September 05, 2002
Even in Drought Year, Fall is a Good Time to Landscape
LINCOLN, Neb. — Even amid a drought of historical proportions, this fall can be a time of new life and renewed vigor for home landscapes.
Homeowners who have spent the summer desperately trying to keep water-hogging turf and plants alive might do well to look for inspiration from the drought of 2002 to develop a more sustainable landscape beginning this fall, said Bob Henrickson, assistant director of horticulture programs for the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum.
"Maybe they've lost some plants this summer. Or maybe they just need some rejuvenation," Henrickson added. "It's a good time to renew your planting spirit."
"This would be a good time to re-evaluate your landscape. Ask, 'Do I want to get rid of some of my thirsty lawn and replace it with some trees, shrubs, some perennial borders?,'" Henrickson said.
Even in a drought, fall is a good time to plant new trees, shrubs and perennials as lower temperatures and reduced weed competition ease their transition into the landscape. Most of their energy goes into developing strong root systems instead of leaves and flowers, giving them a good start in their new home. Depending on the weather, trees and shrubs can be planted well into November.
Before heading off to the garden center, take a look around your yard to see what has done well, or at least held its own, this difficult year. In many cases, it's native species that are shrugging off the drought.
"Native plants make you look like a good gardener and you're really not doing much," Henrickson said.
There are plenty of drought-tolerant trees and shrubs available. Among the trees cited by the arboretum are: American linden, Freeman maple, Kentucky coffeetree, gingko, yellowwood, Ohio buckeye, honeylocust, juniper, amur maple, bur oak, chinkapin oak, gambel oak, dwarf chinkapin oak, Austrian pine, bristlecone pine, limber pine, mugo pine, pinyon pine, Ponderosa pine, Scotch pine, red pine, blue spruce and Black Hills spruce.
Drought-tolerant shrubs and small trees include: silver buffaloberry, black chokeberry, fernleaf buckthorn, gro-low sumac, shrub roses, cotoneaster, southernbush honeysuckle, buttonbush, gray dogwood, common witchhazel and several species of viburnums including Alleghany, blackhaw and wayfaringtree.
Other drought-tolerant plants include certain ornamental grasses and various prairie species such as leadplant, goldenrods and penstemons.
"Look at your landscape from a different perspective: Rather than water for your lawn, water for a sustainable landscape," Henrickson said.
Whatever you choose to plant, some basic planting rules are important:
— Group plants with similar water needs together – perhaps concentrating the most drought-tolerant species in an area farther away from your water source than plants that need extra moisture.
— Amend soil properly with compost or other organic matter.
— Mulch. Some studies have shown that trees with a six-foot mulch ring around them will grow twice as fast as trees with turf up to their trunks.
— Smaller trees will recover from the shock of transplant more quickly than larger ones. Look for trees with about a one-inch trunk when planting in the fall.
— Even drought-tolerant trees and shrubs need extra water to get established in the landscape, perhaps for as long as three years after planting.
Henrickson cautions against planting too much this fall. Perhaps fill in a bare spot or two, or replace a shrub or two that's dying. Then use the winter to plan further landscape changes.
"That's the way we gardeners are. We're resilient. We look at a problem and ask 'what can I do different?' – rather than say, 'oh, I give up.'"
For more information on drought-resistant perennials, see NU Cooperative Extension NebGuide G94-1214, Perennial Flowers for Water-wise Gardeners, available at extension offices or on the Web.
The arboretum is a horticultural organization headquartered at NU's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
09/05/02-DM
Bob Henrickson
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
Assistant Director for Horticulture Programs
(402) 472-2971
Dan Moser IANR News & Photography Coordinator (402) 472-3007
Department: Nebraska Statewide Arboretum
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