At this point most gardeners are watching the sky searching for serious clouds. Our moisture situation is far from serious, but it might be a good time to plan our water management if our wait for rain continues.

My pecking order puts newly planted items at the top of the list. Then my ranking is larger shrubs and trees, my vegetables, annuals, perennials and then my yard grass.

Larger items that were transplanted may need attention for several years after transplanting. I nearly lost an oak tree in the last drought even though it had been planted three years earlier.

The vegetable garden's results will quickly shrink without adequate moisture. My tomato stake experiment mentioned several weeks ago is about to get a serious test.

As for the last three, annuals, perennials and grass I am less enthuastic with the water hose. To understand this you must realize that my gardening efforts, successes and failures cover several acres.

One thing that I am doing is adding some mulch as I find a few spare minutes. Early spring mulching can keep the soil too cool and damp to satisfy. That definitely will not be a problem now.

I repeat my frequent challenge. If you are a heavy waterer, cut your garden water use in half. You might be surprised at the results.

Another water problem with the advent of high temperatures is the formation of algae in standing water. For those with perfectly matched ponds with exactly the right plants, fish and filters that is not a problem.

For the rest of us I offer a few suggestions beyond chemicals. It is pretty well established that a few squares of barley straw will keep a pond algae free for several months. I don't know why, but it must be barley straw.

Another suggestion I heard recently involves putting copper in the water. Right now I am experimenting with hanging some old copper pipes in each of several water storage tanks I use. A week into this experiment I have no conclusions to offer.

I also read recently that in a small situation, like a birdbath or a small tub garden, that a bunch of lavender sprigs added every two or three weeks would control the algae. Don't know about this one but will share what I've read.

Changing the subject, I also was asked this week for planting suggestions to improve an unsightly damp area. When he added that he wanted something to crowd out the existing weeds, the red flags went up. Don't expect this to happen.

Before you plant anywhere think about the weeds. Get rid of them before you plant. I often use one of the generic forms of Roundup. That chemical is about as environmentally innocuous as any I know. Three or four applications over the length of a season works well. If you are adverse to chemicals, cultivation or smothering are options.

Gardening is always an interesting challenge. Water and weeds are two of the most important ones.