Strategies for Reducing Water Input in Woody Landscape Plantings    (View PDF)

A.M. Smith and D.A. Rakow

Abstract: One meter (3 ft.) tall whips of Fraxinus pennsylvanica 'Emerald' (pubescent), Fraxinus pennsylvanica (glabrous), Malus 'Klehm's Improved Bechtel' (pubescent) and Malus "White Angel (glabrous) were used to evaluate the role of pubescence in plant water relations. All plants received the same watering regime and drying cycle. The Fraxinus showed a trend in which the pubescent cultivar maintained less negative predawn water potential. In Malus, the pubespent trees had less negative predawn water potintials. A comparison of four mulch types (shredded bark, fine bark, wood chips and medium grade gravel) to bare soil controls, showed that all mulch types resulted in less evaporational water loss. The shredded bark and medium grade gravel providing the greatest reduction in evaporational water losses. The pubescent Fraxinus cultivar 'Emerald' and a 4 cm (1.6 in.) layer of shredded bark mulch resulted in the least negative water potentials.

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https://doi.org/10.48044/jauf.1992.034