High winds leave downed trees, limbs

Heavy winds whipped across central Georgia Dec. 8, waking homeowners and leaving downed trees and limbs behind. Strong weather is common in Georgia, and so is cleaning up after it. But there’s a way to do it safely and wisely, say University of Georgia Cooperative Extension expert.
“Prioritize your chores by starting to work on trees that endanger buildings and fences first,” said Henry Hibbs, the UGA Extension coordinator in Oconee County.

Don’t attempt to handle trees that overhang or touch power lines, he said. Call local utility company professionals for assistance in removing these trees.

“Large trees that have been uprooted have little chance of surviving because the broken roots that used to structurally support the top weight and nourishment of the tree are damaged,” Hibbs said. “A chain saw and a camp fire may be the appropriate future for these trees.”
Tackle unsightly, damaged trees next.

For example, Bradford pear trees are prone to split. “This type of injury is difficult to reshape,” he said. “And the lopsided weight can cause the tree to blow over with soft wet ground and a gusty wind.”

Hibbs recommends removing severely misshapen trees and replanting a tree with better structure.

Broken limbs that are still attached to tree crowns should be properly trimmed. Leave a pruning cut that is flush to the next larger limb or main trunk. There is no need to apply wound tar to the prune cut.

“It has been shown through research that wound treatments like this can actually slow down the healing process of the tree,” he said.

Small trees that are bent over and have not straightened back up can be propped and then braced or cabled.

“A spindly pine tree that is bent over to the ground most likely will not stand straight again,” Hibbs said. “If the damage is severe, and over one third of the bark is lost, this is damage few trees can survive.”

Hibbs suggests using Mother Nature’s windy visit as a time to review your home’s landscape.
“You may have to crank up the chainsaw for the removal of an old favorite tree, but take this opportunity to consider carefully the next tree and select one that has a stronger design,” he said. “Red and sugar maples, as well as most varieties of oak trees, are sturdier tree variety selections.”

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia

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Bring potted plants indoors

When wintry weather rolls in, landscape plants must fend off cold temperatures and frost on their own. But some potted plants are lucky enough to get a free pass indoors.

Without proper care, though, these new houseplants can have difficulty living through the winter indoors. There are some things you can do to make sure they survive just fine.

Temperature level essential

First, consider the temperature. Many container plants live on outdoor porches during the summer and early fall months. As temperatures dip to 50 degrees or less, plant owners begin to move plants indoors.

The best way to protect outdoor potted plants is to first bring them into a garage or basement that is a little warmer than the outdoors, but not as toasty as inside the house. If the plants are moved immediately from 50 degrees to 75 degrees, some may become stressed and suffer.
Plants should be acclimated slowly by a gradual increase in temperature. After a week or two, bring the plants into the warm house.

Most house plants grow best in daytime temperatures between 65 degrees and 75 degrees and nighttime temperatures between 60 degrees and 65 degrees. To further protect them, keep houseplants away from cold, drafty windows or hot radiators, stoves or air vents. Also keep houseplant foliage from touching cold windows. This can burn the leaves.

High humidity best

Humidity is important. Most houseplants prefer a humidity level of 40 percent to 50 percent. The relative humidity in most homes is closer to 15 percent – a level much too low for most houseplants.

Raise humidity levels by using a humidifier or grouping plants together. Placing houseplants on saucers filled with gravel or small pebbles and water will also increase humidity. The bottoms of the pots should always be above the water level.

Don’t mist houseplants in an effort to raise the relative humidity. Misting would have to be done several times throughout the day to have any real affect.

Water, but not too often

In general, houseplants don’t require as much water during the winter months. That doesn’t mean they can be completely ignored. The type of houseplant and soil will determine the water needs.

Ferns prefer evenly moist soil and fairly frequent watering. Cacti and succulents should only be watered when the potting soil becomes completely dry. Most houseplants fall somewhere between these extremes and should be watered when the soil is barely moist or almost dry to the touch.

When watering, apply a thorough amount. Water the plant until water drains out of the bottom of the pot.

Be sure that plants have good drainage. Never allow plants to sit in excess water unless the pot is placed on gravel to raise humidity.

Clean but don't fertilize

Drastically reduce or eliminate fertilizer during the winter months since most plants grow very little. Fertilize again in late March or April as growing conditions improve and the plants begin to flush out.

It’s important to keep houseplants clean while they rest through the winter. Grease and dust can accumulate on leaves and slow down the normal transpiration. Cleaning houseplants also improves their appearance, stimulates growth and can help control insects and mites.

Large, firm-leafed plants can be cleaned with a soft sponge or cloth dipped in a mild solution of dishwashing soap and lukewarm water. Leaves can also be cleaned by placing the plants in the shower under lukewarm water.

By Bob Westerfield
University of Georgia

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Drought Spreads to S. Ga., Conditions May Worsen

If dry conditions persist, Georgia is in for a very hot summer. If the drought intensifies, temperatures across the mountains could reach into the middle to upper 90s while the piedmont bakes in the low 100s. Across the coastal plains temperatures in the 104 to 106 range may not be out of the question.

Georgia is entering the climatological summer. Climatologists define summer as June, July and August. This year’s astronomical summer, the summer solstice, begins June 21.

Drought conditions have already spread into south-central and southwest Georgia. Much of southeast and coastal Georgia is now abnormally dry for early June.

After improvements in drought conditions across north Georgia during the cool season, conditions are expected to worsen over the next several months.

Summer routinely brings temperatures in the 90s. Georgians can expect hot, dry weather to cause very rapid soil moisture loss over the next week. This loss in soil moisture will also drop stream flows and groundwater levels.

Several indicators are used in drought classification: 30 day rainfall, 90 day rainfall, 6 month rainfall, 12 month rainfall, 24 month rainfall, rainfall since the previous October 1 (the “water year”), soil moisture, stream flows, groundwater levels and reservoir levels.

Across much of south Georgia, 30- and 90-day rainfall has been well below normal. Thirty day rainfall over much of south-central and southwest Georgia has been less than half of normal. Some locations reported less than one-quarter of normal rainfall over the past month.

Ninety day rainfall across the southern half of the state has been generally less than 70 percent of normal with pockets in south-central and southwest receiving less than 50 percent of normal rain.

Stream flows across most of the state are currently just above the previous record-low flows for early June. Many of the current stream-flow records across the state were set in 1988 and 2007.

A few locations are setting daily records for low flow including the Chattooga River near Clayton, the Oconee River at Milledgeville, the Flint River near Oakfield and at Newton and the Withlacoochee River near Quitman.

Soil moisture levels are extremely low along and west of I-75 and along and north of I-20. With little rainfall and temperatures in the 90s, soil moisture levels which had been in relatively good shape for the remainder of the state have been dropping very quickly over the past couple of weeks.

Farm ponds, especially ponds not fed by springs, are starting to show the lack of rain. Many ponds didn’t receive adequate recharge during the winter and entered the summer already low.

Extreme drought conditions exist in Banks, Elbert, Franklin, Hart and Stephens counties of northeast Georgia. This means that multiple drought indicators are at levels that we expect about once in 50 years.

The counties north of a Carroll - Fulton - Clayton - DeKalb - Rockdale - Walton - Oconee - Oglethorpe - Wilkes - Lincoln counties line are classified as being in severe drought. This means that multiple drought indicators are at levels that we expect about once in 20 years.

Moderate drought is now found in the counties north and west of a Lowndes - Cook - Tift - Turner - Crisp - Dooly - Houston - Bibb - Jones - Baldwin - Hancock - Glascock - Warren - McDuffie - Richmond line. Moderate drought classification occurs when multiple drought indicators are at levels we expect about once in 10 years.

Mild drought conditions have developed in Ben Hill, Berrien, Bleckley, Bryan, Burke, Chatham, Echols, Effingham, Irwin, Jefferson, Lanier, Liberty, Pulaski, Twiggs, Washington, Wilcox and Wilkinson counties. Mild drought means that several drought indicators are at levels we expect about once in seven years.

The following seven southeast Georgia counties are currently classified as not being in drought: Appling, Bacon, Brantley, Glynn, Pierce, northern Ware and Wayne. However, soil moisture is decreasing rapidly in these counties. Drought conditions could develop over the next several weeks in these counties.

The remaining south Georgia counties are classified as abnormally dry for early June. Localized drought conditions are starting to develop in these counties.

Widespread drought conditions are expected in these counties within the next couple of weeks. Abnormally dry means that several drought indicators are at levels that we expect about once in five years.

For the next several months, Georgia’s best chance for widespread drought relief will be tropical disturbances. However, the tropics usually don’t become active until late summer.

June and July are critical. Without major rain events the soils will continue to become drier leading to lower stream flows, groundwater levels and reservoir and pond levels.

For current Georgia drought information, go to the Web site www.georgiadrought.org. Weather information is available at the University of Georgia automated weather station network Web site www.georgiaweather.net.

By: David Emory Stooksbury
University of Georgia

David Emory Stooksbury is the state climatologist and a professor of engineering and atmospheric sciences with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.