July 27th

By Mutt Mulligan

Lessons from Drought

It’s that time of year where we notice what plantings work, and which don’t.  A good article came out that pointed out that drought highlights if and where you’ve planted the right plant, or the wrong plant.  According to Rick J. Lewandowski, in a column in the Delaware News Journal, look around and learn from what is surviving, and what is not.   Some “take home lessons” he describes are:

 •  Always assess your site conditions and put the right plant in the right place. If you do this, particularly in sites prone to drought, you’ll have less maintenance. A little research goes a long way before putting a plant in the ground.

•   If you must water, only water the soil at the base of your plants — never the leaves — in early morning or evening.

•   Don’t plant during dry periods. You’ll waste water and effort trying to help these plants establish.

For more tips and information on drought resistant plants, read the entire article.