The Whistling Gardener

by Steve Smith

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville, located at 3915 Sunnyside Blvd., and a respected local expert on all things horticultural. You can reach Steve at 425-334-2002 or by e-mail at info@sunnysidenursery.net.

Now that September is behind us, I guess I will have to acknowledge that summer is finally over for good. It's been perfect weather for the corn, beans, and tomatoes and ideal for the cannas, petunias and dahlias. But it was tough on the rhodies, fuchsias and sweet peas and those cool season veggies. Some things thrived and others struggled, and the real question now is what to do to get things into the winter and ready for spring.

First of all, don't even think for a minute that these paltry rains that we have had so far are sufficient to replace all the moisture that has been sucked out of the soil this summer. It will take months of rain to get the moisture levels back up to normal in our soils. The single most important thing you can do now is to learn to recognize the signs of moisture stress and start doing something about it.

Plants that are under stress from lack of moisture have some very universal responses that experienced gardeners can learn to recognize. Plants that normally have glossy leaves will turn a dull and sometimes bluish gray color. Lawns will do this prior to turning brown. Shrubbery leaves may also fold in on themselves or sort of roll up. This is a classic response for rhodies. Shrubs and trees will also shed their leaves this time of year when moisture is scarce. This is called "flagging" and is very common with our native cedars. It's a process by which the plant tries to balance the available moisture with the number of leaves that it needs to provide water to. If you have plants in your garden that are exhibiting any of these signs, then you need to get water to them.

Watering soil that is as dry as our soils are right now is not a simple task. Soils this dry can become hydrophobic, a condition in which the soil actually repels water. Instead of soaking into the soil, the water will bead up and roll off the surface. There are two things you can do to counter this effect. First, apply the water very slowly so it has time to soak in instead of running into the gutter. Those black soaker hoses that sweat or ooze are perfect for this situation. Second, apply a mulch to the soil surface that will act like a sponge. It will accept the moisture and gradually release it into the soil beneath it. The mulch will also improve the soil structure over time and insulate the soil in the winter.

Sometimes we forget that our native forests are not the same as our yards. In the wild, trees are growing on soils that have been developed over hundreds of years and may be several feet deep. Because of these soils, the plants are better adapted to withstand drought conditions then those that we landscape with around our homes. Even if we use natives, they are not as likely to fare as well as their relatives in the forests. In most cases, the soils around our homes are just a few inches deep, hardly comparable to the soils in our forests. In new construction areas, the soils also lack the biological component of a mature forest soil. These soil microbes are critical in helping plants endure long periods of drought such as we have experienced this summer.

Another interesting phenomenon occurs this time of year that can lull us into thinking that we don't really need to water. Cool evenings and mornings will cause water to be "pumped" up to the surface and give the appearance that the ground is damp. Don't be fooled by this activity. It is just a surface occurrence. If you were to dig into the soil you would quickly discover that the ground is powder dry. I suppose it is just the moisture from the air that is condensing on the soil surface that creates this condition.

Finally, if you think that the native vegetation weathers through these hot, dry periods without any loss, think again. While we may not be cognizant of any death in the forests, it does in fact happen. Mother Nature has to put up with plants dying just like we do! She just doesn't lose any sleep over it.

So the best thing you can do for your garden in these early days of fall is to make sure that none of your plants are under stress from insufficient moisture. Water them, mulch them and apply some fertilizer or worm castings with microbes in them that will help colonize those roots and get them back to a healthy condition. Don't wait for Mother Nature to water your yard. Get your plants healthy and ready for winter now.

Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached at 425-334-2002 or email at info@sunnysidenursery.net