After the recent rains, what now?
 

The rain gauge at my house got 2½ inches.  Other estimates/measurements run from 2 inches to almost 4 inches.  After the rain stopped, I noticed the next day that there wasn’t much visible difference in the river I crossed.  Reservoir managers can measure the difference, but that amount seems to vary little from the measured rainfall – inches.  The soil was thirsty; apparently there was very little runoff.

So the rain did little to resupply reservoirs.  The drought is not over; we’re still in the extreme category.  The rain has benefited soil moisture at least near the surface.  And that gives us a break from worrying about plants.  They have enough for now.  That’s also a good cue for us to stop most supplemental watering.

With temperatures cooling and with the approach of the autumn equinox, trees, shrubs, and most herbaceous perennial plants will begin to go dormant.  We can interfere with their natural “instincts” by pruning, by applying fertilizer, or by continuing to water.  That would be against the best interests of the plants (not to mention an unwise use of water).  So you can stop worrying about most plants.  If you have recent plantings or if you have reseeded or intend to reseed a lawn, you may need to water in those cases.

I’ve had several calls already this week about reseeding lawns.  I don’t have a good answer.  I saw a farmer slit-seeding a pasture Friday afternoon ahead of the rain.  (Slit-seeders open a shallow furrow, insert seed, and then recover lightly.)  He stands a decent chance of getting germination and a stand of grass.  But there are so many variables of soil type, vegetative cover, and rainfall amounts that any general recommendations should be tempered with some personal doubt.  What I can say about a fescue lawn include high use of water (compared to other grasses), lack of drought tolerance, and September is optimal planting time assuming available water.  I can’t promise water.

Another thing I thought about before the trees even quit dripping was mosquitoes.  All mosquitoes need water for the larvae to develop.  By this weekend you should be checking for places where standing water accumulates – children’s toys; tarps over furniture, boats, or firewood; dishes under plants; stopped up storm gutters; or any other place that water might stand.  Even piles of leaves may hold small pools of water sufficient for eggs to hatch.  Soon after mosquito eggs hatch, you can observe the larval “wrigglers” in the water.  They will soon emerge as adults with females looking for a blood meal.

If you’re collecting and holding water for irrigation (see the comments above about reducing water use for the sake of the plants), then screening to keep mosquitoes out is a good idea.  If they are already there, you may want to consider one of the organic larvicides (such as Mosquito Dunks) to kill them off.  You may also try a drop or two of mineral oil on top of the water.

At any rate, for Integrated Pest Management of mosquitoes, eliminating standing water is the next best thing to window screens.

alcooke