SAN ANGELO, Texas - Some action now can improve plant performance during dry times and following cold winters. Plant growth has slowed now, but roots continue to be active until frost.
One area of landscape maintenance that is talked about often but taken lightly by many is mulching. The addition of 2 to 4 inches of mulch around shrub beds is a no-brainer when it comes to water conservation and plant performance. But what about the use of mulch and its relation to soils around foundations? If restrictions allow watering foundations to prevent soils from shrinking and jeopardizing structural integrity, then landscape beds that are mulched properly are more efficient at using water than unplanted bare soil.
Now is a good time to freshen mulch in beds and borders. No bare ground should be visible. Evaporation is nearly eliminated by using organic mulches correctly. Soil moisture then spreads evenly through the root zone of properly mulched areas. Microorganisms are allowed to proliferate and improve aeration of the soil, and therefore water and root movement improves.
Questions are asked about rock mulches and their efficiency in maintaining soil moisture. They are an improvement over bare ground, most definitely. Some science indicates soil surface beneath rock and gravel can transfer heat more readily than organic mulch. Therefore the immediate soil surface beneath the rock, especially if large and porous, may have greater evaporation of moisture than beneath well matted organic mulch such as bark. This would be especially true if the rock mulch is exposed to full sun.
Monthly watering of foundations through spring should be sufficient to prevent structural damage. A 1- to 2-inch application in a 3- to 6-foot barrier around the home should be adequate. Maintaining even distribution of soil moisture around buildings is a major reason we still recommend foundation plantings in landscape design in soils that shrink and swell when wet or dry.
Under normal rainfall conditions in our area, it is seldom necessary to water building foundations for the specific purpose of protecting the integrity of the slab or foundation. You ask, "What's normal?" How about a little every month?
Now is a good time to fertilize trees. Water must be available to water the fertilizer immediately after application. Placement of the fertilizer in a band near the edge of the tree canopy is recommended. Complete fall fertilizing of trees by the end of October. Holes need not be drilled into the soil for fertilizer to be effective.
Also, prepare container plants for the big move. Those that will spend winter indoors or in protected areas when frost threatens should be given fertilizer and pruned for a more manageable size now. Check for ants and other critters living in container plants and treat well before the move.
Look around your landscape and see what changes you can make in your outdoor water use. Voluntary water conservation is a major solution to our water challenges.
John Begnaud is a retired Tom Green County Extension agent for horticulture. Contact him at email@example.com.
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