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At the end of a dry summer, John Moulton ’74, of Moulton Farm in Meredith, looks at his irrigation pond. Though it’s down from the high-water mark, there’s still plenty of water for him to draw.

He says that’s due to changes in irrigation and planting strategies promoted by UNH Extension, including the use of drip irrigation placed under a biodegradable mulch. If he were still relying on overhead watering, as he did when he first started, his pond would be dry by now.

“We’ve been irrigating many of our crops, and right now we’re still looking at 8 or 900,000 gallons of water out of a total capacity of 1.2 million,” Moulton says. “Years ago, we would have drained that pond by this time.”

Moulton’s need for a new approach to irrigation, shared by farmers and gardeners across the state, is a result of a dry 2026. It can no longer be called abnormally dry, though, because weather data show dry summers are becoming more common in New England.

Though not traditionally thought of as a dry climate, recent experience has shown that drought is no longer a rare event in New Hampshire. The state’s Department of Environmental Services reports that drought occurred 11 times between 2000 and 2020, and that as of August of 2026, parts of Rockingham and Strafford counties have been experiencing moderate drought for 12 months and counting. 

It is time for New Englanders to bone up on gardening in drought conditions.

The irrigation pond at Moulton Farm in Meredith holds about 1.2 million gallons of water.

Deep and Dry

While the effects of dry conditions are most apparent above ground, as leaves wilt and stems droop, some of the more concerning things are happening at the plant’s roots.

“There are several layers of how drought impacts soil and plant health,” says Renuka Mathur, UNH Extension’s soil health state specialist.

To explain drought’s effects on soil, Mathur starts by noting specific elements of soil, including organic matter, as well as the mycorrhizal fungus and microbes that decompose the organic residue and make nutrients available to nearby roots.

Dry conditions can reduce the activity of fungus and microbes, making for less nutrient availability to plants. Prolonged drought can kill off the fungus and microbes, meaning that soil will be less active when moisture returns. 

“If fungus and microbes die, they don’t bounce back immediately,” Mathur says. It can take several seasons, she adds, and the mix of microbes might be different when they do return. “Sometimes the damage of the drought can be permanent.”

If the microbes and fungi aren’t delivering nutrition, it might be tempting to use fertilizers, Mathur says, but doing so in drought conditions comes with hazards. Without rainfall and accompanied by high temperatures, the fertilizer, typically applied as a salt compound, can concentrate on leaves or the soil surface, leading to burn injuries for the plant.

“If you want to fertilize, do so in the evening or early morning so the salt injury risk is reduced,” Mathur says.

She also warns against excessive tilling, because it exposes more moisture to evaporation, and has other negative effects. “When you till dry soil, it breaks the structure of the soil and causes rapid decomposition of organic residue in the soil,” Mathur says. “Add a little bit of rain or wind, and it causes fine disrupted soil to re-settle, creating a cementing effect. It does so in a dense layer that prevents water absorption and encourages water and nutrient runoff.”

Instead of tilling, Mathur suggests mulching — placing a layer of some material on top of the soil, often done as a weed control measure. Mulch also has the benefit of keeping moisture levels higher in the soil.

Mulch Mania

If there were a mulch fan club, Sean O’Brien, home horticulture program manager for Extension, could campaign to be its president.

“I advocate for mulch all the time, for lots of reasons but certainly moisture loss is a big one,” O’Brien says. He suggests using “whatever you have abundantly” to mulch, whether it’s fallen leaves, straw, pine needles, or even cardboard. Many commercial growers will use plastic, but home growers might prefer a material that will break down in the soil at the end of the growing season and become next year’s organic matter.

The presence of organic matter in soil will help it to retain moisture. O’Brien says they recommend organic matter content of 4 to 10%, and for those who want to know precisely.

While you’re mulching, it might be a good time to think about your irrigation strategy. Watering with a sprinkler or by hand is the easiest to set up, but “overhead watering,” as O’Brien terms it, is problematic. Some of the water evaporates before it’s absorbed by the soil, it can encourage disease spread through splashing, and is often associated with under-watering. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses, ideally placed underneath the mulch layer, ensure that the water goes where the roots can reach it — while minimizing water use.
To that point, O’Brien says that irrigation frequency and volume are important considerations. Water less often, but soak the soil when you do, he says, which will train your plants to grow long roots. “You want to make sure you’re watering deeply and less frequently, that will help your plants to weather those drier conditions.”

When planning your garden, select plant varieties that are drought resistant, says. O’Brien, who notes that there are varieties of just about every plant that can handle a dry spell.

“Drought is something that we’re going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future,” O’Brien says.“For gardeners, it’s the new frontier.”

Regular and extended drought might be a new problem for New Hampshire gardeners. Thankfully, local gardeners have adaptability — as well as expertise from UNH Extension — to keep their gardens green.