More drought and more downpours ahead: Here’s how gardeners can meet the challenge

Weather is probably discussed more than any other topic. Do you think it will rain? Will it be hot and dry?

I am often asked to predict the forecast for upcoming seasons. My response is usually something along the lines of, “If I could predict the weather, do you think I would be doing this job?” If I had the ability to predict weather, I picture myself in a much higher income bracket.

I have been able to gather some thoughts about our weather patterns and evolving climate. These are my takeaways. You may not like the recent hot and dry July, but you had better get used to it.

Climatologists indicate our Kansas City weather patterns will continue to trend warmer, both in the summer and winter. The higher temperatures will be coupled with more uneven distribution of rainfall. Average precipitation will remain about the same. What does that mean for us as gardeners? It is not good news.

Warmer temperatures and more periods of drought will place additional stresses on our plants. We often refer to plants as heat and drought tolerant. But these factors do not always go hand in hand. A plant’s ability to withstand higher temperatures does not automatically mean it is drought tolerant. Drought tolerance does not mean it will take hot conditions. They are two independent factors that influence each other.

Expect more of the July heatwaves in the future. That does not mean cooler conditions come to an end, but those will happen less frequently.

The prediction that rainfall will remain steady is not necessarily good news. Increased temperatures result in more evaporation and increased water usage by plants. This means to remain constant, average rainfall would need to increase to meet the demand. This means we will not have enough rainfall to keep up with the rising temperatures and basic plant needs.

The other issue with rainfall is distribution and quantity. Expect more periods of prolonged moisture followed by more frequent and longer periods of drought. This means more episodes of heavy rainfall, which do not provide as much benefit as more repeated, consistent rainfall of an inch or so. Another way to look at this is a 3-to-4-inch rain benefits the soil about as much as a one-inch rainfall.

The future holds more of the feast or famine rainfalls. Periods of heavy rain waterlog our soils and cause root decline. This will be followed by longer periods of little or no rainfall, leading to more drought conditions.

These two extremes make it hard for many plants to cope. We saw evidence of this just recently. The cool and rainy May and early June quickly switched to hot and dry. Plants wilted, and some died from the added stress.

What is a gardener to do? Select more adaptable plants, and it becomes increasingly critical to practice right plant right place. To reduce additional stress factors from taking their toll, use recommended gardening practices. Lastly, roll with the punches because no one can predict what each growing season will bring. Maybe expect the worst and hope for the best. Gardeners tend to be optimists no matter what we plant. Regardless of the weather, we are investing in the future.

Dennis Patton is a horticulture agent with Kansas State University Research and Extension. Have a question for him or other university extension experts? Email them to garden.help@jocogov.org.