Who Carries Out Operations In Water? A Sturgeon!!!!
If La Nino holds true we will be entering a period of hot weather that normally we would have already been suffering through. These cooler days have been a treat but heat has arrived and watering will be crucial for strong healthy plants.
Overhead watering at this time of year is not the best option for a good deep watering that one should be applying. Lawns will with any amount of watering suffer but rest assured when the weather returns to more favourable temperatures and perhaps some rain it will come back to a lush green expanse that we all strive for.
I feel for several countries in Europe that are experiencing an ongoing basis of what we endured with the few days of the heat dome did to us. While areas in Asia are experiencing heavy rains and flooding as are areas of the USA. Be sure to stay hydrated and out of the heat the best you can. In Canada our weather has also been unusual with heavy rains east of us with substantial flooding in many area that has not been experienced in decades with many tornado warnings as well.
Here in BC fire events are low so far with only 37 fires at this time with only 3 out of control which is the lowest in 5 years. With high temperatures and little to no rain predicted for the next couple of weeks this will change. In Canada it is estimated that 40% of the fires are human caused the rest are attributed to lightning strikes. In the States 85 to 90% of fires are human caused by means of camp fires, open burning, equipment failure, cigarettes and arson. Campfires are now banned here as well as any other open burning of any kind which includes burn barrels and fire works.
All terrain vehicles near or on forestland must have spark arresters installed and they should not be driven off dirt paths or in tall dry grassy areas. All fires can be reported by calling 5555 on your phone.
Regular watering is a vital key to a healthy and productive garden and a vibrant, eye-catching landscape. With the lack of water this spring and the already summer like heat this can be a challenge to keeping our annuals, fruit and vegetable gardens blooming and productive. The best time to water is from 2am until sunrise although early evening water can lead to fungal problems it is highly unlikely that this will occur I have found also that an evening watering works well and allows the water to penetrate deeply.
Try to keep the water off the leaves if at all possible as if it hasn’t evaporated by the time the hot sun reaches the plants it can scald them. Be sure to water evenly and deeply and this is best done by watering the area then doing another area and then repeating over the area again. Especially important with heavier clay soils is to allow the water to penetrate the soil deeply which can take time and the proper appliance, as in a sprinkler.
If you do not have the luxury of time, hand watering may not be an option and drip irrigation can be expensive overhead sprinkled water is often the choice method for watering but with this heat it takes a long time to affectively water to the proper depth. Always ensure that the water that is being applied is being absorbed by the soil and not running off creating soil erosion and pooling in the street. Soil that has dried out may be difficult to water as the soil doesn’t want to accept the water so repeat applications may be needed to get the job right. If the soil dries out to this extent damage will be done and although most plants will come around some will not. The use of mulching and compost can help minimize evaporation, help the soil to absorb and store water.
The best way to tell if the garden needs water is by visual inspection. If you are growing your garden in pots or raised beds and for your hanging baskets they should be dry down to about an inch below the soil surface, so one must get dirt under their nails to be certain. In the heat of summer they may need to watered twice a day to maintain their needs but well worth the effort. Lawns consume a lot of water and should be watered deeply twice a week.
Keep the lawn length higher in summer to help slow down evaporation. In your landscaping consider plants that have lower water needs such as Spirea, Box Wood, Juniper, Russian Sage, Sedum, Yucca, Iris, and many Ornamental Grasses. For annuals Portulaca, Sage, Poppy, Wallflower, Blanket flower are great low water flowering plants. Carrots and Corn require larger amounts of water as do leafy vegetables and if your hanging baskets dry out the need a great deal of pruning to help them back to the glorious state that they were.
Happy Gardening!
Samantha Nason
BS Ranch & Greenhouses
250 547 6567
sam1nason@gmail.com
