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10 ways to help your yard and garden survive a drought

10 ways to help your yard and garden survive a drought

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Summers in Utah are usually scorchers for plants, but there are plenty of ways to keep your yard and garden looking healthy. True, you need some water to keep a yard and garden alive, but that doesn’t mean you can’t adapt to the current weather conditions.

Read on to learn 10 ways to keep your plants alive no matter what the weather.

Make a watering plan

Most garden plants like about an inch of moisture per week, but it's best to water less frequently and for a longer duration in the evening hours. A good weekly soak might be all you need to maintain your garden according to Lowe's watering tips, while lawns might require two deep waterings per week.

Make sure to only water in the early morning or late afternoon and not during peak daylight hours when the water is more likely to evaporate. Increasing the watering duration while decreasing frequency strengthens root systems.

Fertilize sparingly

Whether organic or synthetic, fertilizers encourage plant growth, and the larger the plants grow, the more moisture they need. Another reason to press pause on the fertilizer until the drought ends is that fertilizer works best when rain and irrigation distribute the salts and minerals throughout the soil. But without the needed precipitation to move these elements along, they will build up in your soil and could even end up burning plant roots, which is not something you want.

So while you’re in a drought, cut down or eliminate fertilizer use. According to forestry.usu.edu, leaving grass clippings on your lawn can return needed nutrients and moisture without even having to fertilize.

Shutterstock
Shutterstock

Mulch and shade your soil

Consider applying mulch to your flower and garden beds. Mulch can keep the soil cooler by providing a barrier of shade and protecting the soil from drying out. Moisture lingers longer in mulched soil, meaning plants will be able to drink it up rather than it evaporating in the dry heat of a drought. By using mulch in your garden, you can also prevent water waste since it doesn’t allow for as much runoff.

A good 1-2 inch layer of mulch should be enough for most plants, although severe drought may call for 3-4 inches of protective mulch. You can use this mulch calculator provided by The Home Depot to know how much you need for sure. If you have a limited garden area, you can even use umbrellas to shade your soil, so get creative.

Stay on top of the weeds

Every plant needs water and weeds will steal moisture and nutrients from the plants you want to do well. The fewer weeds there are, the more moisture and nutrients there are for the rest of your yard. You can also use weed killer to manage weeds, but make sure it’s a mixture that won’t harm your other plants.

Remove dead plants

Just like weeds, dead flower heads or other spent plants will leech valuable moisture from plants that actually need it. Dead blooms can still use up water even though they have lived past their prime, so conserve water by carefully removing plant parts (or whole plants altogether) that are no longer viable. Dead grass should probably be left dead during a drought, but don’t worry, grass usually comes back the following spring when water is more abundant.

Don’t overprune

Although dead blooms and pieces should be removed, be careful not to overprune. Pruning stimulates growth in many trees and bushes, so just cut off pieces that are absolutely dead.

This same principle applies to your lawn. If you cut your grass too short, it stimulates growth and reduces shade. Instead, raise the blade on your mower to give your lawn only a short trim; about 3-4 inches in height is fine according to Bob Mann, a corporate agronomist quoted by HGTV. Mann says “longer grass will keep the soil cooler and that means you’re not going to use as much water.”

Shutterstock
Shutterstock

Use water-saving techniques

The way you distribute water to your plants and yard could potentially be wasting large amounts of water. Drip watering ensures that water goes directly to the root system, reducing runoff and evaporation. You can ask your local home improvement store about drip sprinkling systems to get one for your garden.

Get a rain barrel

Rainfall may be scarce during a drought, and it may not occur at all. Still, it’s good to be prepared to take advantage of any precipitation, should it occur. Even the driest Utah summers offer a handful of thunderstorms where you can collect the rainfall for your use. If you do happen to receive any rainfall, capture it with the help of a rain barrel to water your plants on a not-rainy-day. If you have two or more rain barrels, it’s also a good idea to register them with the Utah Division of Water Rights here.

Watch for pests

Overwatering during a drought is not uncommon and can cause disease since the plant is already weakened and unable to absorb water and nutrients. Likewise, plants become more susceptible to fungi and insects during and after drought, so do your best to protect your garden and take out any affected or diseased plants.

Rethink your landscaping

Certain types of grass and garden plants are classified as drought-resistant, and these are the ones to plant. Don’t confuse drought-resistant with heat-resistant; just because a plant does well in high heat doesn’t necessarily make it drought-resistant, too.

If your yard and garden already are established but struggling against a drought, consider shrinking your garden or lawn and putting down rock or other eco-friendly landscaping. If your yard and garden are already established, consider shrinking the amount of lawn that you have or change your landscape from grass to a water-wise planting. Maybe even consider putting down rocks, gravel, or pavers that don’t need any water.

For tips on converting your landscape into one that will do well in our Utah climate visit Localscapes.com. If you have questions about gardening for drought or water conservation, visit Weber Basin Water Conservancy District’sLearning Garden and see how beautiful it really can be to landscape with low water plants.

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Weber Basin Water Conservancy District

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