Understand Local Annual Dryness

Understanding local annual drought conditions helps in reading plant labels.

• Is "Drought Resistant" a required attribute for the locale?
• What is the philosophy? Xeriscaping? Watering year round?
• What months must one water?

Dryness Calendar Port Angeles:
Drought Mid-June to Mid-August

• Left scale is rainfall in mm.
  • Blue line is average monthly rainfall.
• Right scale in temperature in C.
  • Orange line is average monthly temperature.
• When temperature in C exceeds rainfall in mm, it is technically a drought condition.
• On average, Port Angeles is in drought from early June through mid-August.
• Even with an average rainfall of ~35"/year, for xeriscaping,
  plantings must be able to withstand a 2 to 3 month drought.

Make a Graph of Local Dryness

1. Download the dryness-graph.ods spreadsheet and fill in local monthly average
   • rainfall in mm,
   • temperature in C.

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