What To Do In Times Of Drought – Grass and Tree Care
Let’s face it, this summer season in Chicago has been some of the driest we have ever seen. This lack of water can cause brush fires, drought and crop destruction. Since drought and forest fires have been common issues in the west, it comes in handy to let the folks of the Midwest know how to handle this lack of H2O.
Watering Times
Depending on your location, weather situation and demographics, your city or town should have regulations on when to water. Keep in mind the rules and regulations may change during times of drought. Most likely you will be told to only water at night, this would be best for your plants as well. When watering during daylight, it has a difficult time traveling to the roots due to evaporation. This means you may need to use even more water for the same job.
Make sure to utilize nighttime watering. Since the days have been so hot you can’t count on daily rainfall to keep your plants and trees alive. When watering at night once the soil is lightly spongy you can stop watering. Keep in mind over-watering can damage your plants as well.
Watering Your Grass – Grass Care
During these times of drought, you may begin to notice your grass has gone from green to straw-like and yellow. This is natural for grass. Plants react to droughts by slowing their intake of water. This allows them to conserve water for longer periods of time. Yellow grass doesn’t mean it is dead, it’s laying dormant until more rain or water comes. Slowly watering grass at night will help it conserve for the drier days to come.
Trees and Drought
Drought and Forest Fires
Drought can drastically change your trees as well. When there is a lack of water your trees may start to look wilted. This is a surviving mechanism. Trees will begin to drop their leaves before fall to conserve the water they have left. It is very rare that a full grown tree would die from summer drought. Keep in mind younger or sick trees may have a harder time defending themselves against the drought.
Since so many people’s trees have been affected from the drought, you can always turn to tree specialists to help. Robert W. Hendricksen Co. are professionals in tree care. Feel free to contact them at any time.
Water Use
Keep in mind that in times of drought, lakes, rivers and reservoirs are drying up too. City water supplies generally are running low since they relay heavily on rainfall. There are some simple things you can do around your home to help save your town’s reserves.
– Try to avoid washing your cars during dry months. This uses a lot of water in which your car just doesn’t need. Try to wait for regular rainfall to soap up your car.
– Shower less, or shorter. This would be taken into account on a daily basis even without a drought. Conserving water is always beneficial.
– Keep your grass a little longer. This helps shade the soil preventing water evaporation during warmest times of the day.
– When you do cut your grass, leave your grass clippings. This helps retain moisture after watering while providing shade.
Drought can be harmful for plants, trees and food crops. We may not be able to control mother nature, but we can regulate the amount of water we use during droughts. Keep these few tips on drought in mind to help the environment during these times.
