THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512150091
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
FORTUNATELY, MOST of the area has had good fall rains, but, ``We're still behind,'' reports the National Weather Service. Normal rainfall for the year through Dec. 11 is 42.61 inches, and we've had only 34.94 inches so far this year.
It seemed like we got a lot of rain in November, but it wasn't enough to move us up to ``normal.''
It's important that plants, especially newly planted ones, go into winter with plenty of moisture. If it hasn't rained for a week and strong cold winds are forecast, you'd be smart to water your plants thoroughly. This past week has been one of cold temperatures and even colder winds. That's hard on plants.
Assistant Horticulture Professor Roger Harris at Virginia Tech says: ``It is imperative to keep newly planted plants from drying out. Research has shown that only one severe dry spell will damage the root system to the point that movement of water from the roots to the shoots is restricted. This can result in leaf scorch, stem die back, reduction in leaf size and overall growth reduction.''
Most plants in nurseries today are container-grown, which makes them especially prone to desiccation, Harris says. Desiccation is a drying out process or loss of moisture from the leaves and stems that is harmful to a plant.
Newly planted trees or shrubs also can be hurt by heat radiated from driveways and sidewalks, causing further drying-out and root damage.
After putting a plant in the ground, frequent irrigation is required, giving roots time to penetrate into the surrounding soil. Because the material around container-grown plant roots is a porous potting mix, water drains out faster, so more watering is required than many homeowners realize.
Harris recommends the following for newly planted trees and shrubs:
Check for dryness daily.
Keep plants in the shade and out of the wind until they're put into the ground.
Mulch them to retain moisture.
Check soil and water frequently and deeply until plants become established.
Most universities recommend that you use no fertilizer when putting a container-grown plant in the ground. Begin to fertilize the second year of growth and annually thereafter. Many also recommend spraying plant leaves with Wilt-Pruf or Cloud Cover, which are anti-desiccants, more commonly known today as ``anti-transpirants.'' They help the plant hold moisture in its leaves and stems. by CNB