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Plants already stressed by drought conditions

Stressed lawns, gardens, trees

Kim Fundingsland/MDN Water is necessary to relieve stress on lawns, shrubs, and even trees in the Minot area. Plants are showing signs of stress caused by an extended period of very dry weather that has produced extreme drought conditions in the region.

Extreme drought conditions throughout the Minot area and much of the state are having an adverse impact on lawns, gardens, trees, and shrubs. Many lawns in Minot that are usually green throughout the summer are uncharacteristally dominated by brown more common in mid-August heat.

“It’s a different year. That’s for sure. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Phil Lowe, Lowe’s Garden Center of Minot. “We’ve had dry spells but not like this. I’ve been at this for a long time and this is the driest year.”

Precipitation for the year recorded at the North Central Research and Extension Centersouth of Minot as of Wednesday morning was four inches, less than half of normal. For the month thus far the rainfall total, including 0.80 inch on June 12, is 0.93 inches at the same location. Minot’s average for June, the city’s wettest month, is 3.58 inches.

“Water what you can afford to water,” advised Lowe. “That inch of rain didn’t go very far.”

While lawns are showing stress, signs of stress are becoming evident to garden plants, shrubs and trees.

“I would say we are starting to see some spruce really stressed right now because of the drought,” said Jeff Smette, Towner State Nursery manager. “There was some winter issues too with brutal cold and dry soil going into winter.”

Trees with a root system close to the surface are more likely to show signs of stress than trees with tap roots that reach much deeper into the ground, such as pine, juniper, and cedar.

“Evergreens in particular,” said Lowe. “But they all need a drink of water. If we go through the summer hot and dry we’ll lose a lot of trees next year.”

Planting new trees during a dry period takes a little more care than usual. Lowe recommends watering them at least every other day until the root ball has a chance to spread out, which may take two weeks or more.

Fruit trees, tomatoes, and the like also need extra care during extremely dry conditions. And, advises Lowe, water shouldn’t necessarily be applied just to the base of a tree.

“Older trees should be watered a little further out from the base, the drip line,” explained Lowe. “Apple trees, any type of crop, are going to require water to be maintained.”

Compounding the stress on trees and shrubs is the fact that they were coming off one of the most difficult winters for survival. Dry conditions going into fall, followed by a mild winter of little or no snow cover, characterized by a freeze-thaw cycle, and then sub-zero temperatures was particularly harmful to plants.

“It was a mild winter for most of us, but not for plants,” remarked Lowe. “A lot of shrubs that had lived for years died in the winter.”

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