By Samantha Hayes and Lorraine Brooks

The Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline receives received many calls from people concerned about water shortages in summer months. In 2005, the City of Seattle issued a Water Supply Advisory, and they urged people to conserve water. Here are a few things you can do to help prepare your plants for possible drought conditions.

Get to know your soil

You need to know what kind of soil you have to determine how frequently and how much you will need to water. Use the "Get to Know Your Soil" fact sheet and "Growing Health Soil", which can be found at the Saving Water Partnership website.  These guides can help you determine how much and what type of soil amendments and mulch you can use to conserve water once you’ve determined your soil type. For additional information on soil, you can download the Drought Resistant Soil factsheet at ATTRA.

Practice Smart Watering

Water deeply but infrequently and based on the plant’s requirements. The “Get to Know Your Soil” fact sheet mentioned above can help you determine when to water depending on plant type. For newly established trees and shrubs (planted within the past year), you will need to water them once every two weeks, possibly once a week during dry months and maybe even twice a week if you have particularly sandy soil.  For plants installed this year, you may need to water twice a week during the dry season, even if the plants are considered drought tolerant. All plants take approximately 2 years to become established. Be aware that few plants can go an entire summer without water. So be sure to check your soil's moisture levels frequently throughout the summer.

Using a soaker hose to water your trees, shrubs, and other plants helps you save water. It also reduces disease problems because the hose delivers water directly to the plants' roots, not their foliage. For directions on using a soaker hose, go to this page at the Saving Water Partnerhsip website.

King County and the City of Seattle sponsor periodic sales on soaker hoses as well as other natural gardening tools. You can find information on these events at Northwest Natural Yard Days.

If you already have an automatic sprinkler system, you may be eligible for a rebate on a tune-up and an upgrade on your system. See if you qualify.

If you have a lawn, water it infrequently and thoroughly. Learn more about watering your lawn. You might also consider letting your lawn go dormant during the summer months. The lawn should still be watered once per rainless month. It should be watered deeply and slowly to avoid runoff. Keep an eye on weeds because they may take may take advantage of your dormant lawn.

Regardless of what you will be watering, the best time to water is in the morning in order to reduce evaporation and disease.

Mulch

Mulch can aid in moisture retention as well as weed suppression. It is important to be sure that your soil is moist before mulch application. Organic mulches such as grass clippings or wood chips work best because they help build the soil in addition to saving water and reducing weeds.  You can acquire arborist chips for free from local tree trimming services. The chips tend to be delivered in large quantities, up to 10 cubic yards or more. You can also mulch with grass clippings, compost, old leaves, fertile mulch, or shredded bark (preferably composted). Apply mulch 1-2 inches thick around smaller plants and 2-4 inches thick around all trees and shrubs. Leave a few inches of breathing space around the stems and trunks of your plants to prevent disease. Mulch out to the dripline of your plants or cover the entire planting bed where applicable.

While we can't predict what summer will bring, caring for your soil, mulching, and practicing good watering habits will help your garden stay healthy throughout the dry months. For additional questions on your lawn and garden, please contact the Natural Lawn and Garden Hotline, 206-633-0224, info@lawnandgardenhotline.org.