stressing a plant by overwatering or underwatering, consider the following suggestions:

• Use a calendar to record the date and amount of water applied to a plant. Consult the calendar and check soil moisture before making another application of water.
Water should be applied to the soil every four to five days or once a week. The frequency of application will depend upon air temperatures. Consistently high air temperatures may necessitate watering every four days, while moderate or cool air temperatures will allow for watering once a week.
• Deep and slow watering is essential. Slowly soaking the soil around a tree or shrub to a depth of six inches is the preferred means of applying water. Reducing the volume of water flowing through a garden hose to a trickle and placing the hose end near the base of the plant will effect a slow, deep application of water. To gauge the depth of water penetration into the soil, use a trowel, small spade or specially designed soil probe. When the soil six inches below the surface is moist, turn off the water.
• Mulching around the base of a plant acts to retain water. Take care, however, not to pack the mulch against plant stems or trunks. Mulch in contact with stems or trunks encourages formation of some diseases, and provides a refuge for small animals that may feed on the stems and trunks
• Modification of the suggestions presented above is in order in the case of plants that were grown in container mixes, as contrasted with plants that were balled and contained by burlap. Plants grown in container mixes will require more frequent watering. Use a trowel, small spade or soil probe to determine the depth of soil moisture, and follow the six-inch soil moisture suggestion.

Landscaping with little water.

Although Xeriscape landscaping is typically practiced in the Southwest and other chronically water starved areas, homeowners in this area may wish to consider this introduction to water saving landscaping. For in-depth information, select the 'Bibliography' link on the site's Home Page. The site featues excellent graphics that may take some time to load.

Sources: Judith L. Schwank, Berks County Extension Director, The Germinator, July/August 1999
"Extension Chords", Reading Eagle/Reading Times, July 26,1999