Use common sense rules for flowers in drought
By ROBERT N. BREWER JR.

Foxglove is one of the many old fashioned garden flowers Grandma loved.

Last year's drought may have you wondering if it was worth going to the garden center this spring. And forecasters say the drought isn't over. Before you put your trowel

away, though, remember that many of our grandmothers successfully grew flowers in droughts. They never gave up. They just used common sense.

Following simple rules, you can have a colorful garden without violating watering restrictions or spending precious free time holding a garden hose.

Plant Early For perennials, "early" means autumn. Perennials planted in April don't have time to grow sufficient roots. So you have to water more often. That strategy isn't wise, given the likelihood of watering bans.

Fall-planted perennials have all winter to build roots. They withstand drought better because they absorb water more efficiently. They will bloom and grow with half the care.

For annuals, "early" means as soon as the soil is warm enough for that species and frost chances are past. For most annuals, the best planting time is around April 1 in south Georgia and May 1 in the north Georgia mountains. Waiting until June delays root development, forcing you to water annuals more often.

Prepare the Soil: Mixed with most Georgia soils, organic matter does many good things. It allows more air spaces to form, letting water penetrate deeper. The roots will follow the water. It also makes the soil looser and lets roots grow through soil more easily. Deeper roots are cooler. Normally, add at least 2 inches of organic matter to a flower bed each spring.

Mulch heavily: Unmulched gardens let the sun beat down on the soil, and hot soils evaporate water fast. Wind, too, easily blows away water vapor near the soil surface. Here's a mulch recipe that works great. Place 4 inches of composted pine bark around newly planted annuals. That's great for capturing rainfall and cooling the soil, but bad for windsun-driven evaporation. Then place 2 inches of pine straw on top of the bark. This layer intercepts and reflects some of the heat. Most important, it reduces air flow over the bark.

Water sparingly: Once your mulch is in place, you won't need to water as often. It takes a steady, lengthy watering to saturate the soil. If you've prepared the soil and mulched properly, you won't need to water more than once a week. But when you do water, water thoroughly.

Finally, use plants that can take the heat. If you do all these things with native and other drought-resistant plants, you'll be well prepared for the worst the Georgia summer can hand you.