A stroll through my muggy Oklahoma garden quickly reveals which plants are truly drought tolerant and which ones will need to be pampered more next year.
I have an easy philosophy when it comes to gardening and selecting plants. Three strikes and you're out! With two young children, and more recently two new puppies, time management is a necessity.
I've accidentally figured out a fool proof way to find out which plants are drought tolerant in my area.....don't water them for a week. With all the madness at my house I suddenly realized it had been almost a week since my garden plot had been watered and I went out with my husband one evening to give the plants a drink, and survey the damages. What stood the test and what faded away?
Plants that survived the drought:
~Asparagus Fern – Even in a container!
~Rosemary – Both the upright and trailing forms look great.
~ Knock-Out Roses – All three of them are still blooming.
~ Almost my kitchen herb collection which includes two varieties of Lavender, Thyme, Dill, and perennial Sage.
Plants that need more water than I gave them:
~ Tomatoes – They had stopped producing a couple weeks ago and so were rather neglected. We'll till them under soon.
~Stevia – A sweet herb for my tea garden that I'll keep on the porch (and in eyesight) from now on.
~ My Lilac bush - The only large shrub I lost, it was a rescue plant I picked up for only $1.50 late last spring.
In areas with very hot or humid summers it is often better to plant new plants in the fall months to give them a chance to get well established before they have to weather the heat and abuse of a Texas/Oklahoma summer!
Guess it's time to break out my catalogs and start planning!
