ENC gardeners advised to act early as drought persists

PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) – Gardeners across eastern North Carolina are being urged to get ahead of planting and watering this spring as drought conditions continue, horticulture experts said.

Dry weather is making it harder to maintain spring flowers and new growth in backyard gardens and local nurseries.

“We’re definitely operating below normal as far as rainfall, so it’s a bit drier than it normally is,” said Matt Stevens, Pitt County’s horticulture agent.

Even during the busy spring planting season, Stevens said dry conditions can leave plants without the water they typically rely on.

Gardeners putting new plants in the ground should plan to supplement rainfall, he said.

“Most landscape plants need about an inch of water per week. Hopefully, we get that with some rainfall, but if not, they need to water the plants,” Stevens said.

At Little’s Nursery in Greenville, staff are seeing the impact of the weather firsthand.

“Plants are needing to be watered almost every day, even twice a day,” said Emmy Browne, the nursery’s vice president.

But Browne said watering alone may not be enough if the soil can’t hold moisture.

“You may want to add some moss to your soil this year to try to retain some water in the soil in your pots or in the ground if you can,” she said.

Experts also recommend testing the soil before planting, especially when adding new plants.

“Do a soil test,” Browne said. “Especially when you’re putting new things in the ground, the soil test will tell you its pH level.”

While experts say many plants can still thrive in dry conditions with proper precautions, they encourage gardeners not to wait.

“We’re trying to encourage people to get ahead of the watering if they can,” Stevens said.

For gardeners looking for help, officials said free soil pH kits are available at the Pitt County Arboretum, where experts can help identify next steps based on results.

Experts also said having a watering plan will be important as the region heads into what they expect will be a hot, dry summer.