Houston wetter april

That spells trouble for a city already plagued by crippling floods, where urban sprawl has overwhelmed the waterways that drain the city, and dense development has precluded their expansion. Nielsen-Gammon's findings fall in line with a trend that was theorized decades ago and first emerged in scientific data near the turn of the 21st Century.

Nielsen-Gammon said he took the first fine scale look at data across different parts of the state. An independent analysis of local rainfall data from the National Weather Service also confirmed the state climatologist's findings. Of the rainiest days in Houston since , as measured at multiple gauge sites, the wettest of the wet are skewed dramatically towards the last four decades. The Houston area just had its wettest April on record , and some storm gauges during the Tax Day flood registered levels beyond what are expected once every century.

But it was an exceptional season. In fact, Texas is likely headed for a period of drier weather, said Jake Crouch, a climate scientist with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Association. A big drought in ended with one of the state's wettest years on record in Planting - Continue to plant container gardens, use larger containers and SoilMoist to allow less frequent watering. Plant summer blooming perennials and annuals. Choose heat-tolerant plants like purslane and bougainvillea for hanging baskets in full sun.

Birds - Spring migration continues into mid-May. Clean birdbaths often and keep feeders full, and clean them after rainstorms to prevent soggy spoiled seed. Even non-birders can keep fresh water and food out at this time and also during fall migration to help our feathered friends.

Vegetable Gardens - Plant okra, cucumbers, pumpkins, basil, garlic chives, peppers and sunflowers from seed. Container veggie transplants from the nursery in larger pots are okay to plant during May. Weedin g - Be vigilant about pulling weeds early, make sure areas are mulched properly to prevent future weeds from germinating and help to retain moisture.

Pruning - Pinch tips of coleus to prevent flowering and encourage bushier, fuller plants. Remove spent blooms on spring and summer annuals to promote new blooms. Water - deep root watering on trees, lawns, and shrubs is best. It encourages roots to move down into the soil where they will be less susceptible to moisture changes. Avoid short periods of shallow watering, use a tree gator or soaker hose to aid in slow, deep watering.

Pests - Keep an eye out for pests as well as beneficial insects in your vegetable garden. Pick off pests by hand, check for slugs and snails early in the morning or in the evenings when they are active. Check your garden regularly; we have a broad range of organic pesticides to help your garden out.

Ladybugs are excellent for aphid control. Shady spots with filtered sunlight are best. Lawn - Continue to water between rain events, apply molasses or compost to ensure healthy soil for healthy turf roots.

Planting — Use larger containers to avoid frequent watering. Keep hanging baskets out of hot afternoon sun. Vegetable Gardens — Enjoy your harvest of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, etc. You can still plant eggplants, squash, and pumpkins from seed. Keep an eye out for pests. Especially leaf-footed bugs on tomatoes. Provide water for birds nearby, as they sometime peck your fruit and vegetables seeking out moisture. Mowing — Raise lawn mower blades to cut 3 inches high to retain moisture and prevent diseases and pests.

Weeding — Keep up with weeding in early morning hours. Make sure areas are mulched properly to reduce amount of sprouting weeds. Pruning — Pinch tips of coleus to avoid flowering and encourage bushier and compact growth. Dead head young vitex trees to encourage repeat blooms. Remove any diseased or insect damaged foliage on plants. Fertilizing — Fertilize containers and vegetable beds with slow release organic fertilizers such as microlife or with a liquid fertilizer such as Ocean Harvest.

Water — Deep root watering on trees, lawns and shrubs is best. Avoid frequent short periods of watering.

Keep your azaleas well watered as this is the time of year they are setting next years blooms. We have a variety of soaker hoses, sprinklers and gatorbags to help out with watering. Pests — Keep an eye out for pests as well as beneficial insects in your vegetable garden. Pick off pests by hand. Check for snails and slugs early in the morning, when they are active. Pests are very active this time of year, so check your garden daily!

Fertilize with a weak liquid solution for orchids. Birds — Change water regularly in bird baths and keep them full.

Humans- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids, wear protective sun gear, use mosquito repellents and granules for protection from bites. Water deeply, especially trees. Check irrigation systems for proper function — may need to extend the watering periods to make sure roots are watered. Plant pumpkin seeds for October Jack-O-Lanterns. Other seeds to plant: corn, cucumber, okra, black-eyed peas, beans, cantaloupe. Refresh Container Gardens: Fall is in the air.

Watering: Maintain watering on newly planted seeds and transplants, use a rain wand to avoid disturbing plants with small root systems. On St.

Augustine and other lawns, water well but less often. With shorter days and cooler nights — begin to reduce the amount of water applied as needed. Avoid watering in the evenings if possible to prevent fungal diseases. Hummingbirds: Migrating hummingbirds can be found at your feeders and natural nectar sources. Keeping feeders clean, filled, and in a shady area will encourage visitors. Recipe for Nectar: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add 1 cup of granulated sugar, stir until dissolved.

Allow to cool, fill feeders. Keep excess sealed in refrigerator. These are all hummer magnets. Vegetable Transplants: Get your transplants in your fall vegetable garden. Early September is your last chance to get tomatoes and peppers in the ground. Cool-season vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, mustard, lettuce, and kohlrabi can be planted September through January, look for seeds or transplants to add to your garden.

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch: Mulching keeps plant roots cooler , weed seeds at bay and conserves water. Add compost around annuals, herbs, and vegetables. Do not mound mulch against the base of a plant, this only invites insect and fungus to come in contact with the crown of plants. Leaf miners are active on citrus, they will not kill your citrus, leave alone or alternate treatments of spinosad and neem to keep them at bay.

BT will get rid of cabbage loopers. Insects such as chinch bugs and fungal diseases on lawns grey leaf spot are two things to watch out for. Organic treatment products can be found in our plant care shed. April in Houston is still spring in Houston and thus experiences much of the same weather as March. Spring thunderstorms are also a not uncommon event in Houston.

The insects also tend to migrate back to Houston with the warmer weather. April also has an average expectation of 7 hours of sunshine per day throughout the month.

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