by Bao Anh Tran, Communications Intern
I hate to admit that I might be the only student employee at the North Carolina Botanical Garden with a black thumb. However, in my two-year tenure at the Garden, I’ve learned to appreciate plants, especially natives, on a different level. I strictly stay on trails so I don’t trample the native plants to the sides, can identify some wildflowers, and proudly wear NCBG merch so everyone knows I do the two other things.
But it doesn’t take a plant genius to realize how dry this season has been. In fact, it has only rained once in the last five weeks in Chapel Hill. According to the National Drought Monitor, all of North Carolina is currently “abnormally dry” or in a state of moderate drought. As climate change continues, these periods of drought are projected to be longer and more severe.
What can doting plant parents do to protect their green babies? No one wants to see the beautiful landscape they’ve worked so hard on be destroyed by factors outside their control.
Fear not, as this concern has reached the acute ears of experienced plant owner and Habitat Gardens Curator Chris Liloia, who gave some amazing advice to follow.
- Rest easy about your perennials.
Shorter days and cooler temperatures signal to perennials that it’s time to go dormant. They stop growing and save water and nutrients, which helps them survive the cold – and droughts like this one! They should be okay without much supplemental water. By spring, they’ll be ready to put out new growth.
- Give young plants and plants in containers extra water.
Plants in pots generally need to be watered more than those in the ground because they have access to less soil they can draw water from. This is especially true during times of drought! Plants you’ve only recently put in the ground, which haven’t had time to establish strong root systems, will also need additional water. Similarly, if you have annuals like pansies or vegetables like lettuce, you may need to give them extra attention to make sure they make it through this challenging time.
- Leave the leaves, but make sure water can get through to your garden.
Decomposing leaves boost the ecosystem with organic matter, but a layer of leaves too thick may inadvertently block the rain’s ability to penetrate soil. To find the sweet spot between too much and none at all, follow the Xerces Society’s motto: Leave the leaves, or move them just a bit.
You can rake them around tree bases, to the edges of garden beds, or in any other areas. A thin layer of leaves is even healthy for grass, as it provides organic matter upon decay. Leaves do wonders for soil as they suppress weeds, retain moisture, and boost nutrition. They also help perennials keep warm during the cold winter months as well as insects that seek shelter in leaf litter.
Chris taught me that most butterflies and moths don’t migrate in the winter. Instead, they blend into the façade of dried leaves to protect themselves in the cold. These little critters may hide as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, or adult, so take care not to strip your garden clean of dried leaves, as you may accidentally lead these harmless creatures to their demise.
For some, an unkempt garden signals a disordered owner who decided to sacrifice their garden to the unknown wilderness. But vilifying such an important source of nutrients for the ecosystem and shelter for wildlife does more harm than good.