July 12th

By Mutt Mulligan

Watering Triage

We like this Associated Press article that showed up in today’s Washington Post.  When summer starts to bake our plants and lawn, it does feel like we have to resort to watering triage to keep the plants alive during the worst of the heat.

The article is full of good ideas, here are a few:

• Help all water falling from the sky get into the soil.
• Timely weeding keeps water in the soil for the plants we choose to cultivate.
• Water either deeply and infrequently with a sprinkler or bucket; or water lightly and frequently with so-called “drip irrigation.”
• Care for those plants that need water the most. The first plants to suffer from thirst are annual flowers, and leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and cabbage, as well as any perennials or trees you set out just this spring.
• Lawns tolerate drought by going semi-dormant and tawny, then perk up when moist conditions return.

What are your best triage ideas?