Gardeners in the Texas Spur readership area have been assaulted with some of the highest temperatures on the South Plains. Not only is it dry, but it is also so very hot. The combination of the two weather-related conditions warrants another column on watering in extreme times.
In earlier columns suggestions were given on drought-tolerant plants and making tough decisions on which plants take priority with limited water resources. In today’s column are additional tips on watering young and mature trees.
Young trees need more care than mature, well-established trees. Trees in their first year in the landscape do not have a deep root system and need more frequent irrigations. But irrigations should be deep and several times a week.
For mature trees, resist the urge to water lightly several times a week. Roots grow where there is moisture. Shallow irrigations provide inadequate moisture deep into the soil profile. Therefore, rather than several light irrigations for several minutes, stretch out waterings to once a week but deeply.
We have not had any measurable rain in West Texas for over two months, necessitating external irrigations. Considering the amount of water to apply with each irrigation, there is an additional, confounding factor when applying water.
There is a huge consideration for any water that is being supplied by irrigating from an external source, whether from a garden hose or water that comes from a well, that consideration is the mineral content of the water. The mineral content of ground water is much higher than rain water. Minerals are dissolved in irrigation water, which under more favorable conditions (even a modicum of rainfall), these minerals do not pose a problem. But in these extraordinarily dry times mineral deposits begin to build up. The dissolved minerals travel through the soil with the irrigation water, and where the water stops, so do the minerals. Eventually a mineral buildup can be expected. Signs of mineral buildup are chalky white rings on containers or white precipitates on the soil.
Mineral deposits are essentially salt, which damages root systems. Roots that come in contact with the salty mineral deposits will desecrate and die. The only solution gardeners have in West Texas now is to water deeply, carrying the minerals safely out of the root system.
Ellen Peffley Harp, a retired professor of horticulture at Texas Tech University, writes about gardening for several Texas newspapers.
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