How to Deal with Drought Conditions

A drought can wipe out all of the greenery that makes your property uniquely yours. A drought can also increase the erosion of property when it wipes out trees and grasses that are holding the soil in place.

Droughts deprive the vegetation of much-needed water. Water is vital to the existence of plants, animals, and humans. During these periods of little to no rain you may have to make hard decisions about which vegetation you will try to sustain and which vegetation you will have to replace.

Watering your lawn in Drought Conditions

Your lawn only needs about one inch of rain per week for it to stay healthy. Do not overwater your lawn. To determine whether your lawn is starving for water you can check the moisture level.

Watch your grass for indications that it needs to be watered. When you walk across grass it should mash down under your feet but spring back into position when you move your foot. If your grass stays down and does not spring back up then it is in need of water.

To check the moisture level of your soil you can use a soil probe, or you can use a screwdriver or a shovel. If the soil beneath the grass is still moist you do not have to water it at that time.

To get the most use of the water you provide your lawn you should water early in the morning or late in the evening when the temperatures are cooler. You will have less evaporation and more water will be able to get to your grass, trees, and other vegetation.

You want to position your sprinkler heads so the water they spray on the lawn hits the lawn and not sidewalks, driveways, or the street.

In Florida, you should water your lawn about twice a week during the spring and summer months. During the winter your lawn will need less water and you may only have to water once every 8 to 28 days.

Extreme Drought Conditions

During extreme drought, there will not be enough water available to keep all of your vegetation alive. At times like this, you need to concentrate on watering trees and shrubs and stop watering the grass. Grass grows more quickly than trees so you want to use your water wisely.

Water Restrictions are Coming

This will affect your turf by only limiting you to 1 day a week watering. With only one day a week watering that will not be sustainable to keep the turf alive. If restrictions to come about in your county Estate Landscaping will keep you fully
updated on those restrictions.

If you do not water during the drought

Many people choose not to water their lawns during a drought. When the drought is over it often looks like the trees and shrubs in the un-watered areas survived. The problem is that diseases are able to get established in the vegetation because of the weakened condition caused by the drought.

The trees in these yards will be more likely to be damaged by winds during the next storm. They will also be more likely to cause damage to your home or structures with falling limbs, or possibly by falling completely to the ground.

Estate Landscaping & Lawn Management does offer a few ways to help during the drought by using Wetting Agents. If you are interested in helping your turf during the drought please give us a call.

To learn more about lawn management during droughts call Estate Landscaping & Lawn Management at (236)498-1187, or Contact Us.