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Planting a Drought-Tolerant Landscape

Drought conditions have been an annual occurrence here in Baker County for the past several years. Many homeowners have tried in vain to keep a high maintenance landscape healthy during these dry spells. In many cases, it comes down to whether or not you can afford to water while water wells in the area are going dry.

One way to alleviate this type of situation is to design and plant the home landscape in such a way that will conserve water. This can be done by utilizing landscape plants that will tolerate drought. Some species have an inherent tolerance of drought because they have evolved in arid areas, regions with frequent drought, or regions with soils of low water holding capacity.

Some species have anatomical or physiological characteristics that allow them to withstand drought or to acclimate to drought. All plants have a waxy coating on their leaves called "cuticle", but some species have developed exceptionally thick cuticles that reduce the amount of water lost by evaporation from the leaf surface. Leaf hairs, which reduce air movement at the leaf surface, are another means of reducing evaporation from the leaf. Since the amount of surface area exposed to the atmosphere affects evaporation, leaf size and thickness are other adaptations, with thicker leaves and smaller leaves being more resistant to water loss.

Some species have evolved large surface root systems to quickly absorb rainfall, while other species grow deep root systems to tap deep water tables. Some plants avoid drought by dropping their leaves during droughts, and quickly regrowing new leaves when environmental conditions improve. Drought tolerant plants are also an important component of "xeriscapes", landscapes designed to conserve water, because drought tolerant plants typically use less water than other plants.

The University of Florida publication "Landscape Design for Water Conservation", and "Drought Tolerant Plants For Florida Landscapes", recommend landscape trees, shrubs, ground covers, and vines which have been reported to tolerate drought stress better than most landscape plants. Although these plants are considered drought tolerant, new plantings will require regular irrigation for 6 weeks to 6 months before they become established well enough to be effectively drought tolerant.

Native plants are also a good choice for reducing water use. Natives are adapted to the climate and soil conditions of a given area and usually have fewer pest problems. For more information on native plants check out the publication "Native Plants for Home Landscapes" which is also available from the County Extension Office..

Other methods of conserving water in the landscape include grouping plants in the landscape according to water requirements, increasing the use of mulches, selecting drought tolerant plants, and using windbreaks.

A Guide to Turfgrass Fertilization in North Florida for a Moderate-Input Lawn

The following recommendations for bahia, centipede, and St. Augustine grasses are based on a homeowner preference for a moderate-input grass. Consult the horticulture agent for information on growing grass with less or more maintenance inputs (fertilizer, water, and mowing).

In general, 2 wks following spring green-up of lawn grass (after the last frost), apply a complete fertilizer at the rate of ½ (water-soluble) to 1 (slow release) pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. Look for a fertilizer with 2 percent or less phosphorus such as a 15-2-15. The three numbers on the fertilizer bag refer to the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, in that order.

With any of these lawn grasses, do not apply more than ½ lb of water-soluble nitrogen per 1000 square feet at any one time. When using a fertilizer with at least 50% of the N in slow-release form, up to 1 lb per 1000 square feet may be applied at one time.

Bahia: two to three applications from spring green-up through fall to equal a total for the year of 2-3 lbs N per 1000 square feet of lawn. When: 2 wks after last frost – complete fertilizer, May – slow release nitrogen only, August – complete fertilizer. Established bahia grass lawns have relatively low fertility requirements.

Centipede: one or two applications from spring green-up through fall to equal a total for the year of 1-2 lbs N per 1000 square feet of lawn. When: April – complete fertilizer, June – Iron application only. Established centipede grass lawns have low fertility requirements. Centipede grass is a low-maintenance turf grass and does not respond well to excessive use of fertilizer, especially nitrogen. Do not fertilize centipede grass to equal the color of St. Augustine grass.

St. Augustine: two to four applications from spring green-up through fall for a total of 2-4 pounds per 1000 square feet of lawn. When: 2 wks after last frost – complete fertilizer, May – slow release nitrogen only, July – Iron application only, September – complete fertilizer. An acceptable-quality St. Augustine grass lawn can be grown with a low to high level of fertility, depending on what the homeowner wants. Decide how much time and effort can be spent on lawn maintenance. A lower-fertility lawn is best for those with little time to spend on lawn care. A high fertility lawn may be better suited to those who want a manicured appearance for the yard. This type of maintenance will require more time and money for lawn care.

This guide is based on UF recommendations in The Florida Lawn Handbook Best Management Practices for Your Home Lawn in Florida, Edited by Laurie E. Trenholm and J. Bryan Unruh. Call our office and ask for ENH962 Figuring Out Fertilizer for the Home Lawn or print it at home from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP22100.pdf.

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