Drought tolerance

[Angus 1895]

How many years or rather how tall should an tree be before extreme drought doesn’t cause it’s mortality?

What is the definition of drought…..as in inches of rain per month?

Thanks

 

[SwampCat]

I had two 8 year old dunstan chestnuts that had been in the ground 8 years as of last year. Put on a decent crop. One significant rain week around first of sept 1 maybe two inches. Only rain from jun 12 until first week of oct. Killed one of them and one limb came out this year on the other. They were about 18 ft tall and 3.5” dbh. My rule now, if I cant run water to them - dont plant. I cant haul enough water. Was just normal summer temps too - 95 degrees to 100. Not a lot of above 100 like this year.

 

[Angus 1895]

It seems Summer is becoming my least favorite season.

So freaking hot.

 

[OakSeeds]

Whenever possible - and especially when I know the final location of a tree (which is almost always) - I direct seed the acorn/chestnut in order to ensure the development of a strong tap root that makes the tree more drought resistant. 2 things you can do if you are concerned about delivering water to the tree during dry periods in the first couple of years after planting. 1st, plant early (as soon as the frost is out of the ground and you can work the soil); I have planted many acorns/chestnuts in early March. It will be late spring/early summer before you see the tree emerge above ground; it's devoting all its growth efforts at establishing the taproot. Additionally, I place about 3-4 inches of straw over the newly planted nut to insulate and reduce rapid evaporation of surface rainfall ... you should get sufficient rainfall in early spring in normal years because of early planting. 2nd, you can employ the use of a water pipe for watering your tree ... especially later vin the summer when dry periods are more likely to occur. I believe the water pipe makes watering the tree more efficient/effective ... no evaporation at the ground level. A little extra effort that might save you a tree.

A pretty good read about drought and how it is measured.

Climate Change Indicators: Drought | US EPA

This indicator measures drought conditions of U.S. lands.

www.epa.gov

 

[TreeDaddy]

Every July 4 in east texas, two switches are "flipped"

Heat: ON
Rain:OFF

Seedling mortality 50-60% first year after planting without supplemental water

bill

 

[SwampCat]

Every July 4 in east texas, two switches are "flipped"

Heat: ON
Rain:OFF

Seedling mortality 50-60% first year after planting without supplemental water

bill

I lost all 12,000 loblolly pines planted in 2011 to drought. Stubborn me - I lost all 12,000 loblolly pines planted in 2012 to drought. I lost all 12,000 loblolly pines planted in 2013 to a flood in 2015. Third time was a charm - I learned my lesson. That ground is now persimmon, box elder, honey locust, and ash - and doing well I might add

 

[Angus 1895]

I lost all 12,000 loblolly pines planted in 2011 to drought. Stubborn me - I lost all 12,000 loblolly pines planted in 2012 to drought. I lost all 12,000 loblolly pines planted in 2013 to a flood in 2015. Third time was a charm - I learned my lesson. That ground is now persimmon, box elder, honey locust, and ash - and doing well I might add

I had no idea ash and box elder are drought tolerant.

 

[SwampCat]

I had no idea ash and box elder are drought tolerant.

At my place, green ash is right behind persimmon and honey locust with the ability to grow anywhere. Box elder is a very tolerant species on my place as far as drought and flooding - but it does have a preference for rich, bottomland soils. Ash seems to grow anywhere.

 

[SwampCat]

Every July 4 in east texas, two switches are "flipped"

Heat: ON
Rain:OFF

Seedling mortality 50-60% first year after planting without supplemental water

bill

Another thing I have figured out - always the hard way. In the south - dont plant sweet corn that doesnt get ripe until mid July. Plant a 68 day maturity instead of an 85 day maturity and take advantage of rain and not as hot temps early summer. Forget apple trees that dont get ripe until fall - the earlier in the summer the better. Apples dont make a great fruit crop with no rain between early July and October - especially combined with 100 degree temps. Conversely, pick fruit trees that have a later bloom date. With our milder winters, early blooming fruit trees are itching to bloom at the first hint of a few warm days end of Feb - they ARE going to get frostbit.

 

[Oklahunter]

This might sound like a silly question but i am a novice at this. When you water trees, do you water from trunk to drip line or just around drip line?

 

[FarmerDan]

How many years or rather how tall should an tree be before extreme drought doesn’t cause it’s mortality?

What is the definition of drought…..as in inches of rain per month?

Thanks

Funny thing. "Drought" means different things to different people. There are hydrologic droughts, socioeconomic droughts, metrological droughts and agriculture droughts. Seriously, there are a bunch of people in Lincoln, Nebraska sit around a table once a week and draw maps of areas suffering the droughts of different flavors.

To a working farmer a drought is 7-days without rain.

I'm never sure if I should go deep. That never stopped me. Once a plant starts growing its essential for the roots to have moisture, the more the better...because plant cell pressure necessary for growth is dependent on moisture provided by root absorption. Once the roots stop absorbing moisture the pressure declines and stops. Death soon occurs. Even a little moisture helps but if it's scarce there's not enough pressure to get water to the top of the plant. So, when you see die-back starting at the top - it's a drought.

Turgor pressure

 

[OakSeeds]

Swamp cat ... I admire your persistence; however, you clearly made the right choice
Oklahunter ... you might try midway between those two points .... depending on the quantity of water, it should flow toward both zones
Farmer Dan ... great explanation ... even if the plant doesn't die, the absence of sufficient water will force it into a form of dormancy slowing growth

 

[Angus 1895]

I got a water hog neighbor who also is the president of our irrigation association.

He puts an inch a day through his pivot on alfalfa…….removing water from the ditch , which he has his intake in the middle of said ditch ( violation of Idaho law). He declares it “ partial stream” ……his pivots run 24/7…..while us gravity people wait our turn. When it’s our turn we have to drive seven miles one way up the mountain to check the head screens. Him and his two other pivot buddies don’t have to.

reminds me of the sea lamprey

here is our second growth ( it was grazed instead of mowed) of alfalfa. Only two water applications and a nice rain.

The first stand pictured was so arid the native grass would not grow, so I planted a drought tolerant strain from the co op

The last two photos is volunteered

 

[Angus 1895]

In this photo you can see how much more drought tolerant alfalfa is over grass

 

[b116757]

I planted several hundred seedling oaks last spring using a dibble bar I did use a root dip. We got good spring rain then we experienced a summer drought into a dry winter then a spring drought then we had a wetter than normal July bringing us to now. Many of those native oaks planted last spring are still kicking I planted several different verities and a couple of them didn’t like my site or the drought and died. I completely agree that direct seeding acorns is your best hedge against drought conditions but native seedling trees with root dip will definitely put up a good fight. My fruit trees I supplemental water in dry times the oaks I do not I also had 50 persimmon that didn’t get watered that have done very well.