Water Conservation During Drought

When it’s hot and dry, it is important to think about water conservation. The goal is to keep our plants alive while conserving water. Here are a few adjustments you can make to your lawn and landscape to help your plants survive the drought and conserve water:

• Observe your plants carefully and water when you observe wilt. Note: It is natural for plants to wilt in the middle of the day in direct sun, so check them for water stress in the morning or evening.

• Water early in the morning, from 4-8 a.m., when it's coolest and evaporation rates are low. Be sure to follow local watering restrictions.

• Increase the mowing height of your lawn to encourage a deeper root system to withstand drought.

• Top dress your lawn and landscape beds with compost to increase soil moisture holding capacity.

• Apply 2-3” of mulch to landscape beds to reduce evaporation of water from landscape beds.

• Remove weeds from garden beds to reduce competition for water.

• Place a saucer under potted plants to better hydrate the plants and save water.

• Install a rain barrel or a rain garden to capture rainwater.

• Check your irrigation systems to make sure they are working properly. Clean filters and fix any breaks or leaks.

• Remove plants that are not well-suited for your landscape and replace them with drought-tolerant plants. Now is a good time to make sure you have the Right Plant in the Right Place.

It’s important to conserve water used for lawns and landscapes to save potable water for more important uses, such as drinking.

For more information, please contact the local K-State Extension Office.

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