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The column after the storm....

It's amazing how in one month's time we can be begging for rain and then end up terrified of it.

I hope everyone has survived. I guess it helps to know we are not alone.  I imagine there are many of us who are sleeping well at night after the physically and emotionally draining labor involved in clean up all day. There is just so much involved - drowned plants, major pruning of mature plants, and erosion. Where to begin?

I live on a hill so there really isn't much in the way of standing water on my property. Though Mother Nature did some pruning for me, thankfully nothing too big - annuals got crushed, not children or cars. I am leery of what didn't come down - the trees that became stressed from the drought but haven't lost branches yet. Death of a limb on a mature plant takes time. Plants put all their energy into trying to repair injured parts. If possible, cutting the branch back to green wood is beneficial rather than lopping the whole thing off. However, if a branch is terribly stressed it is best to get rid of it so that nutrients will continue feeding the surviving healthy branches. The stressed branches may have hung in there through Floyd, but I doubt they will make it through a winter with any heavy, wet snow or ice. So, what Floyd didn't prune, I guess we had better.

 Erosion is an ongoing challenge. Groundcovers certainly help, but some deep rooted shrubs and trees need to be intermingled as well. When planting, the top priority has to be getting your plants established. Roots are not going to hang onto rocks or sand. A rich, evenly moist, organic soil is what they want. It takes time and a bit of pampering but ultimately you will have the beautiful look you wanted. With this washing away of small plants (not to mention a few large ones), I keep picturing somewhere along Long Island Sound a beautiful landscape has formed from everyone's gardens being deposited there. 

So, in my own yard, I'm looking for exposed roots of perennials and shrubs that need to be covered and bulbs that need to be replanted a little deeper. Where there may be some areas that tend to collect water, I incorporate sand, vermiculite, and/or perilite to help drainage. 

I am grateful that I had not gotten around to seeding my lawn yet. Fall is probably the best time for this especially, after the dry summer. If you have seeded already and the area is not drying up, I recommend adding a little more soil on top to help soak up the moisture. However, if the ground is hard packed, it needs to be aerated thoroughly or the seeds will never be able to push out roots. Always, cover the seed lightly with straw or hay.

I hope everyone and their plants stay healthy and strong.

9/19/99