We can’t accurately predict the future, but our state climatologist
says an extended drought is likely this summer. Are you prepared
for the inevitable restrictions on outdoor watering?

You can’t totally drought-proof your landscape. But you can do
a number of things now to help it prosper with less water this
summer.

If you’re putting in a flower bed, here’s a fail-proof way to
make it more water-wise.

Put Newspaper in
Beds

First, prepare the bed. Thoroughly incorporate 3 inches of
compost or weed-free composted manure into the top 12 inches of
soil. Make sure the material is well rotted. Compost is nature’s
black gold, helping hold water and nutrients in the soil while
extending the time between watering.

Next, dip some newspaper in water and lay it two-sheets thick
over the bed. Overlap the sections slightly. This will serve as
an added barrier to moisture loss.

However, don’t apply the old adage, “if a little is good,
a lot is better.” More than two sheets of newspaper will keep
water from moving into the soil. I learned this the hard way and
won’t do it again.

Slow-release
Fertilizer

Once the newspaper is in place, use your hand to carefully dig
planting holes through the paper. Place a tablespoonful of
slow-release fertilizer, such as Osmocote 18-6-12, in the hole
beneath the plant.

Slow-release fertilizers won’t hurt the roots. They release
their nutrients slowly throughout the growing season. When
moisture becomes limited, the fertilizer release rate drops. It
picks up again when the moisture returns.

Once the plants are in the ground, place 3 to 4 inches of
mulch on the surface. Not just any mulch — look for one with a
fine texture, like shredded hardwood bark, mininuggets or pine
straw. Fine-textured mulches are better at conserving water in
the soil.

Many Georgia cities or counties provide ground wood products
as part of their recycling efforts. These materials are great.
Take advantage of them. They not only conserve moisture, but help
prevent weeds and soil erosion and add valuable nutrients back to
the soil.

Gallon-jug
Tricks

Another resourceful way to make your landscape more water-wise
is to make three to five BB-size holes in the bottom of a gallon
milk jug, then bury the jug up to its cap next to a newly planted
shrub.

Once or twice a week, when it doesn’t rain, just remove the
cap and fill the jug with water. The water drains slowly into the
soil about 12 inches deep and encourages a deep root system.

Even if you don’t bury them, you can use gallon milk jugs
during dry spells when normal irrigation is banned. Just punch
three to five small holes in the bottom and place 2 to 3 inches
of pebbles or gravel in them to keep them from blowing around
when they’re empty. Meat skewers make the perfect-size holes.

Then set the jugs near shrubs you want to water. Keep an equal
number of hole-free jugs so you can carry water from inside when
you’re prohibited from turning on the outdoor faucet.

‘Do What You Gotta
Do’

Bath and dish water can be recycled for this type of outdoor
irrigation. This may sound like a lot of work. But “you do what
you gotta do” when outdoor watering is banned and your shrubs are
wilting to the point of no return.

Finally, when watering with a sprinkling can, place two to
three drops of a dish detergent in the water. This will decrease
its surface tension and help it stick to the foliage and
penetrate the soil better, with less runoff.

The key to a more resourceful landscape is creativity and a
desire to reduce, reuse and recycle. It’s not just a fad anymore.
It’s a necessity if our children and future generations are to
enjoy the same quality of life we appreciate today.