Drought Contingency Plan
Updated: June 21, 2006
Landscaping Tips
With water restrictions in place, there will be more stress on
residential and commercial landscaping. Here some recommended landscaping
tips during drought conditions:
Mow Higher. Tall grass develops deeper roots for
increased foliage. This foliage also provides more shading for soil
to help reduce evaporation. As a general rule, set your mower at
the upper end of the recommended mowing height, but remember different
grasses require different mowing heights. For example:
- Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue -- Set cutting height at 3
in.
- Bermudagrass -- Set cutting heights at 1.5 in.
- St. Augustine -- Set cutting height at 2.5 to 3 in.
Fertilize Less. Slower growing lawns require less
water, so cutting back on fertilizer can help reduce the amount
of water your lawn needs to grow strong. In addition, cool season
grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and fescue, slow down naturally
and require less water during the late summer.
Choose Ready-to-Use Fertilizers. When gardening,
use fertilizer and insect control products that do not require mixing
with water.
Time Your Applications. When applying granular
insect control products, be sure to time the application during
a routine watering. This will allow the insect control to properly
soak in without requiring additional watering.
Aerate Warm Season Lawns. Aerators remove small
plugs of soil from the lawn increasing water penetration and soil
aeration, while reducing thatch. This translates to deeper roots
and a stronger lawn.
The Other Alternative. Obviously, the other alternative
that will really help you save water is to let your lawn dry out
and turn brown. This may be necessary in some regions where drought
is severe, but this option is not as bad as it seems. Cool season
grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, naturally go
dormant in hot weather, require less water and still recover nicely
the next season. Warm season grasses, such as bermudagrass or St.
Augustine, naturally grow most vigorously in the summer and go dormant
in winter. They are also tougher grasses that get by on less water
than their cool season counterparts. Even if you let them go completely
dry, there’s a good chance they’ll come back next year.
Other Resources
Texas A&M University System - Landscape Water Conservation...Xeriscape
TM
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/xeriscape/xeriscape.html
Texas A&M University System – Drought Information
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/drought/drought.html
All About Lawns – Preparing for a Drought
www.allaboutlawns.com/lawn-maintenance-care/watering/
maintenance-and-irrigation.php
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