coping with hot, dry weather

A recent, brief rain shower was a welcome relief to this hydrangea during an unusually hot and dry Whidbey Island summer.

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Bayview Farm & Garden opened nearly 25 years ago, and in that time we have never seen conditions on Whidbey Island this dry. The heat and drought are concerning. Will Whidbey—and the rest of the planet — need to contend with a “new normal” in weather patterns?

Whether we will or not, this dry spell is a good time for a few reminders on caring for plants in extreme heat and on the basics of water conservation in yard and garden.

Plant Selection & Care

• Choose drought-resistant plants with extensive root systems. Such plants will come back year after year and require less water.
• Just purchased a new plant? Do not leave it in a hot car for more than one hour.
• If you are unable to plant a new plant immediately, do not allow its roots to go dry. Place the new plant in the shade and water frequently every day, and/or place in a basin with a few inches of water.
• After planting, water daily during times of high heat. Do not let your new plant go dry before it is established.
• Fertilize before and after planting. A fertilized plant will be stronger, healthier and better able to withstand hot, dry conditions.
• Use mulch, which is a layer of material such as compost or wood chips, applied to the surface of an area of soil. This helps to conserve moisture and soil fertility.
• Hot, dry weather is a fine time to plant, but not a good time to dig up an established plant and attempt to move it. The shock of transplanting under extremely dry conditions could kill your plant.
  

Effective Watering and Conservation

• Water the base of the plant and the soil rather than the foliage. This allows the water to make it to the roots.
  
• Avoid watering during the hottest time of the day. Instead, water in early morning or in the evening. Early morning is best. This will help minimize evaporation.
• Leaky hoses and faucets are huge water wasters! Inspect them regularly and replace if you can.
• Put sprinklers on timers if possible.
• Do not leave spigots on, even if the hose is off. Not only will this help prevent leaks, but it will also guard against a build-up of potentially scalding water in the hose. 
• Create shade! A light crop cover fabric (sometimes called a “float”) sits gently on top of your plants and provides shade, retains moisture, vents out excess heat and minimizes the need to water.
• Catch the rain: eventually it’s going to rain on Whidbey again. When it does, be ready with a catchment to collect some of that precious rainwater. During the next dry period, you’ll have “extra” water to use.

The specialists at Bayview Farm & Garden have the knowledge, plants and equipment to help you implement many of the above strategies. For example, we can provide drought resistant plants for your garden and talk with you about xeriscaping, which is landscaping and gardening techniques that require less water than traditional methods.

With concerted effort, we can both derive maximum enjoyment from our gardens and help conserve our precious water supply.

Maureen Murphy
Bayview Farm & Garden