Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Mostly cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.

Mostly cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Thunderstorms likely. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 81F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.

Mostly cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms developing late. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.

Thunderstorms likely. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 81F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.

As I’m writing this article Rutherford County is not technically in a drought, but it’s been awfully dry. Other counties in our state are suffering terrible and are in areas that are classified as a drought.

If we could get around one inch of water per week our gardens, landscapes, and row crops would flourish, but that is just isn’t the case this year. Middle Tennessee averages around 52 inches of rain per year, but this year we’re sitting at around 52 inches for the first seven months of the year.

It’s not uncommon for us to get six inches in a week though and then go two months with no rain.

Plants respond differently to drought, and some suffer greatly. I get asked the million-dollar question quite often “How often should I water my plants?” That is one of the hardest questions to answer because I just don’t know.

Most landscape plants would like to get an average of one inch of water per week, but keep in mind that all depends on the species, soil type, and the sun intensity of the area. Some trees when suffering will drop their leaves but will put on new leaves when we get a good rain. Conifers on the other hand, when they turn brown in certain spots, will never recover.

Vegetables can be more of a challenge because I see more issues of plants dying from over-watering than under-watering. If you soil is amended heavily with organic matter and can hold on to water well, then you may need to be watering only once a week. The plants will tell you when they need water, and it may be best to just walk around the garden once a day. Walking around the garden once a day can help eliminate any issues quickly before they become a huge issue.

Plants prefer to be watered from underneath as opposed to over the top. Soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems will help provide water where the plant needs it most. Avoid using an overhead irrigation as this can create a great environment for disease to swoop in and take over fast.

If you are having to water, try and do it in the morning so that it has time to dry. I drive by sprinkler systems running on lawns in the evenings and this is just creating fungal issues for the lawn. Try watering in the morning to allow that foliage to dry off before the evening.

Lucas Holman is the Horticulture UT-TSU Extension Agent for Wilson County. Contact him at (615) 444-9584 or Lholman1@utk.edu.

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