What are the strategies for minimizing the long-term effects of drought?
Since we cant control the weather and there is no cure for this problem, there are some steps that we can take to cope with drought and minimize its impact on plants. Todays discussion is geared towards woody plants but can also be helpful for any plants in the landscape or garden. 1. Watering: Most plants, including trees and shrubs, require approximately one inch of water per week. For most soil types, water is best applied at one time as a slow, deep soaking of the entire root zone to a depth of approximately 8-10 inches. The length of time required to “deep-water” will vary depending on soil type and water pressure: for example, clay soils usually require more time to deep-water than sandy soils. Frequent, light, surface watering will not help plants and can actually cause harm by promoting growth of surface roots. If possible, it is helpful to use efficient systems for delivering water such as soaker hoses, directed sprays at the roots, and trickle irrigation. Overhead watering is
