This fall has been extremely dry.  November was the driest in 100

years and our first real freeze, on Dec.10, came almost 30 days late.

 

What can we do to help our landscapes, trees, and gardens get

through this winter drought intact. One of the best ways is to use

generous amounts of mulch. A layer of it around your landscape

and garden plants will slow down water loss due to evaporation.

   

Mulch also protects the roots from extreme temperatures. Roots stay

warmer when it’s cold, and cooler when the summer heat arrives.

Three to four inches of mulch can save gallons of water.

 

Deep, infrequent watering will also encourage roots to grow deeper

into the soil. The deeper the roots, the greater the water reservoir

the plant has to draw from. Buffalo and other native grasses have

roots as deep as 6 feet, allowing them to survive a drought.

   

Drip irrigation is another way to get the most from your watering.

Traditionally drip irrigation is located below the mulch and providing

water directly to the root zone, limiting water loss due to evaporation.

 

Finally, at It's About Thyme  we constantly promote native and adaptive

species that naturally suit our often arid climate. We also have an

excellent booklet called Native and Adapted Landscape Plants – an

Earthwise guide for Central Texas. This is the place where you will

find a complete list of xeriscape plants for our region. This City of

Austin publication is invaluable… and free.

   

Let’s hope and pray for rain and a return to wetter conditions soon.

And please water your trees. That’s what they’re asking Santa for

Christmas.  Happy gardening everyone!