WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. — A severe drought gripping Wicomico County has homeowners scrambling to save their yards — and local landscapers and garden centers are busy trying to help.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Wicomico County is currently under a severe drought designation.
Landscaper Cody Mackie said summer is always a busy season — but this year the drought is driving even more calls his way. He said people often make common mistakes during a drought, like trimming their plants or not watering properly — and that is when he steps in.
"The way it affects us is we get more calls with customers, with plants dying or lawns going dormant. And, the best piece of advice I could give is when watering plants, water less frequently. So don't water every single day," Mackie said.
When drought hits, Mackie said customers sometimes forget the protocols put in place after a landscaping install — and reach back out for help.
"When there's drought, we get calls from customers that we've done landscaping installs with, that may have not been following the protocol that we put in place. So, the best time to plant is early spring or in the fall. But, you know, it starts to get nice outside, it's hot — people want to plant," he said.
Mackie's top tip for keeping plants alive right now: water low and slow. He recommended letting a hose run on a low setting for two to three minutes per plant, two to three times a week — giving water enough time to soak all the way down to the roots.
At Tidal Roots Garden Center, co-founder Erica Tilghman said more people have been coming through the doors since the drought began — with questions about whether it is too late in the season to plant and how to keep existing plants alive in the heat.
"It's not too late and it's not too hot. With the right watering practices, you can still be really successful," Tilghman said.
Tilghman said building up a strong root system is key to surviving a dry spell — and that how you water matters just as much as how often.
"We advise people to water as close to the soil as you can because water droplets getting on that foliage with the sunlight magnifies it and can burn the leaves," she said.
