By KEN CARPENTER
Great Bend Post
There's a lot more going on with the plants in your yard than you might think. This year's unseasonably cold winter caused a number of plants to die or leaf out at a slower pace than usual. But the extreme cold may not be the only thing that is going on.
Lauren Fick, Horticulture Agent with the K-State Research & Extension Cottonwood District said some of the problems may be caused by accumulated stress from past growing seasons.
"I remember in 2018 we had that summer with all of the rain, and we're still starting to see effects from that," Fick said. "Plants that are more drought-tolerant couldn't handle that amount of moisture. It's the same thing with extremely cold or extremely hot. Plants remember stuff like that, and it can take years before we see any damage show up."
Fick said it's important to help your plants avoid any further stress. That means watering during dry weather, but she says not to overdo it because too much moisture can damage root systems. The goal is to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged while allowing the top of the soil surface to dry between waterings.