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Warm and wet June, still be water vigilant

June rainfall totalled 6 to 9 inches in the Greater Cincinnati area.  Temperatures in June continued to be well above normal.  This combination of wet weather and hot weather led to scattered moisture stress in some plants, scattered root rot, increases in leaf diseases such as apple scab, and continued rapid progression of plant bloom times and pest emergence’s. 

While total rainfall was double normal in June, hot weather led to fast drying rates.  Therefore, smaller plants and new transplants may still need water.  Clay soil dries slowly even if the surface looks dry.  Check soil moisture with your fingers to see if soil is dry and water is needed.

More information on correct watering:  http://urbanext.illinois.edu/hortihints/0108a.html

Buy sprinklers and rain gauges here:  http://arbordoctor.com/tools.html

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From dry to wet…

As I write this, rain continues to fall outside.  This despite the fact that it was forecast to stay mainly southwest of here today.  While the 6 weeks before this were quite dry, September rainfall at my Cheviot 0.9 SSE location now stands at 3.70 inches and counting.  This is actually above the September normal to date!

August and the first half of September were very dry this year.  However, July was wet, so deep moisture was good and I suspect established plants may not have been too stressed, especially if they recieved supplemental watering.  Still, the late summer drought this year was enough to further stress trees and shrubs. 

Trees and shrubs can be damaged if they dry out in the fall or winter, so it is good that we are getting these rains.  Remember that there will be warm and dry days to come, so keep an eye on soil moisture as we move through the fall and into winter.  As temperatures cool, soil moisture evaporation rates will also slow. 

There is an old rule of thumb that trees and shrubs should be watered deeply one last time around Thanksgiving, IF soils are dry and in need of water.  Don’t forget about plants near houses or under overhangs as they will dry out even during winter and may die.  Water in January?  In this case, yes!