Gardening in Dry Conditions

Helping your garden to flourish, even in dry conditions

Gardening is an art that can be both rewarding and frustrating. Like anything else in life, having a good friend or family member to call on is essential to success. At Pear Tree, we consider our customers to be family.

We are here to help you from start to finish, from helping you pick the best plants for your skill level, area, and soil to trouble shooting challenges as they present themselves throughout the growing season. We all know that no growing season is complete without a good challenge or two. Let us help you.

Our summer has started out dry, so here are a few tips and tricks we’d like to share. We hope they help.

• Tip 1: Apply a 2-to-3-inch layer of mulch around plants when the soil is wet. Make sure to leave open dirt at least 2 inches around the base of your plants to allow air flow to the stock.
• Tip 2: Weed your gardens, flower beds and planters diligently. This will allow your plants to access the most moisture and nutrients from the soil as they will not be competing with the weeds.
• Tip 3: Water your plants early in the morning or later in the evening. Your plants will have the best chance of absorbing the moisture they need before it has a chance to evaporate if you water when temperatures are cooler. Mornings are best for watering because your plants will have a chance to absorb the moisture and the daylight and heat will help the leaves to dry faster. Evening water is ok too, but when water is left sitting on leaves longer there is a greater chance of fungal diseases.
• Tip 4: Dead head flowering plants early. Spent blooms can continue to pull moisture which would be better used by new forming blooms. Dead heading will help your plants to grow healthier.