Dealing With Droughts: Who Will Be The Ultimate Garden Survivor?

Hey, droughts happen. Don't lament losses. Instead, smart gardeners celebrate small victories.

The lush pastel palettes that splashed across our spring gardens just a few months ago have segued into a mass of straw-colored lawns and limp plants that look like they're ready to be thrown into the garbage heap. After the first few weeks of trying to maintain the greenness within the drought restrictions of our communities, we realize we already have lost the battle. All we can do is resolutely limit ourselves to using drip hoses or some variation to salvage the most valuable of our trees, bushes and perennials.

Much of the country is in the midst of a major drought, and gardeners in the East, where I live, have dealt with these conditions for five of the last six summers. Most of us have been forced to come to grips with this water-challenged situation by now. For some gardeners, this fluke or pattern of nature takes on an air of grave importance.

But among the gardeners I know, a different sensibility prevails. It's an attitude of expectancy, mixed with curiosity and even optimism. You see, for gardeners who have worked their own piece of land year after year and experienced the awesome power of nature several times before, this summer's parched landscape is no surprise. These people have a sense of equanimity from having come head to head with the beauty and stillness of nature. They no longer perceive themselves as having lost the fight if parts of their gardens succumb to the lack of water. They don't complain about what is dying or how terrible things look. To the contrary, these folks engage in gleeful conversations about the specimens that have heartily survived the drought or the latest efficient watering device they have rigged up. They are too occupied taking note of the edgy beauty of one of their thriving succulents nestled up against the dried-up seedpod of a perennial that normally would be in full bloom to spend any time on the "what ifs" of this summer of 2002.

This family of gardeners shares a single piece of knowledge: that they are not in charge. In a world that values mastery and efficiency, they have learned an invaluable lesson. They know they can work hard, do everything technically correct and even possess the flair of an artist in their gardens -- but when it comes to the big strokes, the outcome of the garden is not in their hands, but in the hands of nature or God.

These gardeners have made their peace with the Darwinian theory of survival and understand that we humans are just a cog in the wheel. Any façade of self-importance has been exiled from their souls. They don't talk about the existential philosophy of it all. They are too busy living and gardening. When the full bloom of spring envelops their senses, they breathe in each intoxicating moment. In the dog days of summer they talk about what is happening now, this moment, in their garden. They possess a sense of lightheartedness, persistence and curiosity. These are folks who work the land because they have to; it gives them pleasure, peace of mind and meaning in their lives. It is precisely because they know that the ultimate outcome of each season's garden is beyond their control that they have the ability to immerse themselves in the act of gardening, relishing it for what it is: a place to learn important lessons about life.

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5 plants that scoff at drought

These drought-resistant perennials can be planted in midsummer. Water consistently for up to two weeks until the plant adjusts to its new home. Note: Zone numbers refer to the USDA's map of gardening climates. International Falls, Minn., for instance, is in cold Zone 3; Honolulu is in tropical Zone 11. (See map at www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone.)

Achillea specimens(yarrow) have gray or green fern-like leaves with daisy-like flowerheads, grouped together, that bloom through the summer and fall. Comesi n white, red, yellow, orange and pink. Depending on the species (thereare more than 85), they can be grown anywhere from Zone 3 to Zone 9. Check the species to make sure it thrives in your zone. Prefers full sun in an open space but will survive in a variety of conditions.

Coreopsis specimens(tickseed) are from the Asteraceae family. They have daisy-like yellowor pink flower heads that grow on long stalks and attract bees. Long blooming period; great for cut flowers. A rapid spreader. Check species and your zone to make sure it thrives in your climate. Some do well from Zone 3 to Zone 9. Grow in full sun or partial shade. Deadhead for continuous bloom.

Hemerocallis (day lily) is one of the great workhorses of the garden. Flowers come in a variety of forms, and colors include white, orange, yellow, burgundy and pink. After blooming, cut the stems of the dead flower heads back to the base of the plant for repeat blooms. Rapid spreaders, they look most impressive planted in large quantities. They do well in sun but will be just fine in partial shade. Hardy from Zone 3 to Zone 10.

Lavandula(lavender) is a group of aromatic shrubs and perennials whose fragrant flowers appeal to bees because of their high level of nectar. Does well in moderately fertile soil in full sun. Grows abundantly in Mediterranean climates. Great for hillside plantings, border plantings and as part of a perennial border. Leaves and flower heads can be used as dried flowers, sachets and potpourri. Depending on the species, can be grown from Zone 5 to Zone 9.

Sedum species(stonecrop) include more than 400 annuals and perennials that usually are succulent. Grow in fertile, well-drained soil, neutral to a bit alkaline, in full sun. Even when the flower is not in bloom, in spring and early summer, the leaves and shape (fairly low-growing mound) of the sedum add an unusual color and texture to the mixed border or rock garden. Will continue to bloom throughout the fall. Beautiful in the autumn garden when combined with salvias, asters and fall-blooming perennial grasses. Depending on the species, it can thrive from Zone 5to Zone 9.

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Garden Jobs for June from Old Farmers Almanac

Any bedding plants you find for sale can safely be planted outdoors in beds, boxes, or containers.

The pros recommend treating tulips as annuals with the exception of species tulips. Painful as it may be, yank those tulips up, compost them, and plan to plant the bed anew in the fall.

If you long for a hanging basket filled with blossoms, compare prices on different-size plants. It may be more economical to buy several small plants and combine them yourself rather than pay for one large plant. Starting this month, keep hanging plants such as fuchsias well watered and out of direct sun, or their leaves will burn.

Plants that bloom now include balloon flower; Canterbury bells; clematis; coreopsis; delphiniums; English, painted, and Shasta daisies; foxgloves; Oriental poppies; and sweet William.

If you're growing June-bearing strawberries, pinch off all the flowers that bloom the first spring after planting. If not allowed to bear fruit, they will spend their food reserves on developing healthy roots.

Encourage young fruit trees to develop strong limbs and a wider crotch angle by weighing down the branches with clothespins.

Thin fruit trees by leaving 1 fruit approximately every 6 to 12 inches along the branches or 1 fruit per cluster. The higher the leaf-to-fruit ratio, the sweeter the fruit. A standard apple tree should have about 40 leaves for each fruit. Dwarf apples, which usually produce a ration of 1 fruit to about 25 leaves, will yield better-quality fruit when thinned.

Stop cutting asparagus when the yield decreases and the spears diminish in size. Top-dress the bed with compost or well-rotted manure.

Stake tomatoes or build cages around them.

Plant beets and carrots for a late-fall crop.

As the days grow warmer, yank up lettuce that begins to bolt and toss it on your compost pile. Plant another crop of beans in its place.

Thin crowded plantings of lettuce, carrots, beets, and herbs. Give them a good watering when the job is finished to help the roots of remaining plants recover from any damage your pulling may have inflicted.

Religiously patrol your basil plantings and remove all the clusters of flower buds that form at the stem ends the minute you see them forming. This will encourage nice bushy plants and a continuing supply of leaves.

Place beer-filled plastic tubs or saucers in the garden, set level with the soil, to lure slugs to a drunken death. (Studies show they prefer imported beer.) Or place a few old boards in the garden and turn them over every morning to find slugs as they sleep. Dispose of them by dropping them into soapy water or crushing them with a brick.

Mulch around trees to create a safe zone where your mower won't go. Nicking a tree trunk can seriously damage even a well-established tree.

Mow your lawn according to the needs of the grass, not the calendar -- for example, every Saturday. Grasses thicken and provide better cover when regularly clipped at the proper height. Adjust your lawn mower blades to cut the grass at 2 or 3 inches rather than at 1 1/2 inches.

Prune rhododendrons after they flower. On young and old plants, snap off spent flower stalks by bending them over until they break away from their stems. Be careful not to damage growth buds at the base of each flower stalk.

Don't trim iris leaves into scallops or fan shapes after the flowers fade. Leaves carry on photosynthesis and develop nourishment for next year's growth. Cut off brown tips and remove the flowering stalk down to the rhizome. If you're dividing irises, cut the leaves back by about half just before you move them.

If you're growing plants outdoors in containers, don't use a soilless potting mix. Be sure it contains at least half soil. Or make your own blend for window boxes and patio containers by mixing one part compost, one part garden soil, and one part builder's sand.

When shopping at a nursery, don't buy a tree or shrub with a damaged root ball. Inspect it carefully to make sure it is uniform, not crushed, and a good size. For every inch of the trunk, the ball should be seven to eight inches in diameter.

Unless you're working your way through knee-high grass, don't remove those grass clippings from the lawn. Leave them where they fall to filter down to the soil, decompose, and recycle nutrients into the roots.

Check out the Almanac, there's so much to learn! http://www.almanac.com/