CLAREMORE — Well, the summer drought has hit us again. This time it was during June into July-instead of a month or more into summer.  The last 30 days have been brutal to our gardens, yards, trees and landscapes. Even pastures and wooded areas experienced extreme heat and humidity with no measurable rain since last Saturday night, July 4th, when SOME of Rogers County received a small amount of “wet stuff” (from .12” at the Claremore Mesonet Station to my rain gauge at home that measured 3/10”.

By Sunday afternoon, we were already back to the upper 90’s with heat indexes hitting 100 or more.

Go to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey: http://climate.ok.gov/index.php/climate/rainfall_table/my_county_or_town  where you can look at our rainfall amounts for Claremore, Inola, or station reports at over 100 other Mesonet sites around the state.

Look at the total rainfall at places like Goodwell, Mangum, or Seiling, and you will at least be glad you live in NE Oklahoma. I don’t need to tell you how bad the drought is in most areas South and West of  US 412 and I-35 is.  At least 24 counties in Oklahoma are  in “exceptional” drought conditions. For a look at the Oklahoma (South Central) Drought Monitor-- see this website: http://climate.ok.gov/index.php/climate/map/u.s._drought_monitor_oklahoma/oklahoma_south-central_u.s

So what does a full thirty day drought do to our lawns, landscapes, gardens and property?

They all get Stressed! Unless you have a sprinkler system or drip irrigation system to supplement the lack of rain, most annual plants were drying up, with scorched, wilted leaves.

The lawns started turning brown and received severe heat stress as soul temperatures reached 95 -100 degrees 2-4 inches under “sod” or turf areas. Our lawns dried out and the hardy Bermuda lawns went into a “summary dormancy” effect with trees shedding leaves, shrubs wilting to the point of actual root damage. Most all the tender growth and leaves of some trees were scorched and turning crispy brown. Many yards that have shade type grasses turned brown and some fescue lawns died out-unless they were watered regularly.

Now you ask yourself what can I do if I want to keep this from happening again next summer-or even again in the next 30 days?  

Your landscape plants and younger trees HAVE to receive supplemental water. Some more than others. If you have Bermuda type lawns, most of them will turn green again when we get a little cooler and receive some more rain events like earlier this week.

Unless you want to spend hundreds of dollars keeping your lawn and landscape beds watered with a true sprinkler system, use common sense (like most of you already do) and keep the tender plants watered on a schedule.

Installing a simple drip irrigation system is relatively inexpensive and gives your shrubs, flower beds and gardens sufficient water. If going out of town for even a week, install battery operated timers at the water outlets or faucets. Most of these timers will operate by simply programming the number of minutes to water and time of day.

Some even have an option to water 2times a day. It is a good idea to have a friend or neighbor check these water timers for leaks and inspect your plants for any that look dry, as the sprinklers or emitters may need adjusted or cleaned.

Most homeowners ask me how much water do most plants need to survive a drought like this.

It really depends on the variety and age of the plants (or when they were planted) and if they are in a full sun and exposed location.

Try to water all your plants (by hand) directly at the root area, start EARLY in the morning, and wet down the soil well. You really cannot tell how much your water hose is putting out unless you measure it for a timed amount-to know the gallons per minute you’re giving your plants.

I will cover that in an upcoming article.

When I water dried out shrubs of trees, I will make sure the water is getting down into the root system and not running off. A good reason to have berms or “wells” around trees where water will stay within the root ball and evenly perk into soil.

On shrubs and flowerbeds:  After you feel you have watered sufficiently, take a hand garden trowel and wedge open the soil. If the top inch of the soil is wet, that probably will only suffice for maybe a half a day. Deep watering 3 to 4 times a week during drought conditions is the best.

• Mulching- will hold the water around the plants and aid in preventing run off. Also keeps the ground and surface roots cooler.

• Try purchasing a small drip irrigation kit. You can come down to our office and pick a free catalog of drip irrigation supplies or order on-line at www.dripworksusa.com/, www.dripirrigation.com/

and www.dripdepot.com/ are just a few companies on the internet.

Local home improvement stores, some garden centers, hardware stores, will have a selection of drip irrigation supplies. There are two of three irrigation suppliers in Tulsa that handle drip irrigation parts along with the standard underground sprinkler system supplies.  Try a small flowerbed at first. You will be amazed of how easy it is

to put together, how well it works, and conserves water.

*Water when the plants need it. If you see wilting shrubs or flowers-and have been told to only water in early morning-water them anyway. It may be too late to wait.

 *Visit our office OSU Extension-Rogers County, in the Rogers County Courthouse, Rm. B-115 and we can give you several publications/factsheets on “Summer Care of the Garden” “Drip Irrigation Systems”

and others on selecting trees, shrubs, perennials and even annual flowers for Oklahoma.

*For more information on when to water, go to http://sip.mesonet.org/ and you will find a goldmine of tips and instructions on irrigating lawns, gardens and landscapes.

It will even help you set up a “Simple Irrigation Plan” (SIP) for helping know when to water, how long to water, and if you even need to water your lawn-based on some simple questions you input into the program set up. Try it. It really works.

Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments cooperating.

The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.