Thus far, the fall of 2017 is following in line with the two previous autumns in the rain department. We keep a daily log of weather here at Rolling Ridge and looking back, we find only one measurable rain event during the month of September and have to go all the way back to August 22nd, the day after the eclipse to find a decent soaking rain. We remember mentioning that it was a good thing that that particular storm didn't happen the day before, would have ruined all the hoopla. Like last fall, continuing dryness can have a lasting impact on especially newly planted trees and shrubs. Many new plantings were installed last fall and were generally well cared for at the outset. However, many people put away their hoses and shut down their watering systems come November and stopped watering despite the fact that it remained droughty into this past February. The problem is, with new plantings, they haven't established well enough yet to endure that long of a stretch without water and came out of winter either dead or badly damaged. Even though the calendar said December or January, we were still mild enough and without any precipitation, new plants dried up just as if it were July or August. So if this fall continues with this trend and you've planted new trees and/or shrubs, especially evergreens, you should be prepared to keep up with your watering throughout the winter if the temperatures generally stay moderate and precipitation, in the form of rain or snow continues to be lacking.Topic: Timely Tips
