Drought is a serious condition that can impact landscapes and natural resources tremendously. Drought occurs when there is a serious shortage of water, due in part to lackluster precipitation combined with hot, arid weather. As early as March of this year, a large portion of the United States already was experiencing extreme drought and severe drought conditions, according to the National Climatic Data Center. The western coast of the United States as well as middle American states are notorious for drought conditions, but drought can occur anywhere should precipitation be scarce, particularly during the summer season.

 

When droughts occur, restrictions often are placed on watering lawns or washing cars. People are urged to conserve water in any ways they can. It can be disconcerting to see all of one's landscape dry up during a drought, and some homeowners wonder how they can preserve some of their plantings.

 

The first step is to minimize or stop fertilization of lawns, says the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. Fertilizers often can cause the lawn to use up more water, so hold off on fertilization until wetter conditions return. Homeowners also should keep their lawns mowed at a higher height than normal. Raising the mowing height can encourage the development of deeper roots in the grass. Taller grass also will shade the soil and roots, reducing, in some effect, the rate of evaporation.

 

Watering smartly also can help. Underground irrigation systems will deliver water right to the roots of lawns and plants, rather than having the water settle on top. These types of systems reduce the amount of water that is wasted on sidewalks, driveways and other nonliving areas, because they're specially laid out to deliver water where it's needed. For those without such a system, keep sprinklers located only on green surfaces and turn down the pressure of the spray so water is not caught in the wind and blown elsewhere.

 

Lawns do not need daily watering to thrive. If strict restrictions are placed on watering, heed them. Although the lawn will brown, it can be revived. Lawns without adequate water will simply go dormant. When conditions improve, the lawn can bounce back.

 

Homeowners may want to direct watering to delicate plants and trees that would benefit more from the water. In fact, many experts say that trees should get watering priority over lawns during droughts.

 

To conserve water, homeowners can fill 5-gallon buckets with water and poke small holes in the bottom of the buckets so water can be delivered slowly and consistently to tree roots and garden beds.

 

Drought can be a time of stress for many plants. Homeowners should reduce gardening efforts and disturbances as much as possible. Now is the time to curtail mowing, thatching, aerating, planting, and pruning. Let the landscape rest as it uses its energy to survive the harsh conditions.

 

In addition to these management tips, homeowners can take precautionary measures against drought by choosing native, drought-tolerant plants and using mulch to keep the soil moist. 

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