Garden Guy column: Dealing with spring issues

It is high gardening season, and each year with the spring season come a variety of issues. Some years have found us battling early heat and windy conditions that exacerbated the heat problems. Some years it is cold fronts that move through frequently. The past three years have found us dealing with the results of rapid, large changes in both fall and spring weather, stressing or killing plants that are either not ready for the deep cold in fall or the high heat in spring.

Droughts, wind, heat, and large, rapid changes of weather are things that we must always deal with on the High Plains. Since we cannot control these, we must adapt our gardening to the conditions. Hopefully we do so in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

The easiest way to confront our varying conditions is to use native and adapted plants that thrive in our area. I’ve said this before as well as recognized that there is a learning curve associated with this approach. My practice is to try to learn what locally friendly plant will work when I need something new or as a replacement for something that did not fare so well. I’ve found that this often requires going to the internet and likely needing to order plants that we don’t get in our garden centers.

This is a long-term approach for me, so I must also adapt in other ways. Perhaps the most obvious step we take about now each year is to increase watering to compensate for the increase in temperature and wind. The steps to effective, efficient watering are simple assuming that whatever watering method you employ, your equipment is set and operating correctly.

First, use the “Off” setting on automatic systems. When lawns and gardens need water, turn them on – this usually means only pushing a button once or maybe twice a week.

Second, leave the system off until watering is needed again. This can be determined by using a soil probe or by simply observing your plants for signs of water stress. If the soil probe will not penetrate the soil or will only penetrate a few inches, it is time to water to get moisture to a depth of about 10” – 12”. If you don’t have a probe, grass will leave footprints when walked on and the blades will curl and turn grayish while flowers will show signs of wilting or become duller looking.

Third, if you use hoses and attachments, use cheap timers to ensure that the proper amount of water is applied and no more. Utilize soaker hoses or drip irrigation systems for easy, effective deep watering.

Fourth, woody shrubs and trees need a deep soaking about once a month if we do not get adequate moisture and they will generally not show any signs of stress until it is too late.

Finally, be patient. Many perennials, shrubs, and trees may have been damaged and delayed by the harsh weather changes. Most are alive, but we simply must give them time.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Garden Guy column: Dealing with spring issues