Summers in South Bend are not like those in most environs in the continental US. Where other locations see frequent high temperatures in the 80s, 90s or higher, our average high barely sticks its head above 70! June can be quite cool and sometimes downright cold. Our summer period lasts from mid-July through Mid-September AT MOST.
During this 2 month or less respite, we typically receive only 3 inches of rain. We receive over 95% of our annual 84 - 120 inches of precipitation in the other 10 months of the year.
This summer, however, has been atypical. In the past 6 weeks, we have received less than 1/3 of an inch of rain and there is no mention of rain in our present 7-day forecast. Long time locals tell me that exceedingly dry summer periods like this one only come around about once every 25 years.
With the above information as a backdrop, I want to share some information about the differing watering patterns of two homes on our block: ours and our next door neighbors. Over the past 4 weeks or so -- when they are home -- hardly a day goes by when Brenda or Todd is not out watering their flowers and shrubs in the evening.
Almost every evening they give their garden and hanging plants a good soaking. Once, when the family went out-of-town for 3 days, their plants started to stress out mightily. Upon arriving home, one of the first things Brenda did was to get out the hose to water those plants.
During this same period, I have watered our large garden twice. Both times it was a very superficial watering -- nothing got soaked. If truth be known, I probably could have easily skipped these two waterings spaced three weeks apart.
Here's the interesting part. Our flowering plants and shrubs look just as colorful and healthy as our neighbor's plants do.
The reason they have to water like crazy (I'm glad I don't have to pay their water bill!) and I don't is because their plants are non-natives. The plants on our property are acclimated to our climate. While this summer has been atypical, it is not abnormal. Native plants are more able to withstand drought conditions in southwest Washington because its part of their DNA.
And so, while our neighbors have spent far less time on the front end setting up their garden, they are forced to spend far more time on the back end keeping those plants properly hydrated. For me, the set-up is the exact opposite. I spend vastly more time prepping and planting, but, once each plant is established, there is little for me to do other than occasional weeding.
During this 2 month or less respite, we typically receive only 3 inches of rain. We receive over 95% of our annual 84 - 120 inches of precipitation in the other 10 months of the year.
This summer, however, has been atypical. In the past 6 weeks, we have received less than 1/3 of an inch of rain and there is no mention of rain in our present 7-day forecast. Long time locals tell me that exceedingly dry summer periods like this one only come around about once every 25 years.
With the above information as a backdrop, I want to share some information about the differing watering patterns of two homes on our block: ours and our next door neighbors. Over the past 4 weeks or so -- when they are home -- hardly a day goes by when Brenda or Todd is not out watering their flowers and shrubs in the evening.
Almost every evening they give their garden and hanging plants a good soaking. Once, when the family went out-of-town for 3 days, their plants started to stress out mightily. Upon arriving home, one of the first things Brenda did was to get out the hose to water those plants.
During this same period, I have watered our large garden twice. Both times it was a very superficial watering -- nothing got soaked. If truth be known, I probably could have easily skipped these two waterings spaced three weeks apart.
Here's the interesting part. Our flowering plants and shrubs look just as colorful and healthy as our neighbor's plants do.
The reason they have to water like crazy (I'm glad I don't have to pay their water bill!) and I don't is because their plants are non-natives. The plants on our property are acclimated to our climate. While this summer has been atypical, it is not abnormal. Native plants are more able to withstand drought conditions in southwest Washington because its part of their DNA.
And so, while our neighbors have spent far less time on the front end setting up their garden, they are forced to spend far more time on the back end keeping those plants properly hydrated. For me, the set-up is the exact opposite. I spend vastly more time prepping and planting, but, once each plant is established, there is little for me to do other than occasional weeding.
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