Caring for Your Yard During Drought

As spring turns into summer, many areas of the country are facing drought conditions. Naturally, precautions for water conservation will be essential and for many regions this will mean restrictions on watering the lawn. Even if you are not experiencing drought, proper watering not only conserves a valuable resource but also results in healthier plants.

The following tips will help you keep your lawn healthy during drought periods and still allow you to do your part to conserve water.

• Stretch Intervals Between Waterings. If you have to cut back on watering it is better to increase the time between waterings rather than decrease the amount of water you apply during each irrigation.
• Water Efficiently. Light sprinkling does little good for your lawn. Instead, water to a depth of six to eight inches to encourage deep rooting. These deep roots offer grass a larger reservoir of moisture to draw from to withstand dry periods.
• To measure water penetration, probe the soil with a stiff rod or screwdriver. The rod or screwdriver will move easily through moist soil but will be harder to push when it reaches dry soil.
• Water early in the morning. That’s when loss to evaporation and disruptive winds is at a minimum. It also allows the grass to dry quickly, helping prevent diseases that develop on grass that stays wet all night.
• Follow local watering guidelines. Ask your local water department or cooperative Extension service for lawn watering guidelines. Many can provide very specific information based on historical weather data and individual grass needs.
• Be Weather Conscious. Be sure to adjust your watering schedule with changes in the weather. Water less frequently during cool or wet weather, and be sure to turn off automatic systems when it rains.
• Avoid Waste. Set a timer to make sure you don’t forget sprinklers are running. To prevent runoff on lawns growing on slopes or heavy clay soils, it is best to pulse irrigate: Run sprinklers for 10 minutes, turn them off to let the water soak in, then water for another 10 minutes. Repeat the cycle until the soil is wet to a depth of six to eight inches.
• Fine-tune Your Irrigation System. If you have an automated system, occasionally watch it run to make sure everything is operating properly and water isn’t being wasted through runoff or over-spray. Check with local water departments or irrigation suppliers about improved “Smart Controllers” and more efficient sprinklers.
• Look for Water-Saving Products. Bayer Advanced offers water-saving sprayers with Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Lawn Weed & Crabgrass Killer Ready-To-Spray (up to 25% water savings vs. competitive hose-end sprayers) and Bayer Advanced™ Southern Weed Killer for Lawns Ready-To-Spray (up to 80% water savings vs. competitive hose-end sprayers). This is just one small way to make a difference in how much water is used.

Other measures such as proper mowing and regulating the use of fertilizer can also help you cut back on the amount of water your lawn requires. Follow these simple tips to help maintain a healthy lawn with less water.

• Choose Ready-To-Use. When gardening, use fertilizer and insect control products that do not require mixing with water, such as Bayer Advanced™ Complete Insect Killer For Soil & Turf Granules or Bayer Advanced™ Dual Action Rose & Flower Insect Killer Ready-To-Use.
• Time Your Applications. When applying granular insect control products such as Bayer Advanced™ PowerForce® Multi-Insect Killer Granules, be sure to time the application during a routine watering. This will allow the insect control to soak in properly without requiring additional watering. The Multi-Insect Killer Granules should not be watered in with a heavy watering. You don't want the material to soak in. Instead, you want to water in lightly to help activate the Multi-Insect Killer Granules.
• Mow Higher. Tall grass develops deeper roots for increased foliage. This foliage also provides more shading for soil to help reduce evaporation. As a general rule, set your mower at the upper end of the recommended mowing height, but remember different grasses require different mowing heights. For example:
• Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue – Set cutting height at 3 in.
• Bermudagrass – Set cutting height at 1.5 in.
• St. Augustine – Set cutting height at 2.5 to 3 in.
• Fertilize Less. Slower-growing lawns require less water, so cutting back on fertilizer can help reduce the amount of water your lawn needs to grow strong. In addition, cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and fescue, slow down naturally and require less water during the late summer.
• Aerate Warm-Season Lawns. Aerators remove small plugs of soil from the lawn, increasing water penetration and soil aeration, while reducing thatch. That translates to deeper roots and a stronger lawn.

Summer Rose Care

As the days get warmer and longer, it’s important to give your roses a little extra care to keep them blooming all summer. Remove faded flowers, cutting back to at least the first leaf with five leaflets. Roses, such as floribundas and shrubs, which bloom in clusters, can be lightly sheared after blooms fade. Water regularly – at least once a week in most areas but more frequently in the hottest climates. Make sure you water deeply so the water penetrates 12 to 18 inches. (You can check water penetration by probing the soil with a stiff wire or screwdriver. The probe should move easily through moist soil and be harder to push in dry soil.) Replenish mulches to conserve water and reduce weeds.

Fertilizing and protecting roses from summer insects and diseases is also very important. You can easily feed and protect with Bayer Advanced™ All-In-One Rose & Flower Care Concentrate. No spraying is necessary. Just mix with water and pour around the plant base. One application fertilizes your roses to encourage fall bloom and protects plants from insects and diseases (including powdery mildew, black spot and rust) for up to 6 weeks. To protect against spider mites and other insect pests, as well as cure and prevent disease, use Bayer Advanced™ 3-in-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control Ready-To-Use, which is available in concentrate, ready-to-spray and ready-to-use forms. If diseases already have a stranglehold on your roses, bring them under control with Bayer Advanced™ Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs Concentrate. It cures and prevents all major fungal diseases, including black spot, rusts and powdery mildew. Always read and follow label instructions.

Last but not least, if you are a container gardener, feed and protect your roses with Bayer Advanced™ 2-in-1 Insect Control plus Fertilizer Plant Spikes. There’s no spraying, no mess. Just push spikes into the soil for up to eight weeks of feeding and protection from insects. Always read and follow label instructions.