By Master Gardener Volunteer Lesley Arrandale
mail@floridanewsline.com
I’m writing this on June 12, and there has been no appreciable rain in my area for several weeks. Without an irrigation system, it has been tricky to keep plants going. But if this is a foretaste of things to come, it will be useful to see what survives and what perishes. Anything that is lost in the excessive heat we’ve been experiencing won’t be replaced unless I install a low volume irrigation system for selected areas. And I shall aim to group plants according to their need for water, which is a standard requirement when choosing the Right Plant for the Right Place.
I have been watering my favorite shrubs with a hose. The few perennials I planted, in anticipation of rain, have needed water nearly every day. Unfortunately, once our sandy soil dries up it is difficult to rehydrate and water can simply run off. It’s worth repeating that adding organic matter regularly and using two to three inches of mulch to conserve moisture does help. Clearly I need to try harder!
For people who have lawns, the lack of rain has been difficult. The summer watering schedule of twice a week is usually adequate to keep a healthy well-established lawn going through dry times, but especially if turf is accustomed to being over watered it probably won’t adjust very easily to lack of rain and high temperatures. Turf only needs watering when it begins to show at least one of the following signs of stress: grass blades become slightly blue and begin to fold, and footprints in the grass don’t spring back quickly. It’s also important not to mow a lawn too short. Standard St. Augustine grass should be three-and-a-half to four-inches high to encourage healthy deep roots. Other species have their recommended heights so it’s important to know which grass you are dealing with.
It’s a shame when people don’t appreciate the best ways to take care of their lawns. Replacing turf is costly, and overuse of water is wasteful, considering most of us use potable water for irrigation. Even an irrigation system that runs off a well uses precious groundwater. If you need detailed advice, check out this article: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ep236. It covers all you need to know to take care of a lawn successfully and sustainably.
Working outside in the heat can be downright dangerous. Try to work early in the day. Take care to drink plenty of water, slather on the sunscreen, and rest indoors or at least in the shade to cool down when you get weary. For more information, visit https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/weather/heat-safety/
It’s also a difficult time for our backyard birds. One of my favorite species, the brown thrasher, really seems to enjoy bathing in our bird bath, but they all need access to clean water. It is important to clean a birdbath regularly as algae grows quickly in the heat and the water doesn’t stay fresh for long.
The new flower bed outside our kitchen window is doing well, but as the plants were installed only recently, they need watering until they’re established. The manyflower beardtongue (Penstemon multiflorus) is living up to its reputation as a food source for hummingbirds. In among bunch grasses and teamed up with white wandflower (Gaura lindheimeri) the effect is lovely.
As for what we can expect after this horribly dry period, we only need look at what happened recently in central and south Florida, where some areas experienced up to 20 inches of rain in two days. We may well be dealing with similar conditions before the summer is out. Let’s hope the hurricane season won’t be as bad as predicted.
