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Yes, we have all gotten some much needed rain over the past 10 days or so…but it is not enough, not even close.  And again the hot temperatures in the 90’s continue.  This newsletter is a follow up to the initial “Severe Drought” article I wrote a couple of weeks ago.  You can find that article posted on our website.

 I will do my best to answer many questions that I Have fielded recently and provide you with information as to what you can expect to see going forward.

 5 common questions and observations concerning the drought:

1.       Q: I have a sprinkler system, isn’t that enough?  A:  NO.  First, there is likely a water ban/restriction in your area so the use of a sprinkler system may not even be allowed.  Additionally, a sprinkler system is only applying a small amount of water to a large area…in some instances this includes pavement or unplanted bed space.  Further—a sprinkler is wetting leafy materials where the water either will evaporate readily and/or cause disease issues.  Sprinkler watering is particularly wasteful during a time such as this.  Manually water—use a hose.  Not necessary to actually hold the hose and spend countless hours applying water, but rather remove any hose end attachment and turn the water to a slow-medium rate and set the hose near the base of the plants needing water and...

This morning the headlines in the morning news were that the drought in SE Wisconsin has been upgraded to “severe”.  What this means is that crop damage has occurred or is highly likely, there may be water shortages, and water restrictions are in place in many communities.  Well, the farm fields are not the only thing affected…as we well know, the lush green of spring in our individual landscapes has long since passed.  Coupled with no rain are the effects of sweltering high temperatures.  What to do….and what not to do….

I keep dancing, praying, and hoping for rain!  The cooler temperatures this week are a blessing, unfortunately the severe heat of the last two weeks has caused some damage to many landscape plants.  The damage that I have seen is mostly a ‘sun burn’ of top leaves on shrubs and trees, and where there has been no watering I am seeing shrubs now turn ‘crispy’.  Are they dead?  I’m not sure yet.  Stressed for sure…and time will tell if they can or will rebound.

Sincerely, I hope that we do not see widespread loss of ornamental plantings.  And I am generally not an alarmist…but the last time I recall a drought like this was in 1988 and the last brutal heat I recall like this was in 1995….never do I remember the heat and drought happening together.  I have driven and observed landscapes from Delafield to Whitefish...