Hi guys and gals,
I meant to post this Sat afternoon. I heard a guy from A&M on a gardeing program Sat say that everyone should go outside and look up. With the extended heat and no rain, we have lost our deep moisture (those of us in the coastal area espcially take it for granted.) We are all looking down at our garden beds and grass, but our trees are cratering (we tend to just look past the trunks.)
A couple of weeks ago, when it seemed like everything in my garden was dying, I noticed that about 75% of the leaves on one of the Wax Myrtles I planted in Oct '03 were brown and crisp, and fell to the ground when touched. I was stunned! I realized I was wasn't watering it enough since I was paying so much attention to the flowerbeds, and really thought it was too late. I did a slow drip watering for 2 solid days to give it a deep drink. In the meantime, some more leaves had died. A week later I did the slow drip again, for one full day, noticing that the dying leaves seemed to be checked (of course there were hardly any more leaves left anyway.)
This past weekend I saw new growth! I have teeny tiny leaves sprouting all over the tree! I'll certainly be looking up more, at all my trees from now on.
Be careful out there, and look up!
Everyone look up!
Thanks, Maggie, I had noticed a couple of weeks ago that my trees were stressed and I began deep watering on the fruit trees and pecans. But I didn't realize that dry upper air would have that much effect....my palo verde trees (Cercidium) had started dropping their feathery leaves. It's the state tree of Arizona and as drought tolerant as anything I've ever grown. One of them may be a goner.
i have lost 3 oaks in the last 6 months so I have developed a habit of "looking up". good advice. The dry factor is so freakish I am truly concerned. This morning I was watering pots from about 9:30 to 11:15 and when I came inside I literally stood under the fan, I was so worn out. That's not even the worst part of the day. Call me a wimp, if you will, I'm not ashamed. LOL
I think I have lost a Bur Oak I planted 4 years ago in one of our pastures and forgot to water. I gave it a deep watering Wednesday. Then it rained Thursday evening. I'm hoping it bounces back. Vossner, I've been standing under the fan after watering, too. I've been drinking so much Gatorade, I'm going to turn orange. It doesn't taste all that good, but it gets rid of the dehydration headaches.
Hey, there's nothing wimpy about that heat, it will suck the energy right out of you!
It's so good to see the new leaves coming out on the wax myrtle. The tree looks pretty odd right now, because of the few places where it still has some of the full-size leaves, and then it's bald in the other places. Some of the branches have died, but I'll wait until it's completely foliated again to see which ones didn't make it.
You are SO right!! My neighbor has lost several trees. They planted 2 this spring and they didn't make it. That could be for other reasons, but I'm still thinking they didn't keep them watered enough. Then suddenly 3 of their 5 trees in the backyard started looking really bad. The 2 Bradford Pears (blech) leaves were hanging down, the Willow was yellow. I yelled at her over the fence that she needed to water and gave her my tree ring soaker hose. They look much better now. Then suddenly the leaves on the inside of their Silver Maple in the front were brown and falling all over the place like fall.
I have been using my soaker ring all along, so my 2 Shumard Red Oaks look fine. My Chinese Pistache in the back suddenly has brown leaves, but only on the North side of the tree. The last rains we got had some high winds that probably broke some of the branches. I have not been using the soaker on it tho because it is in my back flower bed, so I will be going out tomorrow to give it and my Bigtooth Maple (which is the s-l-o-w-e-s-t growing tree!) a big drink!
Thanks for the "heads up"!!
My fear is also that the trees are really suffering through this drought. Only we may not see the results of theis brutal summer for a while.
Another big thanks maggiemoo! I went out to water my trees and noticed that the Chinese Pistache suddenly had all these leaves under it!
The hardest part about the trees is that they don't show their stress as quickly as perrenials and annuals. It's usually about a month down the road. Replacing trees is a bigger deal than replacing small plants, I've been so proud of the growth on mine in the past almost two years. To lose one now would be heart breaking.
...and since I watered, everyone in my area can thank me for the rain! :)
LOL!! Yes, it's raining here, too! Thanks!!
that stupid dog on Ch. 2 is not earning his keep. 40% chance of rain, my foot! Now I have to go out and mess with hoses, again!
For people outside Houston TV viewing area, we have a weather dog. Yes, you heard right, a weather canine. He's just as inaccurate as the regular weatherman, only cuter.
This message was edited Jul 12, 2005 9:54 PM
We got a big 1/4 inch here at the little house on the katy prairie (west side of Houston) today....
vossner--that's why I watch channel 11!
Well there is Emily for someone to have to contend with, and 2 more depressions right after according to the weather channel. I wonder where those global warming naysayers from 10 years ago are now? LOL
:)Debbie
(I'm thinkin' of setting an 80lb bag of Portland cement out on the patio...think it would rain then?)
LOLOL!! Vossner, that cracked me up!! I read "that stupid dog" 3 times before I went on and then was wondering...??? Is there actually a dog? is he/she (?) referring to the weatherperson?! LOL I think that someone must have been trying to prove that anyone could predict the weather!
I don't watch the weather and don't ever really believe them. If they say it's going to rain, it usually won't so I just don't wait to water any more, unless I SEE clouds.
I am so glad I am not the only one that is sick of that blasted dog. Dont get me wrong, I love dogs. And I would really like that dog...anywhere but on the weather forecast...You know, ever since that dog came on the air their forecast have been some where off in left field.
yep. I think it is really sad that Ch.2 thinks it is more important to report what Radar (the dog) is wearing or how well he's doing on his diet (everybody: I am NOT kidding about this), rather than climatological events. TXGgeek, I love dogs too but I am also disappointed these idiots don't realize they trivialize their profession.
Someone once told me that being a weather person was the easiest career because you could be WRONG al the time and still keep your job. Who else could get away with that???? Anyhow, they must believe that themselves since they've decided a pooch is a qualified representative of theirs. Go figure.....
Actually, I wish they would focus on that weather garden and give us a panaramic view of it. Day before yesterday they were using Radar as an umbrella. The dog did not seem to be enjoying the experience. I just wanted to see the radar to see if the west side was going to get any rain.
So how are everyone's trees? I've been watering mine, but I'm seeing some more brown leaves. :( Any suggestions on how often and how long I should water them? Should I just use the hose to get a heavier, but slow, flow or the soaker hose that wraps around the tree that provides a slow drip? I've been doing a little of both and am surprised to see leaves falling.
It may be that the brown leaves you are now seeing had already begun to deteriorate and were too far gone for current watering to help them. On some of my trees with brown leaves that I've watered (and have now had some rain) the ends of the branches are looking sprightly and have even put out a few new leaves. I don't know how much water to use, but I should think a slow drip might penetrate deeper.
That's the thing with trees, by the time they show you they're stressed, they've been stressed for a while! I did a slow drip from my hose, a full 24 hrs when I first discovered the problem. The next weekend I did it again for about 18 hrs. There were a few more dead leaves, but much fewer (of course, there weren't as many left, either.) The third week I did it for about 12 hrs, overnight.
The wax myrtle I thought may be lost has put on lots of new leaves! I can see that quite a few of the smaller branches are definitely dead, will wait for winter to cut them off, but the tree is coming back, and I'm so happy!
Good luck with yours.
That's a long time! My trees are only about 4 yrs old. Are yours old and big? The longest I've left mine with the soaker hose was 2-3 hrs.
Think about the roots. They normally spread 2 to 3 times the width of the canopy. And an average tree can conusme 200 to 300 gallons of water (ground) a day....Leave those soaker hoses on.
Watering too shallow will ensure development of a insufficent root system. A big no-no for Texas conditions. When watering any plant make sure it gets the equivalent of 1" of rain to develop a deep root system. 2-3" or more for trees.
200-300 gallons of water a day?! Wow!! Up until this year they've done fine on the water I've been giving them. I'm a watering moron. I have NO idea how much water to give things and how much they are getting. I know all that stuff about 1", but I can't SEE how much water is going down and where it's going and that just confuses my "concrete" brain. I usually tend to overwater since I get worried that something doesn't have enough. Ok....I'll go out and get a long soaker hose and string it around both of my trees in the front. That should cover all the roots on those. I'll use the small tree ring for the one in back, and buy another ring while I venture out to Lowe's for lawn bags. I'm glad I asked! Thanks!
kkb, the trees I've been worried about have been planted less than 2 yrs. Remember, it's the deep moisture - the moisture that trees really need to develope those deeps roots - that we're missing because of the drought. It does sound like a long time, but that water has to get way on down there!
Paige, there are some ways to "see" how much water is being applied. If sprinkler irrigating set out 3 coffee cans in the pattern. Water one hour. Then, using a ruler, measure the depth in the cans. Average those measurements. This will tell you if your sprinkler pattern is adequate and how much water is applied per hour. Read your meter at the start and end to determine gallons applied. Gallons applied can also be calculated from the can measurements.
Oh but that's so much trouble John! I really have done that tho, but with tuna or cat food cans. The problem with the sprinkler system we have is that it's such a fine mist that it never seems like it's enough. I wouldn't know how to get the lid off that water meter, plus there could be some huge spider waiting for me when I opened it!
I wrapped a long soaker hose all the way around both trees and then kind of pulled it in towards the middle, looking sort of like an 8. I had it really slow when I was gone, then found out that it wasn't high enough to do anything. So I turned it on full blast (remember it's just a soaker hose) and about an hr later I could see water puddling on the sidewalk so I turned it off. That seems to be the problem with this clay soil. You can't water much without it doing that.
It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I'm waiting to see what that provides!!
Just keep in mind that roots will not grow in a dry soil. They will reach their genetic potential only if there is enough available soil moisture already in place.
That front (with rain?) is minutes away as I speak! Radar says so.
Radar the dog or the device????
The device. We will keep the rain here, btw. Houston doesn't need it. We do!
I get my weather info from the internet. Houston has a dog that predicts theirs. lol OH...it's here!!! It's coming down hard enough to water my trees!
We got almost 2" of rain last night!!! And, it is nice and cool this am. Yahooooooo!
John, I know that you're celebrating, not rubbing it in!! :-)
Congratulations....
How sweet it is!
Sounds like your Radar is a heck of a lot more accurate that ours. Enjoy the rain........but send some cool down here....pretty pretty pleaseeeee.
The high today was 76!!! Pushing that front south as hard as I can.
Must be nice! We won't see a high of 76 until at least Halloween. LOL Bet you got a lot of work done in the garden huh?
John, are you KIDDING???!!!
Okay, now you are rubbing it in!
That is easily the lowest high July temp. in my 11 years in Texas. Guess I am rubbing it in just a little! Has the front made it down that way yet? Made 86 today and back to normal manana.
Didn't make it here...was hot and sticky today.....not even a drop of water!