ATLANTA -- Tuesday marks nearly three weeks without any significant rainfall around Metro Atlanta. Not only has the weather been very dry, but also quite warm. High temperatures for much of May have been typically in the upper 80's and low 90's, about 10 degrees above average, and all this hot, dry weather is starting to take a toll on our lawns and gardens.
But despite the adversity that Mother Nature dishes out, there are some things a homeowner can do to help plants withstand the dry spells and ease the stress.
One of the best lines of defense is mulching. A deep layer of mulch around plants can reduce evaporation and increase the humidity around the plant. University of Georgia horticulturists say that a 3 to 4 inch layer of mulch can cut water needs in half.
Some of the best mulch is organic material like pine straw and pine bark nuggets. Black plastic mulch is also available, but it makes the soil temperatures drastically hotter. So if you decide to use that material, you really need to cover it with some other mulches as well.
Additionally don't fertilize during these bouts of dry weather. Fertilizers are chemically salts, and as a result, they can dehydrate the roots of plants. Also the fetilizer will encourage new plant growth, which requires more water usage, and so fertilizing should be postponed until there is adequate moisture available.
Lastly, as far as lawns are concerned a steady, thorough watering once a week is recommended as opposed to daily watering. According to UGA's College of Agricultural Sciences, applying 2 inches of water per square foot will saturate the soil and keep prepared soils moist for at least 7 to 10 days, which in turn, helps to promote deeper and stronger root development.
Georgia's arid conditions are indeed putting extra stress on lawns and gardens. To date, Atlanta is officially running a 1.6" rainfall deficit, and now much of the metro area is either reporting Abnormally Dry conditions or else a Level 1 Drought according to NOAA's Drought Monitor Index.
Still the most parched conditions across the state are occurring over the southeast and southwest corners of Georgia where an Extreme Drought is reported.
Luckily beneficial rains may return to the state later in the week. On Thursday and Friday, a storm system will move out of the Plains and drop into the Southeast and give Georgians our first bona fide chance of rain in weeks.