Just Add Water

• Posted on 6 October 2022
• 0

Dry conditions means watering is vital…

Friday is officially day 25.  According to the National Weather Service, Nashville has not received a ‘soaking’ rain for 25 days.  A ‘soaking’ rain, as they define it, is a rainfall event of at least ¼ inch.  The forecast for next Thursday is for perhaps .2 inch.  Many areas may receive no measureable precipitation.  It might be enough to settle the dust.  It will likely have little benefit for your plants and lawn.

Don’t let yourself be fooled: your plants need water.  Your landscape needs for you to ‘Just Add Water.  Until the wane of the rain passes, you need to take particular care to irrigate.  Of course, newly planted things are easy to keep in mind; easy to overlook things, are established plantings.  The National Weather Service lists us as, ‘Abnormally Dry’.

I know it may be difficult to believe.  We had such a wet spring/summer.  It is true that October is typically our driest month of the year.  For what ever reason, we seem to live with extremes of weather.  A few hundred miles away, major flooding is the problem.  Since many of us have experienced that over a decade ago, we’ll gratefully take things on the dry side.  Our situation is extremely manageable, comparatively.

I consider hand watering a form of meditation.  There is nothing more peaceful.  It may be that your schedule doesn’t permit time for that luxury.  Be that the case, simply set up a sprinkler and let it run…for hours.

Any concerns you might have about planting should be minimal…unless you are unwilling to water.  If, by chance, you fall into that category, don’t plant.  Remember, we grow plants on pavement.  We water diligently.  Your prospects for success are excellent since you’re likely planting them in the ground.  If you’re planning on planting cool season annuals, it is time to take those summer annuals out. I know they’re still beautiful, but your pansies need time to get established while the weather is still warm!

Take pictures, bring them with you, we will help!

David Bates