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A. Drip irrigation
is the best way to water for many reasons. First, it puts the water
directly where plants need it. Second, it’s a more cost-effective
method. The water slowly soaks into the soil, rather than evaporating.
It allows you to water deeply and thoroughly to develop stronger
root systems. Finally, it keeps water off the leaves to reduce fungal
problems. Also, it doesn’t wash nectar out of butterfly plants.
It’s very easy to do, sort of like assembling tinker toys!
If you plan to do the entire landscape, and you have changes in
grade, you may want to call a professional. But if you’re
just handling a few beds or vegetable garden, anyone can do it.
I like the systems with inline emitters, as opposed to pop-ups,
but the style is up to you. Once you’ve laid it out, you can
cover with mulch.
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|  Red
Bird of Paradise
(Caesalpinia pulcherrima)
Red Bird of Paradise loves our hot weather. It's bright
red-orange blooms and nice green foliage make a stunning specimen
plant in the landscape. This tropical plant is not dependably hardy
in our area. It provides a southwestern look with a tropical flair
that is especially nice near a pool or outdoor patio. A closely
related species, Caesalpinia gilliesii produces finely
cut foliage and yellow blooms adorned with long red stamens. While
less showy, it is hardier and attracts hummingbirds. Give these
plants a sunny location with good drainage. A little water periodically
is all they need to thrive and bring a splash of color to your summer
landscape. Trim back the plants after a bloom cycle to encourage
more blooms.
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- You can still plant summer vegetables, and can plant a second
round of tomatoes in the next few weeks.
- To help young plants handle the heat, stretch shade cloth over
the area.
- Take advantage of the moist soil to hand pull the weeds—work
in small sections to make the task less tiresome. For stray pecans
and hackberries, Trisha Shirey pulls them up with pliers! Works
great.
- We don’t need to water trees for a while, but as things
dry up, put out a sprinkler and deeply water under the entire
branch spread to about 1 inch. Before watering, make sure that
the soil is indeed dry.
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