Q&A Master Gardeners with the

With our crazy spring weather, with several frosts, a drought followed by massive rainfall, should I worry about my garden?

Does anyone remember a “normal” weather year? Not in recent history, it seems, but this year is a doozy! Looking back at the temperature swings we’ve had this year, January through April each had close to or more than half the month with highs at least 10 degrees above the average range. May went the other way, with half thenightsreachingtemperatures at least 10 degrees below average and, in W. Bloomfield where I live, three solid frosts that month. June’s temperatures seem to hover close to average,which is a bit of a relief. Looking at precipitation, again it has been all over the map. Generally speaking, though, we had very little snoworrainJanuarythroughthefirst week of June. Between Friday, 6/9 and Wednesday 6/14, we received over two inches of rain! Crazy, right?

As I told our Farm Manager, Mike Kincaid, we can always count on a gully-washer right as the peonies start to flower, but this has been an exceptional amount of rain in just a few days.

So,howdoesallof thesetemperature and precipitation swings affect our plants? For established plants you should not need to worry. They have reserves of food to help them through stressful times. If we go back to very dry conditions, which we most likely will over the next couple of months, you may want to supplement watering plants with higher water needs, such as hydrangeas. With newly planted material, of course, you will want to be sure to add water as needed. We like to see the plants get about an inch of water per week – a small investment in a rain gauge is money well spent to help you know how much water your plants have gotten. And remember, when we do get a gully-washer, most of that rain runs off before it can percolate into the soil. Sometimes the best measure of moisture is to stick your finger in the soil and judge by feel.

-Andrea Lista, CCE Monroe County