Prolonged droughts can occur in any area of the country. Consider this factor when you’re planning the garden. This allows you to take preventive steps before it hits your region.
Choose Drought Tolerant Plants
When planning the garden, focus primarily on drought tolerant plants. Once these are established, they can withstand prolonged dry spells.
This should apply to all types of landscape plants except for vegetable and fruit plantings, and other edible crops.
Apply Mulch
Once the plants are in place, apply a layer of mulch to conserve soil moisture. This will reduce the need for watering.
Depending on your location, this might be an organic mulch, such as finely chopped leaves or pine bark. In some areas of the country, inorganic mulches, such as pea gravel or crushed stone, are preferred. Organic mulches keep the soil cool, which also helps to slow evaporation.
Organic Matter Comes to the Rescue
Organic matter is a gardener’s best friend. This is especially beneficial during droughts. It increases the water holding capacity of the soil, which is particularly critical for sandy soils.
The ideal time to add this is when you’re preparing a new garden bed or vegetable plot. Add lots of composted manure, and other organic matter. Till this into the soil before planting.
Replenish organic matter each year. It becomes depleted over time. For all established plantings and beds, add leaf mold or compost as a top dressing on a regular basis.
Create Watering Zones
When planning garden beds, organize the plants according to their watering needs. This makes the most efficient use of water.
For example, group roses together in one bed. Avoid scattering them around here and there in the landscape. This approach allows you to water the entire bed at one time.
Watering During a Drought
Assuming you’ve selected plants that can tolerate drought, infrequent watering will be needed. These plants have various ways of coping with dry conditions. For example, some trees and shrubs drop their leaves and go dormant.
Moisture loving plants will need to be watered on a regular basis. Do this properly. A little bit won’t do. Apply enough to get the root system thoroughly moist.
During a serious drought, municipalities sometimes place restrictions on outdoor water use. If that occurs, decide which plants are the most important. Use the precious water that is available for the selected plantings. Assuming it is allowed in your area, grey water is also an option.
Fertilizing During a Drought
Generally, fertilizers should be avoided during prolonged droughts. It is okay to fertilize during short ones if you know you’ll be watering on a regular basis throughout the entire season. Otherwise, fertilizer can end up killing the plants.
