How to maintain your landscape during a drought.

While a drought will definitely take its toll on a lawn and landscape, it can be kept beautiful with a little extra care. To maintain a beautiful lawn and landscape during a drought follow these steps:

• Check your irrigation system to ensure it is working properly. Ensure that all areas of your landscape are being watered evenly. 
• Do not water your lawn more than it needs. Do not water your lawn to the point that you have run-off or standing water. This water in most cases is not absorbed by the roots of your landscape and just ends up in storm drains or evaporating. Most of the time, your lawn still only needs to be watered twice per week, as long as you apply 1/2-3/4" of water each time. All of the counties in Florida and most around the country all have watering restrictions in place, for only two days per week anyway. 
• Mow your lawn at the highest recommended height for your lawn. A taller lawn has a more substantial root system, and thus requires less water. 
• Keep your mower blades sharp, and never remove more than 1/3 of the height of your lawn. Dull blades and cutting a lawn too short both cause undue stress on a lawn, which require more water to recover from. 
• Water your lawn and landscape early in the morning. Watering late in the day causes your lawn to stay wet for too long, which can cause disease. Never water between 10 am and 4pm. Most of the water during this time frame evaporates before it is absorbed into the soil and root system of your lawn and landscape. 
• Do not apply herbicides to your lawn. While they kill weeds and generally do not harm your grass, in many cases they do weaken your lawn somewhat. In order to regain its strength, your lawn would need and use more water. 
• Postpone any applications of fertilizer. Adding nutrients to your lawn will cause it to grow more, using more water. Applying fertilizer during dry periods can actually "burn" your grass as well. 
• Mulch your landscape beds. A study conducted by Texas A&M University showed that plants that are mulched require 25% less water. 

For more information visit us at www.hibiscuslandscapes.com

Hibiscus Landscaping

Geneva, FL

407-725-0495

www.hibiscuslandscapes.com

info@hibiscuslandscapes.com

source: University of Florida IFAS Gardening Solutions

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP078