For those of you who love living amid luscious plant life, a drought can be a real gardening nightmare. If you live in an area with minimal annual rainfall or even water restrictions, this problem is only amplified.

But don’t get too worried just yet! Just because you’re living in a drought region, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the enjoyment of a garden. With these helpful guidelines, you can create the beautiful garden of your dreams while still conserving water.

How to Retain Water in Your Gardens

During a drought, plants aren’t getting water from rain, and may not be able to pull much moisture from the soil either. So plants must rely on gracious gardeners to supply them with water regularly. The trouble is, if we’re not careful, most of the water will be absorbed into the soil or evaporated into the air. Not to worry – with a few simple alterations to your garden, you can keep your water where your plants need it.

Mulch and Compost

Both of these can have a major effect on the water-holding capacity of your soil. Adding a 2-3 inch layer of mulch or compost will help trap moisture into your garden so that it remains available to your plants for longer periods. This protective layer not only keeps the soil cooler, but also shields the soil from direct sunlight to prevent excessive evaporation.

Additionally, thick layers of mulch will keep water-hogging weeds from overrunning your garden – but more on weeds later. Keep in mind, you should stir and break up mulch periodically to prevent it from crusting over. Otherwise, this can form a barrier that prevents water from reaching the soil.

Raised Beds

This method is somewhat of an investment. However, raised garden beds can have a huge effect on your watering regimen. When planting directly into the ground, a lot of the water disappears into the parched soil.

Raised beds made of wood, concrete, stone, and other materials help keep the water where your plants can reach. If you pair raised beds with other water conservation tactics and a simple irrigation method, you can ensure moisture retention and direct water to the soil and roots rather than the foliage.

Line Your Planters

Do you plant in places other than flowerbeds? It’s not always easy to mulch hanging baskets and planters, and a raised bed-style barrier of concrete isn’t an option. Luckily, you can still find ways to conserve water in your planting vessels. Try lining your hanging baskets and window planters with newspaper or coffee filters before adding the soil. This will create an additional barrier to prevent too much water loss to the ground below.

Think Carefully About What to Plant

It’s not just how you plant that affects garden success in a drought, but what you plant as well. During a drought, you don’t have the option to plant anything and everything that comes to mind.

Restrict yourself to growing plants that are likely to thrive together in your garden’s conditions. The limited number of plants will also conserve space and reduce the amount of water needed.

Choose Drought-tolerant Plants

When a dry spell hits, only the plants that are resistant to drought conditions are likely to make it to the end of the growing season. Drought-tolerant plants are a great way to bring some color back to your garden, while still conserving water.

Plants such as succulents, cacti, and some flowers, are accustomed to hot and arid conditions, so they are able to survive on less water than many other types of plants.

Select Native or Adapted Plants

This can go hand-in-hand with growing plants that are drought-tolerant. Plants that are native to an area with minimal annual rainfall are naturally able to succeed in dry conditions.

Historically, these plants have been able to thrive with infrequent watering, which makes them a great option for gardening in drought periods. Likewise, plants specifically adapted to arid regions have evolved over time to withstand the conditions of this type of environment.

By choosing plants that have been proven to flourish in a dry region, your garden is more likely to survive an extended drought.

Grow Plants with Similar Needs

This is a general rule to follow for most successful gardens. However, it becomes especially important when your garden is experiencing a dry spell.

Plants that require an abundant water supply, such as tropical plants and vegetables like broccoli, will hog all of the moisture away from other plants in your garden, causing them to fail.

To promote growth, plants should be grouped together based on their water needs. By planning a garden where plants have similar requirements, your plants are more likely to thrive.

4 Simple Tips for Conserving Water

Once you’ve gone through the process of actually creating and planting your drought tolerant garden, there’s still more you can do to keep it strong throughout a dry season. With these 4 simple tips, you can have your garden and keep it watered too.

Recycle Water

Many times, we pour the leftover water down the drain rather than finding other uses for it. People waste water like this every day without a second thought. Even though we may not be able to use this water personally, our thirsty plants could greatly benefit from it. When you’re boiling or steaming vegetables use the spare water to hydrate your plants.

Just be sure to let the water cool first!

You can do the same with the water from your fish tank whenever you clean it. The nutrients left behind, whether they are from your steamed vegetables or the residual elements of the fish tank water, will help your plants immensely.

Additionally, you may want to consider collecting rainwater around your property during those occasional instances when precipitation appears. This will allow you to direct some of the rain where it’s actually needed, rather than on the pavement and other places.

Pull Weeds

This is something you may not think about in terms of water conservation. Sure, you know weeds are often eyesores in your garden and may even strangle your delicate plants, but they also hog water.

The deep roots of these frustrating wild plants steal valuable moisture from the soil and prevent your plants from getting what they need. Weeding might not be your favorite gardening task, but it can go a long way for conserving garden water.

Water in the Morning

If you are able, watering in the morning is a great option for conserving water. By watering while it’s still somewhat cool outside, you give your garden a chance to soak up the water before it evaporates on the soil surface.

Plants can then collect the water throughout the day as the temperature increases. While it is also cool enough to prevent evaporation in the evening, watering right before dark can also lead to fungus development.

Choose the Right Tools

It can be easy to overlook your watering tools, but it’s one of the most important elements of gardening – especially in drought conditions.

The wrong device can waste a lot of valuable water. Soaker hoses, drip irrigation systems, sprinkler wands, and even watering cans are the most efficient methods for most gardens. They are more accurate at directing water to the soil.

Conversely, traditional garden hoses with a spray nozzle can waste a lot of water due to high levels of mist, evaporation, and runoff without ever reaching your plants’ root systems.

Learning how to plant grass seed is not as complicated or labor intensive as you might imagine.

Actually, I find that it’s easier to plant grass seeds than any other type of seeds I’ve worked with. And I’m not even a “start plants from seeds” type of gal, so if I can learn how to plant grass seed, I’m sure you can too!

First off, let me just say that this article is NOT going to get into the ins and outs of different types of grass seed – fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass.

Let’s get real…if you’re like me, you could probably give a rip about the difference between each of these grasses, and have no interest in learning anything about them…you just want to learn how to plant grass seed and be done with it!

So that’s what I’m going to focus on…giving you some concrete, easy to follow steps on how to plant grass seed.

Step 1 – How much seed?

When considering how to plant grass seed, the very first step is to determine exactly how much seed you will need!

How large is your yard and how much of it is in a sunny location and how much is in a shady location?

If you have a one acre lot, for example, how much of that lot receives a good amount of sun, and how much is located in the shade? If it’s about 1/2 and 1/2 you know that you’ll need 1/2 acres worth of seed for a sunny spot, and 1/2 acres worth of seed for a shady spot.

You’ll need to purchase different types of seeds for each area. Grass seed designed for a sunny spot, will not grow well, if at all, in heavy shade. 

You’ll also need to know at what rate you intend to apply the seed. I always go for a heavier amount of seed, regardless of whether or not I’m planting a new lawn.

While it is possible to overseed a lawn, I’ve always found that the opposite happens…not enough coverage!

Step 2 – How much traffic?

Do you have kids and pets that will be running around all over your lawn? If so, you’ll have to purchase a seed that is designed specifically for heavy traffic. You’ll regret it if you don’t.

Some grass is simply not able to tolerate a lot of wear and tear, and you’ll watch all your hard work go down the drain when Fido destroys it in one afternoon.

Don’t give Fido that chance!

Step 3 – Prepare the spot!

If you’re working with bare soil and establishing a new lawn, the area should already be prepared with a fresh layer of top soil that has been loosened to a depth of about 3 inches, and then raked smooth.

If you’re starting with an established lawn that you are trying to improve on, you’ll want to cut the grass extra short so that when you spread the seed, the seed actually reaches the soil.

You’ll also need to rake the area heavily with a garden rake (a thick pronged steel rake) to level out any uneven areas, loosen the top soil, and remove any thatch (dead grass caught between the healthy grass blades.) This will help the seed to burrow down and take root.

Also, if you’re going to aerate your lawn, now is the time to do it. This step can be skipped if you like, but aerating your lawn can help improve the condition of your lawn over time.

Step 4 – Spread the seed!

You’ll need some type of spreader for this step if you don’t already have one. Do yourself a favor and purchase a rolling “spreader” – don’t be suckered into one of those hand spreaders unless you have a tiny, postage-stamp size yard. They’re not easy to work with, and it’ll be difficult to spread the seed evenly.

For smaller yards, a drop spreader usually works nice (the seed is literally dropped evenly from the spreader as you push it around the yard) however for a larger lawn, a broadcast spreader will probably be more efficient.

The seed is dropped into a round tray that spins and “broadcasts” the seed in a large circle around the spreader as you walk around the lawn.

Step 5 – Water, water, water!

Ok, before you water your lawn, make sure you protect your seed from blowing away, or getting washed away.

If you’re laying seed on an established lawn to improve the thickness, this may not be necessary because the current lawn will protect the seedlings underneath.

For a newly established lawn, you can lay the seed down, and then press it into the soil a bit with the use of a roller. This isn’t absolutely necessary, but some people like to do this to smooth out the area as much as possible and press the seeds into the soil.

You do not necessarily need to place hay or straw over the new grass seed, unless the grass seed was planted on a sloped area. Using hay or straw can actually be problematic as there can be seeds left in both substances, causing weeds in your new lawn.

Lightly spreading a bit of soil over the newly planted seeds can be just as effective.

And then water!

You don’t want to douse the area so that there are puddles of water left on the ground…this will drown the young seedlings and could wash them away. 

Simply keep the area moist, or damp, diligently for the first week. This will cause the seeds to sprout and the new lawn to take hold. Gradually over the next couple of weeks you will water more heavily and less frequently.

Watering in this fashion will encourage roots to develop at deeper layers in the soil as the grass searches for moisture. You’re essentially teaching the plant to dig deep for water instead of staying closer to the surface. Plants that receive water too frequently, and in too light of doses, will keep their roots close to the top of the soil…no need to dig deep for water when it’s readily available on top!

One tip for how to plant grass seed…

It bears mentioning that you should NOT spread fertilizer right before or right after spreading your grass seed. The seedlings are too young to handle the nutrients in the fertilizer.

The bag of grass seed should specify just how long you need to wait to spread any fertilizer.

One more tip…

I would recommend that you purchase grass seed locally as you will be able to purchase the grass seed that is most appropriate and reliable for your particular area.

If you purchase online, then you have to do further research about the different types of grass seed available. Local dealers, however, will always carry the seed that’s best suited for the area.

Some of my personal favorites are places like Farm and Fleet, Sam’s Club, Costco, Menards or any other shop where you can purchase a large amount of seed at a reasonable price.

Hardware stores can be too pricey and I try and avoid them.

I hope this information on how to plant grass seed has been helpful to you, and I hope you are all enjoying beautiful, sprawling, green lawns in no time!

To prepare for your family vacation, you hired a pet sitter to come to check on the cat throughout the week, put your mail on hold to prevent an overstuffed mailbox, and remembered to wash the remaining dirty clothes and dishes so you could come back to a clean home.

One important step you forgot to check off that list, however, is to have the plants watered while were away.

After your two-week vacation ends, you return to a scorched garden and dying house plants. Some of those plants can be restored with a little extra love, but the others appear to be goners.

This scenario may have been common in years past, but this summer you can keep your garden healthy and thriving by having your plants taken care of while you’re away. Here are eight vacation plant-watering ideas to try.

1. Pay attention to the weather forecast

Depending on the plants you grow and what the weather forecast looks like for the time you’ll be away, you might not have to worry much about watering.

Keep in mind, though, that even if forecasters predict rain, it’s still good to have a backup plan in case the clouds go away and the rain doesn’t come.

2. Water and mulch your garden before you go

Give the ground a good soaking the night before you plan to leave, and then add mulch to prevent water loss. A few inches of mulch is all you need in order to prevent water evaporation and maintain damp soil.

If you plan to only be gone for a long weekend or a short week, this strategy might be enough to keep your garden healthy. When preparing for a longer vacation, be sure to have someone check up on your plants when the mulch is no longer enough to keep the roots hydrated.

3. Pick veggies that are ready for eating

If there are edibles ready to be picked right now, they are likely to go bad before you get back from your trip. Take advantage of the fresh veggies your garden has grown to prepare healthy snacks for the road. Eating healthy is important while traveling, and this way you’ll save money on food.

4. Trim plants to remove dying blooms, stems and leaves

Along with your ripe veggies, you’ll want to remove dying vegetation to prevent disease. Examine each of your potted plants to scope out any dying blooms or already-dead stems and leaves. They remove any damaged plant parts you notice to keep fresh greenery thriving throughout the summer.

5. Put a timer on your sprinkler and invest in an automatic plant waterer

By connecting a timer to your garden sprinkler, you can program what time of day and how often your plants will be watered. For house plants, try a watering system that waters and fertilizes potted plants while you’re away.

Keep in mind that while a timer on your sprinkler can be very convenient, it can also cause you to over-water your garden.

Again, pay attention to the forecast and whether or not you’ll be receiving any rain during the days you’re on vacation. The amount of rain predicted will impact how often you should set the timer to turn on your garden sprinkler.

6. Cover pots with plastic bags

Potted plants tend to dry out more quickly than flowers and herbs planted in the ground. To retain moisture without having to remove plants from their pots, wrap your pots — plant and all — in plastic bags.

This strategy is effective because water cannot escape through the plastic, assuming there are no holes in the plastic. After evaporating, the water is simply reabsorbed by the plant.

7. Hire a neighbor, friend or family member to maintain your garden

If you prefer trusting a hired hand to a sprinkler timer, talk with your neighbors, friends and family members to see who has the time to help out with your garden.

And if you have a friend knowledgeable about gardening, a few simple instructions are probably all they need to properly water your plants.

If there are not many people around who have a gift for gardening, and you have to hire a neighbor who knows little about gardening, then you have to provide detailed guidance so that he or she can do a good job. This is especially true for potted plants that you may need to water more frequently.

8. Move potted plants to protected environments

Watering is not the only kind of care plants need while you’re away. Plants also need protection from both the sun and wind. For your indoor plants, it’s best not to leave plants in direct sunlight all day (unless the plant requires full sun). Instead, draw the window shades so your indoor plants can receive partial sunlight. Placing these potted plants in a more shaded area also reduces the amount of water they’ll need during your vacation.

To protect your outdoor potted plants, place them in a sheltered location where they can still receive sunlight, or bring your plants indoors. Flowers are delicate, and strong winds can easily tear off beautiful flower petals. By providing shelter, you can travel knowing your favorite flowers will still be intact when you get to return home.

Keep your plants healthy and happy even when you’re away

You’ve worked hard this spring planting your garden and tending to each plant to produce beautiful flowers and tasty food. Don’t let all of that hard work go to waste because of the one or two quick weeks you’ll be gone on vacation! Try these vacation plant-care strategies to ensure your garden remains healthy.

Such scenes have played out countless times: you can take a lunch break, or hold a backyard barbecue outdoors, where you can enjoy the beautiful sunshine.

Except, instead of appreciating the warm sun on your back and the cool breeze blowing through your hair, you start to notice a buzzing sound instead.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzz.

No matter how many times you swat at the bee, it keeps coming back, leaving you frustrated and annoyed. Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t have to deal with those pesky insects at all?

Not exactly. While bees can be a nuisance when you’re trying to enjoy a relaxed meal outdoors, they are essential to gardeners, along with anyone who eats fruits, veggies and nuts (so, basically everyone).

Let’s take a little time to learn more about these so-called “pesky” creatures, how they benefit your garden, why they’re in decline and what you can do to attract bees to your backyard.

Why Bees are Beneficial to Everyone Who Eats

Along with butterflies and hummingbirds, bees are classified as “pollinators,” because they move pollen from one flower to another flower of the same species, helping these flowers grow fruit or seeds. More than 100 agricultural crops in the U.S. are pollinated by bees, ranging from watermelon to broccoli, and as a gardener, you’ll have a hard time growing a healthy and plentiful bounty without these hardworking insects.   

Unfortunately, the bee population is declining, due in large part to industrial agriculture practices that destroy bee-friendly habitats and use pesticides that are harmful to bees. While there is little you can do to change these agricultural processes that are used all over the country, you can make an impact — even a small one — by offering bees food in your backyard and providing them with shelter.

Which Plants Attract Bees

Plants survive off two foods: nectar and pollen. Nectar, which is primarily sugar, provides bees with energy. Pollen is a source of protein and fat. Therefore, it’s important to plant flowers that provide these two ingredients. Here’s a list of plants you can begin growing in your garden to attract bees.

• Lavender
• Bee balm
• Aster x frikartii
• Fennel
• Basil
• Rosemary
• Wallflower
• Borage
• Sunflower
• Calendula
• Sweet asylum
• Poppies
• Butterfly weed

Keep in mind that the best flowers to plant in your garden might depend on where you live, as it’s easier to attract native bees with native flowers. As a bonus, native flowers are low maintenance and require less water than non-native species.

Just like you, bees need food year-round to survive. Remember to plant a variety of annuals, perennials and shrubs so that nectar and pollen are available every season of the year. This will also ensure your yard is colorful and beautiful regardless of the season.

Do you live in the city? No problem! Even urban gardeners can attract bees as long as they provide enough food and a protective habitat. Take advantage of the space you’re given to grow flowers the bees will love.

How to Create a Bee Habitat

Along with planting flowers with pollen and nectar, you can provide a safe environment for bees with these simple tips.

• Make a bee bath

It’s called a bee bath, but it’s actually used for drinking water. Even if you have a bird bath already, you’ll still want to provide a separate spot for the bees to get access to clean, fresh water. A shallow bowl or plate that holds a limited amount of water is best to prevent the bees from drowning. Just be sure to check the bowl every day, in case the water has evaporated, and refill when necessary.

• Set up spaces for bees to nest

All creatures need shelter, even bees. A place to hide is important, because it allows bees to escape prey, stay protected in unfavorable weather conditions and raise their young. Unfortunately, building homes for bees can be a little tricky, as different types of bees are attracted to different nesting materials. Some bees like to burrow themselves into the soil, while others prefer to find a home in piles of branches and hollow reeds. When getting to know the bees in your backyard, set up a few different nesting spaces so you can learn which home your bees like best.

• Go organic

As previously mentioned, harmful pesticides can kill bees, which ultimately affects your plant yield each year. The best way to prevent harmful pesticides from reducing the number of bees in your garden is to stop using them altogether. Instead, become familiar with organic gardening and how to reduce fungus, weeds and other pest populations in your backyard the natural way. While it can take more effort, organic gardening provides many health benefits that gardeners find worth the extra work. One brand that is easy to use and compliant with organic gardening is Safer. Try the Safer Brand 3-in-1 Garden Spray to support both your plants and bees.

• Avoid mowing native violets and clovers

When mowing the lawn, use the high blade setting to prevent tearing up violets and clovers, which can also help attract bees. This strategy also lends a more natural look to your lawn.

One more important note: while you might think that building a home and providing food will cause bees to become a greater nuisance, they’ll actually become less of a pest. With plentiful pollen and nectar, the bees are more likely to stay in the garden area, rather than hover around your plate of food.

Before You Go

Bees might be small, but they are one of the most important creatures on Earth today. Help maintain the current bee population by growing a pollinator-friendly garden in your backyard. This quick guide will help you narrow your plant options and build a home where bees feel safe and comfortable.