Dealing with Drought & High Temperatures

·         Plants vary in their ability to tolerate water stress.  If limited watering is only available, prioritize watering, caring for newly transplanted trees and shrubs first, then those that have been in the ground from 2 to 5 years. Next, water "specimen" trees or important trees, then lawn and all other plants.

·         Know your soil. Observe how quickly soil dries out after a rain or watering.

·         Don’t forget to mulch trees and shrubs. Mulch is any trees and shrubs best friend.  Mulch plants with a 3-to-4-inch layer of organic mulch to reduce soil evaporation and temperature fluctuations, and to conserve moisture.

·         Depending on air temperatures, trees, lawns, & shrubs need at least 1 inch of water applied every week to cope with lack of rain. Larger, established trees have a wide-spreading root system and need not be watered as frequently.

·         Use drip irrigation wherever possible, effective watering tools because they discharge even streams of slow, trickling water directly to the root zone beneath trees and shrubs. When combined with a 3 or 4-inch layer of organic mulch, plants can use nearly all of the water that's provided with little evaporation loss. Drip irrigation can reduce water use by 65-70%.

·         Water shrubs at the plant base and under the spread of branches until soil is moistened to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Water slowly and deeply so water percolates down into the soil.

·         When using a sprinkler system, place a container nearby to measure when you have distributed 1 inch of water to the soil if you want to do your own quick watering test.

·         Water strategically. Plants absorb more water in the early morning, before the warming sun causes evaporation.

·         Avoid using quick release fertilizer during drought conditions. Fertilizer salts from these materials can cause root injury when soil moisture is limited.