“Drought” is a dirty word for gardeners. Yet, the “D” word figures into almost any conversation between gardeners along Colorado’s Front Range and other zones dealing with woefully low precipitation.
Gardeners will play important roles as drought continues. Tending your gardens and landscapes can help ease drought, in fact, according to Pat Hayward, executive director of Plant Select. Hayward, naturally recommends the Plant Select palette of "Durable plants for the garden."
Hayward emphasizes that education is more important this year than ever; and she answered some critical questions about drought this season and cleared up some general misconceptions about what we can and cannot do when rain fails to fall.
Q. As we face Stage 2 drought conditions, what critical information do you want to share with Front Range gardeners?
Actually the “stages” refer to drought response by the multitude of water suppliers, and vary by supplier. The responses are not statewide, but locally based. Regardless, the entire state is officially in a drought condition at different levels. What that means to Front Range gardeners is that we have to be more mindful of when, how, and how much we water. Watering between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. and using efficient methods saves water. Some areas have two days per week watering restrictions for lawns only; and in reality, that’s plenty if the lawns are watered deeply, encouraging deep growth of roots. It’s very important to note that vegetable and flower gardens, trees and shrubs are ALL exempt from these restrictions.
A great place for information on drought, water and restrictions across the state is www.coh2o.com.
Most importantly, people need to make sure they continue to water their trees because trees help cool homes, landscapes and communities. A couple of years ago, Albuquerque, NM, lost thousands of trees when people tried to save water, neglecting their trees; and now many neighborhoods are hotter and drier than ever.
Q. What if people panic over drought and do not plant this season? Does that make a bad situation worse?
There have been so many studies and trials at Colorado State University and Denver Botanic Gardens that have proven we have a huge palette of plants – including herbs, vegetables, perennials and even annuals – that tolerate much less water than we think they need. And the list goes way beyond “native.” Plants help cool, clean the air, and bring beauty to our communities. Backyard vegetable gardening reduces carbon footprints and supplies fresh, healthy food. There’s absolutely no reason to not plant this year: we all just have to be smarter – with soil prep, plant selection, mulching and proper watering.
Q. Is there a category of Plant Select® plants appropriate for drought? Are all of them drought-tolerant to some degree?
At Plant Select Plant Search you can create custom lists for your specific needs, and one of the options is to choose things like “dry shade” or “xeric” (needing no supplemental water once established). We select plants based on 12 different protocols, but two of the most important are “adaptability to the region’s challenging climate” and “exceptional performance under low-water conditions.” There are 113 plants in the program right now; and most of them are adaptable to dry conditions, for sure.
Q. Anything else you'd like to communicate to gardeners about drought or Plant Select®?
The best sources for hardy, adapted and beautiful plants for Colorado and other western states’ gardeners are at locally-owned, independent garden centers and nurseries. They hand-pick every offering, knowing our local conditions. They also have more knowledgeable—often certified--nursery professionals who can take the time to help you select the right plants for your site. I cannot stress shopping at local independents enough, especially this year.
A list of Plant Select® member retail garden centers from many western states, including Colorado, can be found at http://plantselect.org/where-to-buy/?category=Retail+Sellers. A list of Colorado independent garden centers is at www.gardencentersofcolorado.org/images/stories/Member_Geo_Search_October_2012.pdf, listed by city.
It’s also a really good time to contact a professional landscape designer if you’re thinking about renovating your landscape and/or irrigation system. Best place for landscape information and professional help can be found at the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado site: http://www.alcc.com/
Now, I need to go out and turn my compost pile so the rain can get in better!
For more articles on drought and Plant Select, check out the links provided below.
• Landscape professionals' top three tips for dealing with drought
• Drought-tolerant plants to beat the heat
• Plant Select picks more trail plants
• 3 desert-tough plants that will be rock stars in a drought
• Plant Select palette for Front Range garden success
••• "Cultivate your corner of the world.
You grow your garden; your garden grows you." •••
• Colleen Smith's gift book "Laid-Back Skier" makes a sweet Easter gift! This whimsical, inspirational book includes lots of ski bunnies and encouragement for life's ups and downs. Watch "Laid-Back Skier's" brief YouTube video here.
• Colleen Smith’s first novel, “Glass Halo”—a finalist for the 2010 Santa Fe Literary Prize — is available in hardcover or e—book.
To learn more:
• "Like" Friday Jones Publishing on Facebook for frequent posts on gardening and other fresh topics.
• Follow FridayPublisher on Twitter.
• Follow FridayJonesWags on Pinterest.
Comments