Answer Man: Can you camp on Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks? How should trees be cared for during drought?

Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies and the real answers:

Question: I’m out on the Blue Ridge Parkway several mornings each week. I travel the “commuter zone” between Route 74A and Brevard Road, as well as the first few miles of the Parkway southbound from Asheville (so, to the Sleepy Gap overlook, roughly). In the past couple of years, I’ve seen more and more folks spending the night in Parkway overlooks and pull-outs. I think I’m seeing some folks that live in their cars, but also very nice fifth-wheels and camper vans. I even encountered a group of folks who pitched a tent and smoked what smelled like powerful weed for two nights near Sweeten Creek Road recently. As you know, the overlooks and pull-outs don’t have any “services” — my nice way of saying, “There’s poop in them thar hills.” Does the National Park Service allow overnight camping in Parkway overlooks and pull-outs now? And, if not, why is that rule not being enforced?

My answer: Between the pot and the poop, this has to be the most pungent question I’ve gotten all year.

Real answer: Camping is not allowed at overlooks and pull-outs on the 469-mile scenic roadway, according to Blue Ridge Parkway spokesperson Leesa Brandon.

“Designated areas on the Parkway include front country campgrounds — we have eight — and backcountry sites with a permit,” Brandon said via email. “Camping in any other areas is prohibited.”

You can find the Parkway’s rules on camping here.

“So far in 2023 we’ve made over 175 contacts for what we log as ‘out of bounds camping,’” Brandon said. “This means a law enforcement ranger made, at minimum, a verbal contact with an individual or party.”

Brandon did not have information on how many of those contacts resulted in a warning or citation.

“The circumstances of overnight stays on the Parkway, outside of authorized locations, can vary widely,” Brandon said.

Question: We are in a period of significant drought. The last time I looked we were about 12 inches of moisture behind our average, and for the most part we’ve also had above average temperatures. Most people in my neighborhood have let their lawns go dormant and have continued to put some water on flower beds and late fall greens in their garden. I’m curious about what is recommended for established hardwood and softwood trees. Should they be watered, and if so how much water per week? What does lack of appropriate moisture do over time to the health of a tree?

My answer: I’m no plant biologist, but I’m pretty sure lack of water is going to kill a tree.

Real answer: While we are slated for some badly needed rain this week, we are more than 12 inches below normal for the year, as the reader notes. In other words, it is really dry out there.

For expertise on this one, I emailed Alison Arnold, an extension agent in the Buncombe County office of N.C. State University.

“For ‘established hardwood and softwood trees,’ I am going to assume they mean trees that are in the landscape, planted and well-established, and not in a woodland setting,” Arnold said. “Since a lot of time and growth has been invested in larger trees, we certainly want to be attuned to them and their needs and give them support during an extended dry period.”

But fall is a time for trees to take a breather, too, so that helps.

“Fortunately, since we are at the end of the growing season, supplemental watering is not as critical for overall plant growth and sustaining leaves and leaf growth,” Arnold said. “However, if the tree is evergreen, is in poor health or has not been growing well, it would be good to water.”

Arnold said the rule of thumb is 1 inch of water per week.

“In the case of a large tree it would be helpful to water deeply and mulch to conserve moisture,” she said. “Lack of moisture over time (when plants are dormant) will slow down root growth.”

Arnold also provided a link to an N.C. State page titled, “Dealing with Drought” that you’ll probably find helpful as well.

It first offers some general tips, which include:

• Don’t encourage growth: No new plants, no fertilizing, no pruning, except to remove dead or dying branches.
• Manage mulch: Ensure all vegetable, flower, and landscape beds have a 4-inch layer of mulch to conserve water, keep soil temperatures cool, and prevent weeds. Keep mulch 6 inches from the base of the trunk.
• Remove weeds to prevent them from competing with plants for moisture.
• Allow your lawn to go dormant. It is much less stressful for the turf to remain dormant than it is to be active and drought-stressed.
• Remove plants that are past their prime or stressed by disease or insects.
• Water slowly to prevent runoff  — Consider installing an irrigation system, using soaker hoses, placing slow-release watering bags, drilling small holes in multiple five-gallon buckets or milk jugs and filling them with water. Water the entire root zone of the plant.
• Infrequent, deep watering promotes deeper roots and greater drought tolerance.

For ornamental plants and trees:

• Reduce the amount of water used in your landscape by 20–40 percent or more by gradually (over a few weeks) decreasing the amount of water applied to lawns, trees, and plants.
• Continue to water through the winter, as roots are growing even when plants are dormant.
• Identify priorities for watering ornamentals. Top priority is trees and shrubs planted within the last two years, as they will be most vulnerable to drought stress, as their root system is not fully developed.

These are also high priorities:

• Established trees and shrubs are the biggest investment of time and money, and have the biggest impact on the landscape and house.
• Rare or unusual specimen plants that would be difficult or expensive to replace and those with high sentimental value.

• Evergreens: Drought in the fall is particularly dangerous to evergreens like rhododendrons, boxwood, pine, and spruce that lose water throughout the winter as cold winds pull moisture from their needles and leaves. Once the ground freezes, the plant can not pull in any more water through its roots until the ground thaws. If the plant is already drought-stressed then needles and leaves may die. To prevent damage to evergreens ensure they receive an inch of water per week.
• Medium priority: Drought-sensitive plants like hydrangeas, Japanese maples, azaleas, and dogwoods are unlikely to survive an extended drought.
• Lowest priority: To conserve water for other plants, consider removing plants you don’t like and plan to replace, or plants that are often stressed in your landscape. Also, keep in mind that annuals are the least expensive, easiest to replace, and will die at the end of the season even if watered.

Unfortunately, we might be seeing more of these swings in heavy rainfall or drought.

“Although seasonal rainfall amounts will resume, we want to be aware of the predicted trends for our region in which we anticipate extreme swings in both precipitation (lack of) and temperatures (cold and heat) and do all we can to make adjustments in the landscape to be better prepared and keep our plants healthy and strong,” Arnold said.

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