Last month, we discussed several strategies to heal your plants deal with the summer heat. This month, we have a few additional tips to help your yard survive a drought. If you missed part 1 of Drought Proofing Your Landscaping design, click here.
If you have chosen plants that need shade to thrive, be sure to take advantage of the shaded regions of your yard. If you don’t have shaded areas or they are already full, you can easily create artificial shade. One way to do this is through using a shade cloth. The shade cloth can be used to cover rows of vegetables or other plants.
Another way to create shade is through the use of taller plants. Flowers such as sunflowers, coneflowers, and foxgloves are all great options to provide shade for shorter, shade loving plants. In addition, the soil of shaded regions will retain water better so you could plant flowers with more stringent water requirements in those areas as well.
While mulch is great at retaining moisture, you may still need to water your plants if it hasn’t rained in a long time. Watering less frequently but making sure it reaches the roots of the plants is the best way to water your plants. This strategy encourages deep root growth. Frequent and shallow waterings keep the roots near the surface which can make them less resistant to hotter, drier conditions. However, if your plants are in flowering or fruiting stage, be careful as to not let them go too long without water as that could kill the plant.
One way to water your plants is through drip irrigation. A drip irrigation system waters the base of your plants so the roots soak it up rather than other irrigation systems that water the entire plant. This helps to reduce water consumption while watering your plant deeply. Another irrigation system design option is through the use of overhead sprinklers. However, these sprinklers will allow for more water loss due to evaporation. If you use this type of sprinkler, it’s best to water in the evenings.
A more complicated way to prepare your yard for drier conditions is by improving your soil. Soil that is close to that found in nature is the best kind for surviving droughts. Soil found organically is generally comprised of 50 percent clay, sand, and organic matter, and 25 percent each of air and water. Most garden soil consists of 75 percent clay, sand, and organic matter, and only 25 percent combined of water. To help mimic more natural soils, consider aerating your garden’s soil. You can do this with a garden fork. Aeration will create more space in the soil to let in water and air, resulting in healthier soil.
This concludes our two-part blog series on drought-proofing your landscaping.
At Aeroscape, we have professional landscape contractors ready to help you keep your property looking green. Call Aeroscape at (801) 567-2383 or click on our Contact an Expert green arrow on any page of our website to get in touch with us today.
