If you’ve been living in North Texas for a while, you know that summer is often a time when we’re asked to conserve water. Water restrictions and limitations help ensure that there’s enough water for everyone during months when there’s little or no rainfall.
Even when there aren’t formal water restrictions in place, you’ll still want to be careful how much water you use. Remember: the water you’re using on a lawn is the same as your drinking water supply. There’s no reason to waste it.
During times of water restrictions, keeping lawns green and watering picky landscape plants isn’t a top priority. However, you still want to keep your yard healthy and looking nice. Keep reading for tips you can follow to keep the lawn and landscape in your yard healthy during a drought.
Mow Higher and Leave Clippings
Raising the height of your mower’s cutting deck is the simplest thing you can do to make your lawn more drought-resistant. Cutting grass at a taller height helps it hold water and encourages grass to grow deeper root systems. The grass will be much better able to survive with less water if you mow high.
Remember to follow the 1/3 rule for healthy lawn mowing. Mow frequently enough that you’re only cutting off 1/3 of the grass’s overall height at one time. This helps prevent stress for the grass. Also, make sure you leave the grass clippings on the lawn. As they decompose, they’ll release moisture and nutrients back into the soil.
Back Off on Fertilizer
In North Texas, you’ll want to start fertilizing lawn grass in the spring as the peak growing season starts. You could use a time-release chemical fertilizer or an organic fertilizer like compost. Commercially available fertilizer includes guidelines for when to apply the next round of fertilizer. Only follow those guides if you’re able to keep watering your lawn.
Applying fertilizer triggers grass growth. Grass that is actively growing needs more water. When water use is restricted, you’ll want to stop fertilizing. Avoiding fertilizer during the summer makes the lawn more water-efficient and helps you avoid stressing the grass during water restrictions.
Water With Care
Sometimes, water restriction guidelines do allow you to keep watering your yard if you follow certain guidelines. Be sure to check your local guidelines and follow them carefully.
If you are allowed to water the lawn, water early in the morning or later in the day to minimize water evaporation. Water restriction guidelines will often give you a window of time when you should water lawns.
When you do water (whether or not you’re currently in a drought), water deeply and infrequently. Lawns only need about one inch of water each week to stay actively growing. As you water, keep a close eye on your watering system. If you start to notice runoff, turn the watering system off and let the water soak into the soil before restarting it. The goal is to water slowly and soak the top 6 inches of soil in the lawn.
Pay Attention to Grass Type
Different types of grasses have different water needs. If you’re growing Texas bluegrass or centipede grass, those lawns are going to need more water than Bermuda grass, zoysia, or buffalo grass. The drought-tolerant grasses require less water to stay alive and recover better from enduring drought conditions.
If you’re planting a new lawn, check if your local water restrictions offer exceptions for new turf. New lawns need extra water. If they get too dry, there’s a good chance the grass won’t survive. If you can’t water the lawn, hold off on planting it until water restrictions end.
Prioritize Vegetables and Picky Plants
When you’re trying to decide where to use water that you can use in your yard, the first thing you should water is vegetable gardens and plants that don’t tolerate drought well. Lawns will often bounce back from drought; tomatoes and petunias will not.
If you’ve xeriscaped your yard or used native and drought-tolerant plants in your landscaping, the landscape beds won’t require much water. In contrast, drought-sensitive plants require extra water when it’s hot and dry. If you can’t water them, there’s a good chance they won’t survive. If that happens, consider replacing them with a drought-tolerant species.
For all plants, water them only when they need it. Keep a close eye out for drooping leaves or changes in the color. When you spot those signs, water the plants early in the morning or later in the evening to minimize evaporation. Spot-watering with a watering can or garden hose helps you ensure you’re only watering the plants that need it most.
Mulch to Conserve Water
Mulching is one of the best things you can do for your landscape. A layer of mulch at least 3 inches deep will help the soil hold moisture. It also helps keep plant roots cool, making it easier for the plants to survive drought conditions.
For container plants, moving the containers to a place where they’re out of direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day helps keep the plants from wilting. If the containers are shaded, they won’t lose water as quickly.
Tools for Drought-Tolerant Landscaping
Using a rain barrel or a cistern that lets you collect rain from gutters is one way to stay more water-conscious. Depending on how much rain you get, this provides a conservation-friendly supply of water that you can use in your yard.
When grass is going through a drought, drought-tolerant weeds can become a bigger problem than usual. You can apply both natural and chemical-based herbicides using spreaders for dry herbicides and sprayers for liquid herbicides.
Finally, make sure that the mower you’re using has a cutting deck that you can set at a higher cutting height to help the grass survive drought. If the height adjustment doesn’t work for your mower anymore, you can bring it in to our service department or shop here for a new lawnmower.
