On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:11:08 -0400, Sterling wrote:
On drought: I understand about it first hand. When you get that dry, it
is hard to get the water to go into the ground. One thing I learned to
do, which helped the plants as well as the trees, was to take a long
screwdriver and pound it into the ground with a hammer. Shake it back
and forth and do it again and again. What water you do apply will go
into the holes instead of just sliding off.

That's the hard way. You can also spray a mild surfactant, let it
soak in a bit, water lightly, let that soak in a bit, and then water
more deeply.

You are right in that the trees have to come first

Drought stress can be very tough on trees and shrubs, and often sets them up
for significant insect or fungal problems. Sometimes the signs of drought
stress don't show up for a year or two. Here are some pretty good
recommendations: http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopE...ees/caring.htm
http://www.invillapark.com/vpnwtr.htm

Consider 2-3" of mulch under the trees; it'll help prevent water loss
as you water and kill the grass under the trees (a big source of water loss).
Tree trimming companies are often willing to give you a whole truckload of
mulch for free. I prefer to watch for crews clearing power lines or
widening roads before asking... better chance of healthy material. Or
lay out big sheets of corrugated cardboard or thickish layer of newspapers
to kill the grass -- you can water underneath utility mulches like these
pretty easily.

As for the ferns, I'd let the tops die back but give the roots a good soak
once a month during the drought, if possible. Ostrich ferns -- these guys:
http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/...ucciastru.html -- are
pretty tough, but they are native to moist soils.

Kay