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Time to get out the garden hose
It's funny how fast we can begin to think that all the water problems in Oklahoma are gone. If all of the rain has urged you to put the hose away, it is most definitely time to get it back out of the garage. Many landscapes are beginning to show some real signs of water stress, and it is not from an abundance of water. To understand the need for water in the landscape, one must first understand where the water goes. Water is removed in two ways. Evaporation is the loss of water from the soil. Evaporation rates can vary depending on the temperature, sunlight, winds and soil type. Transpiration is the loss of moisture through the plant's surface. Plants work like a straw, pulling the water out of the soil. These rates of water loss are also affected by the climate. When the two water routes are combined, the term evapotranspiration (ET) is created. Don't laugh; it's a real word. At least it is in the scientific realm. ET is measured and tracked by the Oklahoma Agweather Service using Mesonet stations throughout the state. This tracking system allows a gardener at any level to monitor how much moisture has been removed by ET. For instance, in a recent 14 day period, a specific site in Oklahoma County received 4.77 inches of precipitation. In that same time span 2.877 inches of moisture were lost through ET. That would leave 1.893 inches of moisture in the soil; that is assuming that all of the water that fell was absorbed into the soil and none ran off into the streets. As fast as the water comes down, Oklahoma's harsh climate pulls it right back out. There are a few circumstances that gardeners should be aware of since the rains have come and gone. Be certain to monitor any fresh plantings. A plant that was planted this spring has yet to learn how to forage for its own water. The immature root system is just now beginning to realize what it is really like to live in Oklahoma. Providing a slow deep soaking once a week will help the root system to establish properly. Even mature plants have responded to the excess moisture. Several species have put on an abnormal amount of lush healthy growth. Growth that up until this point, had been supported by Mother Nature. It will now be our responsibility to help that growth through the rest of the summer. This new growth is more prone to wilting than the plant would normally be. Again, occasional deep soakings will help that growth to harden off or get used to the summer conditions. Using the Mesonet stations can help monitor the amount of precipitation that has fallen and let the home gardener know when it is time to water the lawn. www.agweather.mesonet.org is the link to begin searching for the rainfall and ET data. Contact the Extension Service at 713-1125 if you have questions about the system. A lawn in Oklahoma should be watered each time to wet the soil to a depth of six inches. This type of watering will encourage a deeper and more efficient root system that does not require to be watered as often. Deep watering will also conserve water by allowing longer periods of time between soakings. By taking a few minutes to follow these tips, your plants should transition into the summer with ease. No matter what type of landscape you have, it is necessary to be sensitive to the amount of rain that we get - or don't get in some cases. Happy watering!
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