Times Like These: Drought

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In my lifetime, I've never seen a drought such as the one we're experiencing in Texas (in my case, East Texas). You really learn about your drought-tolerant trees.

Probably 90% of my Southern Red Oaks (quercus falcata) are dead. Not just shocked. Not conservative shedding. Brittle, limbs curling downward, dead. I've lost a couple American Hollies (ilex opaca), too.

On the other hand, my Water Oaks (quercus nigra), Willow Oaks (quercus phellos), Black Gum (nyssa sylvatica), and Sweet Gum (liquidambar styraciflua) are flourishing.

Even the Post Oaks (quercus stellata) which I was led to believe are not very drought tolerant, are actually doing alright except for the smallest ones who just couldn't survive it.

The Black Hickories (carya texana) are hit and miss - some look great, while some appear to be conservative shedding.

Fortunately, we've had a little rain here lately - not even close to a drought-buster, but it has helped.

I was surprised by the dramatic loss of Southern Red Oaks, though. Only the very large ones (with good, well established, root systems) have survived so far.

The good news is that I'm gonna have plenty of firewood in a couple years.
 
The drought has hit your area pretty bad.
Is the fire dangers still bad?
Evolution of your local vegetation has made some pretty tough plants.
Hope you get some rain soon.

Like your "good news: plenty of fire wood" :)
Good attitude. Gotta role with what mother natures gives you.
 
Hope mother nature brings you some rain. I wish we could of shared 1/2 of the rain we got this past week. Would have been a decent relief for you guys.
 
I guess there must be some relationship between the excessive rain we have had in the east and the drought in Texas. It is sad that Harrisburg, PA (for example) has had more than 30 inches more rain than the annual average (and we still have 2 months left to go!), while most of Texas has had almost none.

You'd think Water Oak wouldn't be very drought tolerant based on its name. Maybe the Water Oaks grow in moister locations so the drought is a little less severe for them than for the Southern Red Oaks.
 
Wood Duck said:
...You'd think Water Oak wouldn't be very drought tolerant based on its name. Maybe the Water Oaks grow in moister locations so the drought is a little less severe for them than for the Southern Red Oaks.
I assume it's a combination of maturity and proximity to water. There are a couple smaller ones (10" diameter or less) that grow next to the creek (that has dried up), and they appear to have croaked. I assume they have a more shallow root system given the proximity to the creek. The older Water Oaks that aren't near the creek look quite healthy.
 
Hopefully the weather will even out for Texas and most of the east. Too much rain in one area and practically none in the other. It is strange how the weather will run though. For example, I've always wondered why it happens over and over that a storm will come our way and just before it gets to us a hole opens so that the rain or snow will go either north or south of us and many times it goes both to the north and south. Then east of us it will come together again. Very strange but makes for some interesting things. Like many times 5-10 miles from us they are flooded and we get sprinkles and many times nothing but clouds.
 
We now have another heavy rain storm coming are way. wish it would go down your way and give you what you need. its been insane the amount we have gotten here.
 
Are you parting the storms again so you have more time to split Backwoods? :lol:
 
I hear ya. We are losing quite a bit of our timber here as well. The bugs and
lack of water have sure taken a large toll...

Hope you get some more rain down there. I have been helping send some hay
to Texas this summer as well...
 
Shadow&Flame; said:
I hear ya. We are losing quite a bit of our timber here as well. The bugs and
lack of water have sure taken a large toll...

Hope you get some more rain down there. I have been helping send some hay
to Texas this summer as well...
There's a great book about the dust bowl days called "The Worst Hard Times" It gives a pretty good overview of how climate fluctuations lull us into mis-perceiving what the weather is typically like. You guys certainly have had a hot an dry summer. Predictions of climate change suggest that may be more common in your area :(
 
Here in southern MN we've basically had no rain in the last 2 1/2 months. Conditions are nothing like what Texas is experiencing but I have noticed a big difference in the trees I'm cutting. Last fall (unusually wet) the elms I cut were literally gushing water out of them when I cut the notch and continued to drip water for sometime after cut. This fall the same elm type is damp-ish but no water flow, and cherrys, ash, and boxelders are much drier than usuall. I am hoping it translates into quicker seasoning times.
 
Gasifier said:
Are you parting the storms again so you have more time to split Backwoods? :lol:

I'm innocent.
 
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