The need to water

 HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW

By Kit Flynn
Columnist

Rarely are gardeners ever happy about the amount of rain their gardens receive. They’re either clutching their hands, muttering how badly the garden needs water or they are amid gloom and doom because there has been too much rain. Sooner or later, gardeners have to come to terms with how they decide to approach watering – it’s that simple.

Over the years, my watering practices have changed. When the garden was new – and I was an inexperienced gardener – I tried to water the whole garden. Over the years this became an impracticality: The garden is now too large, accompanied by the fact that I somehow manage to have a life outside of the garden. After the 2007-2008 drought OWASA raised its rates, making water in Chapel Hill relatively expensive. Please note that this is not a diatribe against OWASA.

I also realized that water is a finite resource, a thought that weighs heavily on my conscience. Therefore, I determined that I would not install an automated watering system. I’m not saying that these systems are bad; I’m merely pointing out that they do not work with my peculiar mindset.

First, you must determine which plants are the most meaningful to you. If you reply, “all,” you are probably not being realistic. Some plants are easily replaceable, whereas others are not.

Grass is not a particularly important element in my garden; I only use it for contrast. Consequently, I replaced my tall fescue with zoysia, a grass that is not as thirsty nor as demanding as tall fescue. Unlike some of my neighbors, I’m not willing to invest my time heavily in lawn maintenance—mind you, this is a personal decision.

You must also learn to observe your plants. If a hydrangea exhibits wilting leaves in the late summer afternoon, I stop rushing to water it. However, if the same hydrangea displays wilting leaves in the morning, I run to quench its thirst. Plants that do not revive during the evening hours are signaling their distress. A wilting hydrangea in the late afternoon is simply doing what a hydrangea does best: It wilts to make the owner feel guilty. A wilting hydrangea in the morning indicates it needs help quickly.

Getting to know your plants and how they react under stress is important. Some of the plants in the garden are champion wilters – I have already mentioned hydrangeas. The native anise tree, Illicium parviflorum, is also a dramatic wilter. Typically, roses do not droop; they simply close down. However, our native phlox only wilt when they truly mean it, indicating that they are in dire straits. The camellias in hibernation will probably survive a drought but the hostas, especially those receiving more sun, are rebelling by turning brown. Hopefully, the roots will send up new leaves next spring.

Our plants experienced a rough month of June, with blistering temperatures and no rain. The conditions were tough, so instead of constantly watering, I decided to water only the new plants I had introduced into the garden. Consequently, some hostas withered up, as did some ferns. Even some of the hardy begonias (B. grandis) that had spread to sunny areas burned up.

Twenty-five years ago, I planted four Edgeworthias under an elm tree, failing to consider that the elm would grab all the available water during a rain shortage. For years I hauled the hose out to the curb to water them almost daily, hoping they eventually could survive on their own.

Despite my affection for them, my annual garden audit forced me to rethink these misplanted edgeworthias. I had to come to terms with the fact that the elm tree will always win. Sadly, recognizing that the climate was changing, coupled with a deep feeling that water is a finite resource and coping with an aging body, I gave up coming to their rescue – this is a recognition that I had installed them in the wrong space. I would resituate them except that I have no room left in the garden.

The truth is that my faulty planting a quarter of a century ago was no longer sustainable.

I have concluded that I am committed to watering plants during their first year; watering my two planters by my front door is also a no-brainer. Otherwise, my plants are now dependent on what comes from the skies. Bear in mind that mine is an established garden with many plants having had the time to grow deep roots.

However, this might not be the right conclusion for you. All gardeners have to decide how much time, effort, and money they are willing to spend keeping their gardens well hydrated. It’s really as simple as that.

A side note: Are you looking for the perfect grass? The Washington Post had an interesting article on a new grass seed that required no chemicals, very little water, and grows so slowly that it only needs to be cut once a month. Too good to be true? Check out Pearl’s Premium Lawn Seed here.

This reporter can be reached at Info@TheLocalReporter.press