In milder climates, it’s best to suck the entire plant out of the ground in the fall. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice. Everything You Need To Know P Perennials Is Catmint A Perennial Everything You Need To Know In areas with long, cold winters, it is best to wait until the spring thaw to prune catmint because the dead growth can act as insulation against the cold. Jessica Damiano writes regular gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. Set a tuna fish can on the lawn during a cycle, then measure the water accumulation in the can.Ī rain gauge, which sort of looks like a test tube marked with measurements, will also inform on rainfall amounts. Most lawns need about 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week, including from rain, but you won’t know how much your system puts out unless you test it. Look for a timer with a rain sensor, or manually override its programming to avoid waste on rainy days. If you’re using an automatic sprinkler, set the timer for early in the morning, preferably just before dawn. Just don’t use any of these if your container includes succulents or other plants that require dry, well-draining soil. You can even tear open a (clean!) baby diaper and mix the absorbent hydrogels with your potting mix, or simply place an unfolded diaper at the bottom of a container (plastic side down, with holes poked in for drainage) to absorb and hold moisture. Soil moisture polymer granules such as SoilMoist can also be added to reduce watering needs by as much as 50%. When planting containers, look for a potting mix that includes vermiculite, a moisture-retaining mineral. Daffodils One of the natural and effective ways of deterring gophers is by having daffodils planted within your surroundings. Other plants include Rosemary, Salvia, Catmint, Oleander, Marigolds, and Euphorbias among several more. Wait until the soil warms up before mulching, and keep the material a few inches away from stems and trunks. These plants include Daffodils, Allium, Onion, Garlic, Gopher spurge, Crown imperials, and Lavender. When planting in the garden, incorporate a generous amount of compost into holes to increase the water-holding capacity of sandy soil and improve drainage in clay.Īpply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around trees, shrubs and plants to retain soil moisture, reduce surface evaporation and inhibit weeds. HOLD IN MOISTURE WITH MULCH, COMPOST, EVEN A DIAPER To find plants native to your area, plug your zip code into the online databases at T he National Wildlife Federation () and Audubon Society () websites. They’ll need regular watering during their first year or two, but once they’re established, they can typically get by on rainwater alone, except maybe during prolonged heat waves. Better yet, use native plants, most of which are drought-tolerant.
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