Gardening During The Drought

With Stage Two water restrictions in effect for Raleigh water system customers as of Feb.15, local gardening enthusiasts may be fearing the worst for their landscapes this year. But alas, not all hope is lost. By carefully selecting drought-resistant plants and trading old gardening practices for more water-efficient techniques, the green thumbs of the Triangle can outwit Mother Nature this season.

Choosing drought-resistant plants is crucial to helping your garden survive dry spells. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension offers a list of tolerant plants, including oakleaf hydrangeas, petunias and snapdragons. Perennials are generally more drought-resistant once their roots have developed sufficiently, but unfortunately, even drought-resistant plants require some water in their first year.

Stage Two restrictions prohibit the use of public water for irrigation, forcing gardeners to seek creative ways to feed their thirsty plants. One local gardener, featured in the News & Observer recommends catching used water in large jugs while running the faucet for other purposes. This water can be cleaned using filtered water pitchers before it is used on plants. Additionally, the Raleigh water systems municipalities are offering 80-gallon and 60-gallon rain barrels for sale, which can be used to water shrubs, flowers or vegetables. Some local gardeners are avoiding the drought-parched soil all together by planting in containers.

Another precaution gardeners can take is to drought-proof their soil. Constance Casey offers useful advice, recommending that growers leave their soil untilled to allow decomposing organic plant material to act as a groundcover. Small bits of bark or crumbly leaves will act as a sponge, retaining moisture in the soil. Duke Today adds that using composting or mulch like pine bark, hardwood and cypress helps to keep soil healthy and moist.

While local gardeners can not count on April showers to bring May flowers, a beautiful landscape is still within reach. With a little creativity and some revamped techniques, resourceful growers can beat the drought in 2008.

Comments

[Sue]

Ya'll might want to check out the rain barrel kits, rain barrels and downspout diverters at www.aquabarrel.com

[tanner]

thanks for the gardening tips!