The Drought

A rain gauge attached to a pole at Homecoming Farm has been empty for months. “Without our drip irrigation, our share holders would have practically no produce.” Farmer Don said. I’ve seen beech tree leaves that are brown around the edges. This is a sure sign that we are in a drought.

“With a slow drip through pinholes in plastic tape-hose, our produce is fine.” Don turns the water on and off in a regular pattern to protect and conserve. The soil gets wet deep down with the drip system. Not only do the tomatoes benefit, but weeds do as well.

Many weeds, however, do just fine during a drought. Ragweed, crab grass, pig weed, mile-a-minute, foxtail grass, evening primrose, pokeweed, and spreading  purslane thrive. Weeds know about drip irrigation. They are thriving right next to  growing produce. They are stealing water. Many weed seeds can lay dormant for years until the right conditions prevail. They move in between the good guys and grow extra fast.

By August, weeds are winning. At the beginning of the season, most work-share members are weeding. This is cheap meditation. The task requires is boring which allows room for a brain to wander, imagine, and  create. Many weeders like to have a companion or two to socialize.

Ragweed

In early spring, I was gung-ho to start tomato seedlings. Once large and sturdy enough, I set them out, stake and water. They grew, set flowers and fruit began to form. I forgot there was a drought and didn’t water daily. Lower leaves shriveled and turned brown. I harvested some tomatoes, but noticed that they produced no new flowers. I dug into the soil near one plant. It was bone dry ½ inch beneath the surface. When I watered, the water pooled up and didn’t sink in. There is a scientific explanation for this. Normally, every grain of soil has a thin coating of water. During a drought, this water evaporates. Water is repelled. I watered dry soil and the soil just floated on top. It took several minutes for the water to start sinking in. I did not have enough patience to keep watering. I lost all the work I put in. I killed my tomato crop. My enthusiasm was as dry as the soil.

Weeds have survival strategies during a drought. Pokeweed has a long taproot that reaches down below the dry layer. Purslane does the opposite. It’s root system is just below the top of the soil. It survived on morning dew which deeps in about an inch. Ragweed spreads its roots out as well.

It has another survival technique not related to drought. If you pull a ragweed stem out of the ground, some of its’ tender roots break off and stay behind. This is life insurance for a very successful weed

Long Island’s current drought is the result of air masses being caught between two high pressure systems to the south and north. A stationary front prevents much movement of cold air from the north and warm, moist air from the south to mix, condense, and rain. Many predictions have not panned out.  Thunderstorms are too brief to add moisture to dry soil particles one inch down. It’s a long slow warm front that moves in, slides over colder air and releases rain for days. One positive from a drought are fantastic cumulus cloud formations. Uneven heating of incoming solar radiation means the rising of hot air in some places and not others Lifting air carrying tons of moisture up a few thousand feet  condenses to form clouds as white as egrets and towering mountains of magnificent, wonderful misty shapes.  Cloud formations over Long Island make up for the flatness of our land. Look up to see our mountains, especially during a drought.

As a writer, I sometimes have droughts. Writers block or my mood, or times when I don’t have inspiration bothers me. My pen and computer await yet another essay. I relax and wait. Just as rain will come, so do new ideas.