Poundridge Nurseries, Inc. - Blog http://blog.prnurseries.com Nursery News Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:40:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 Start watering now! http://blog.prnurseries.com/2012/1248/start-watering-now/ http://blog.prnurseries.com/2012/1248/start-watering-now/#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:40:59 +0000 Landscape Designer http://blog.prnurseries.com/?p=1248 dried_lake_mudIt’s the “D” word. No one wants to say it but we’re all starting to think it. After a winter with record low snowfall and a spring that is turning out windy and dry the spectre of “Drought” is upon us. The scary part is that it’s only April. Troubling indeed. Just last week my landscaping crew dug a large planting hole for a very large maple tree and the soil, which at this time of the year should be wet deep down, if not soggy in spots, was bone dry three feet from the surface. Even at four feet deep it was only vaguely moist, with none of the typical sweet, damp soil smell that defines spring. Though I had been in denial before, afraid to say the “D” word out loud, this put me on notice.

That is why I am telling all of my clients and anyone within the sound of my voice or the reach of this blog, to start watering now. Water as if it were July and August. Get a jump on what appears to be an upcoming drought by soaking the soil now and you may keep your garden one step ahead of drier days to come. Start now or you may never catch up.

Long, slow soaks, two or three times a week, are best. If you have irrigation turn it on today. If you only have hoses, target primary beds and feature trees. Don’t let a little rain shower reassure you. We’ll need several days, even a week, of steady rainfall to begin to set things right. Our gardens, though they recently enjoyed one of the mildest winters on record, may be in for the challenge of their lives this summer.

By Daryl Beyers
Senior Landscape Designer

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