Facts about dry weather
I should have written this three weeks ago, but I did not realize we were going to have another dry summer.
We lose 0.2 of an inch of moisture to the atmosphere each day when the highs are in low to mid 80?s. That increases to 0.3 inch when the highs are in the low 90?s. This includes evaporation from the soil and transpiration from plants.
Afternoon thunderstorms that dump 0.1 inch in 15 minutes do not help much when your losing 0.2 to 0.3 daily. We can usually be very happy with an inch of rainfall per week, especially when it falls slow. An acre inch equals 27,000 gallons per acre.
We sure need rain. If you haven?t been irrigating, maybe you should; and I hope it?s not too late to start. Irrigation takes a lot of time.
Concentrate on the more valuable liners planted this year. Then items like dogwood and hemlock.
Feeding drip line by gravity from a large tank on a truck bed is too slow when acres are involved. Be sure to use a filter. Exercise care to keep dirt and trash from entering the pipe when making or breaking the connections. A small pump and a pressure regulator will help speed the process up. Perhaps a well can be dug.
Check the liquids in engines pumping water. It is not nice to run out of diesel or let the engine overheat.
Please don?t cultivate during dry periods to bring moisture up, because you will. Straight up into the air and loose it. A crust is beneficial to hold moisture in. Granddad was smart, but he was wrong on this one. Mow, don?t cultivate when there is no sign of rain.
Postemergent herbicides are not as effective on drought stressed weeds.
Preemergent herbicides must be activated by a half inch rain, irrigation or shallow 2-3 inch cultivation within a few days to save the entire amount of control.
Anyone watering containers needs to remember to water a little extra to make up for the lack of normal rainfall. And a little bit more because the plants are larger now. Don?t be afraid to look at the roots and check for moisture. Birch and willow may be the first to show symptoms of needing additional water.
NC State Univ. developed a Comfort Index years ago. Pesticides are more likely to burn when the temperature and humidity is added together and the numerical value equals or exceeds 140. Foliar burn heck, how about the applicator?s comfort?
Replace air filters and change oil on all machinery being used more often because of the dusty conditions.
What have I left out?