Beat the drought, go native
Beat the H Elane K. Delcuze Plant Rescue Team Member

Last summer offered a brutal reminder that rain is a precious resource, and landscapes suffered terribly from the lack of rain. Water keeps all plants, native wildlings, as well as exotics, growing robust and strong. Why is it then that while most exotics were struggling through the summer of 2007, many native plants survived.

Plants are most demanding during the time they are becoming established: approximately one year for perennials and two or more years for trees and shrubs. All new plantings require light, and frequent waterings to avoid stress, which manifests itself as drooping or dull foliage. All plants also require a brief drying out between waterings to enable oxygen to reach their roots. Mature plants require progressively deeper and less frequent waterings allowing roots to penetrate more deeply into the soil where they eventually tap into the earths moisture reserves. This enables the mature plant to endure drier conditions. Woody plants require moisture to a depth of 12 inches at least two or three times a month; bulbs, one inch of water per week; herbaceous plants, 12 inches every seven to 10 days. Shade plants usually require less water due to slower evaporation, but low-hanging leaf-laden branches overhead may prevent adequate rainfall from reaching the plants, and the tree itself will be competing for the available moisture.

Soil structure also plays an important role in the release or retention of moisture. Clay soils are heavy and sticky, draining slowly with a high compaction potential. Sandy soils are light, dry and gritty, draining quickly, requiring frequent watering with a low compaction potential. Loamy soils are crumbly with moderate drainage, moderate to high water retention and moderate compaction potential. All soils react favorably to organic amendment.

Adding mulch in summer is one of the best practices to preserve soil moisture so less is lost to evaporation. As an extra benefit, mulch also reduces weeds which compete with plants for that moisture.

Following the xeriscape (xeros, from the Greek meaning dry which gardeners interpret as drought, plus scape from the word landscape) approach to gardening is another way to limit your garden's water needs. Gardening with drought-resistant plants is not new. In fact, this approach was first suggested in the late l960's. By the l980's xeriscaping was practiced in the semi-arid west and guidelines for establishing water-thrifty gardens have been being developed ever since. These guidelines include

1. Planning and designing comprehensively taking into consideration climate, exposure, surrounding vegetation, especially native plants which are thriving, and water availability;

2. Analyzing garden soil and amending accordingly to increase water retention;

3. Creating smaller lawn areas using native grasses and those requiring little upkeep so as to conserve water and energy;

loving

4. Using mulches to keep soil moist and cool

5. Selecting native plant material, plants that have adapted to the region over time and have survived last year's drought, and grouping them according to their water needs.

A few drought- tolerant native annuals you may want to consider include amaranth, asters, coreopsis, viper's bugloss, pennyroyal, rudbeckia, senecio, and mullein. Water-friendly wild perennials include Baptisia (or wild indigo), common yarrow, pussytoes, butterfly weed, New England aster, fleabane, boneset, heuchera, sundrops, dwarf crested iris, birdsfoot violet, goldenrods, trailing arbutus and St. John's wort.

You don't have to start over! You can convert your garden to a more water-friendly area by evaluating your garden's moisture supply and demand, replanting areas by grouping plants with like water requirements, creating zones with high water needs closest to water (including wastewater) sources, and using up-to-date equipment such as soaker hoses.

Where there is a good match between plants and theirenvironment, there is a greater chance for strong, healthy, growth and an aesthetically pleasing display and harvest.

Land disturbing activities can create havoc with native wildlings

that are already struggling to survive. For suggestions with identifying, loving home

caring for, or relocating these plants, contact a Plant Rescue Team member. Information on the Plant Rescue

Project may be obtained by calling Jennifer Cordier (706-745-9317 ivylog@alltel.net.) or Glen Henderson (abletinker@aol.com.). This project is sponsored by the Preservation Committee of the Community Council of the Gerogia Mountain Research and Education Center, Blairsville, Georgia.

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