Recent dry spell took a toll on some of the plants this summer

I checked the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Station near South Charleston, and before this week, the last significant (over an inch) rainfall was on July 25. In the previous 30 days, the site indicated 0.77 inches of rain since August 1. It’s DRY.

Farmers were starting to take off beans, and the dust was horrific. No one had been mowing lawns unless they are using a weed eater to cut down the weeds! Weeds are thriving, as usual.

Though parts of the Miami Valley were either abnormally dry or in a moderate drought, it’s still not as bad as it was last year. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor in 2024, much of the Miami Valley was in an extreme drought.

This is a long introduction to the fact that when it’s dry, you should consider watering some of your landscape plants, including turf.

I do, however, water my newly established trees and shrubs, new or recently planted perennials and maybe the lawn. If lawns go more than three weeks without water, the turfgrass crowns may die. I water an inch to saturate the crowns.

Also, keep in mind that the drought last year, combined with the recent dry spell, took its toll on the plants mentioned. Perennials, trees and shrubs may have died completely or have dead branches. Lawns start to decline after a double whammy drought.

We have had multiple cases of people losing arborvitaes. Most of these cases are due to drought and poor planting practices (i.e., planting too deep). The other cause of death in arborvitaes is the complete stripping of the foliage due to bagworm.

Two weekends ago, I watered one of my perennial gardens (which I never do, until now). I kept the hose on for about two hours, and the plants received an inch and a quarter of water. Perfect. I most likely won’t water them again this year, unless the drought reignites.