Generous rains fell on the northern and eastern parts of the metro area last weekend. Over 4 inches of rain has fallen in Anderson Township this month. In the meantime, the southwestern part of the metro area is languishing in heat and short term developing drought. Only 0.96 inch of rain has fallen at my Cheviot 0.9 SSE location in July, compared to 2.40 inches last July. Temperatures have been 90 or above on 13 days. Tree and plant stress in those areas is worsening, and lawns are browning. The heat will continue and may challenge the all time record for consecutive 90 degree days. Watering in the dry areas is becoming a matter of plant life and death.
New trees and shrubs may be thirsty, or maybe not…!
For those who have planted new trees or plants in the past year or two, we need to pay attention!
It is hot out there and many areas haven’t had rain for 10 days or more. Good spring and early summer rains have given us good soil moisture down deep, but the upper layers are dry in many areas and getting dryer. Check the soil with your fingers BEFORE watering to be sure it is dry. In many cases there is still moisture there either at the surface or below. The biggest water problems I have seen so far are more related to over reaction than drought. A few properties are being killed with kindness as irrigation systems are run daily and soils are flooded. Please see this link for tips on good watering practices.
Proper watering, not too much or too little, is imperative for new trees and transplants. Improper watering can kill plants and trees and void warranties. Cincinnati soils are particularly difficult since our clay is often poorly drained and wet and dry areas can be found in close proximity. There are few rules of thumb which are universal, even over the same property.
Earth friendly watering in the summer heat
I call this “China weather”. July 18 is the 6th anniversary of the day we were handed our adopted daughter in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China. We were over there for two weeks and it was 90-100 every day with a dewpoint of 70-80. One day it was 78 with a 76 dewpoint and breezy as the remnants of a typhoon passed. China is a beautiful country, but summer is brutal, as this summer is shaping up to be here.
The current heat wave is an expansion of a large bubble of heat over the center of the country, made even worse by extreme drought in Texas. One look at the Weather Service home page shows the expansiveness of the heat wave. Heat indices reached as high as 126F in Iowa on Sunday. To top it off, much of the Cincinnati area has now only had one good rain in July, and that 10 days ago. Soils are drying in the top layers and heat and water stress are becoming issues.
The convoluted thing is that a few areas have had rain, 2.50 inches this weekend in Maysville, KY. Also, with a very wet spring, many soils remain moist a few inches down so established trees are still mostly OK. The biggest water problems I have seen so far are more related to over reaction than drought. A few properties are being killed with kindness as irrigation systems are run daily and soils are flooded. Please see this link for tips on good watering practices. Remember, being Earth friendly includes watering correctly, making the most of our water resources while maintaining healthy and vibrant landscapes.