Picking the Right Plant
As we enter our second fall and winter of drought conditions it’s become very apparent some of the plants that have been planted are not compatible with our weather conditions. While this year has been an exception and not the rule it is still important to use these as a benchmark when picking plants. This year has unfortunately been a litmus test for some plants and has truly highlighted the need to plant the right plant in the right place. This week I want to highlight some great resources on plants that do well in our portion of Kansas should you need to replace plants next year.
Kansas sits on a wonderful transition zone of weather conditions. We have the summer heat similar to Texas and areas further south while we have winter temperatures that are closer to Michigan and places that are quite a bit further north. Throw in our wonderful spring winds, ice storms, the occasional blizzard and you provide some of the worst growing conditions for plants in the United States. To survive here our plants really need to be tough and able to handle whatever nature throws at them.
Trees are a big part of the landscape from small shrubby trees all the way
up to giant towering oaks. If you visit a nursery or garden center you will see a wide variety of trees available and unfortunately there are several of them that will not do well in our portion of Kansas. The John Pair Center in Haysville has been testing trees in Kansas conditions since the 1970’s and is a wonderful source of information on trees that truly survive in South Central Kansas. Through that work and research a publication on Drought-Tolerant trees for South Central Kansas was developed to help homeowners pick trees that survive well in our area. The John Pair Center is currently evaluating Red Maples to identify varieties that do best in our area. More information on that research will come out in a few years. If you have an area that tends to stay wet or exceptionally dry the publication Trees and shrubs for Difficult Places can be a great resource for finding a plant that will tolerate these conditions.
Annuals are among the most popular plants to add season long color in the landscape. Depending on your location and site conditions you can find an annual in every color that will work in that spot. One of the biggest challenges with annuals is picking one that will tolerate the sun and moisture conditions in your location. Through the Prairie Star program K-STATE tested a variety of different annuals throughout the state to see which ones will tolerate our conditions. Check out the Prairie Star Annuals publication for more information.
Earlier this year I talked about xeriscaping and developing a landscaping that reduces the use of water. In years of drought and even in years where we have adequate rain water-wise landscaping can help homeowners save time and money. Choosing the right plant for those landscaping areas makes a world of difference in developing a water-wise landscape. Sedgwick county has developed a wonderful handout called Water-wise Plants: Trees and Ornamentals for South Central Kansas.
Choosing the right plant for the location is the key to being successful growing plants in Kansas. This year has been a wild ride of a cool, damp spring followed by a hot and dry summer. These conditions have really showcased the need to pick the right plant for your landscaping.
