CalPolygardener said:This comes from a more 'landscape maintenance' point of view than a 'gardening' point of view, but the watering practices are essentially the same. I know it seems sort of counter-intuitive to cut back on water when it gets warmer and drier. But, if that's what the plants genetically "expect" then why not give it to them?
The only thing the plants genetically "expect" relates to the conditions they came from in habitat, the natural cradle that gave rise to the species, the conditions that promoted its survival and evolution. For example, Mediterranean climate plants "expect" a summer drought. There is a fundamental difference (at least in my mind) between what a plant is programmed to survive based on genetics, and the way it may change its behavior or growth depending on local environmental conditions where it ends up growing. Nature vs. nurture, as it were. One does not necessarily override the other. Does that make sense? Cutting back on water when it's warmer and drier during summer may make sense for drought tolerant plants from a Mediterranean (winter rainfall/summer drought) climate. It does not make sense for plants from summer rainfall climates, except insofar as they may be more drought tolerant overall.
CalPolygardener said:Yes, a Mediterranean climate receives 90+% of it's rainfall in their cool winters, therefore, wet not dry. Or at least as wet as it gets.
That is an overestimate. In your climate (Pomona, or am I mistaken?) 80% of the rain falls from Dec-Mar, which includes an extra month outside of winter itself. This figure for other Med climate cities: Cape Town (months switched for southern hemisphere): 62%; Lisbon 47%. So even though it may feel like nearly all the rain comes in winter, that's not actually the case for any of these locations.
