freshare.net
By Trisha Gedon, Oklahoma State University
07-13-2010It is no secret that Oklahoma has had its fair share of turbulent weather over the past few weeks. Record rainfalls have left many Oklahoma communities with more than enough water.
Generally it seems Oklahoma experiences more dry weather than wet, said David Hillock, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension consumer horticulture specialist.
“During some growing seasons, gardening enthusiasts struggle to keep their gardens moist enough for vegetables, flowers and plants to grow,” Hillock said. “However, the last couple of years the spring and summer seasons have seen more rain than normal. While the rain is very beneficial, it would be helpful if it was spread out over more time. Heavy rains like we have experienced lately often leave gardeners dealing with waterlogged soils and suffering or dead plants.”
Two things can occur when soils become saturated – the roots of the plant shut down or they rot. Both scenarios result in wilted or dead leaves and sometimes plant death.
“As hard as it is to believe, the symptoms of waterlogged soils are much the same as under watering or drought conditions because the roots can’t function properly or they’re damaged enough they can’t supply water to the plant,” he said.
Hillock also noted that these symptoms may be visible now or they may not show up until the rain has stopped and the weather is hot and dry.
Some signs to watch for include downward bending of leaf petioles, stem swelling, red or purple pigmentation in leaves, browning of leaf margins, twig or stem dieback, wilted leaves, leaf drop, root rot, yellowing interior leaves, and death of the entire plant.
“Some plants may suffer from leaf scorch, which is short-term water deficiency in leaves,” he said. “This is caused by dry or overly wet soils, compacted soils, limited root spread, root injury, structural damage to xylem tissues, trunk and branch injury, excessive wind and heat and excessive canopy growth. One sign of leaf scorch includes marginal burning, often from the top down.”
Unfortunately, in the case of waterlogged soils, there may not be much that gardeners can do but wait and hope the plants have some tolerance. In some cases it may be necessary to install or construct a draining system. A temporary system may consist of only a narrow trench leading to a lower part of the property. If drainage is a constant problem, a more permanent system such as a French drain or other subsurface drainage system may need to be installed.
“One thing Oklahoma gardeners can count on is inconsistency in the state’s weather,” Hillock said.