A Guide to Florida-Friendly Landscaping A Guide to Florida-Fr ...

with appropriate drought-tolerant plants. Use the plant list at the back of this
book and check with your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office for plants that
grow best in your area.
Preparing Your Lawn for a Drought
Follow these easy steps to train your lawn to use less water:
■ Mow your lawn at the highest recommended setting for your grass type
(see page 39) and don't remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade at each
mowing. Mowing high results in deeper roots, which is important in
developing drought tolerance.
■ Keep your mower blades sharp. Leaves cut by a dull blade will need more
water.
■ Apply the same amount of water at each application but adjust irrigation
frequencies by season, weather conditions and your region of the state.
Don’t irrigate until you see signs of wilt.
■ Train the grass roots to grow deep by applying infrequent, deeper watering
(but no more than will fill the root zone – in most cases ½" to ¾" per
application).
■ The drought conditioning accomplished by proper irrigation and mowing
practices can be undone by applying too much nitrogen fertilizer. Apply
just enough nitrogen for a small but continuous amount of growth.
■ Keep stress down by spot-treating pest problems only as needed. Minimize
chemical use during drought stress.
Florida Yard Tip:
For more information on caring for your
lawn, see The Florida Lawn Handbook, Best
Management Practices for Your Home Lawn
in Florida (edited by Laurie E. Trenholm and
J. Bryan Unruh, published by University
Press of Florida, 2005).
Florida Lakewatch:
48