Droughts occur all over the world. A drought occurs when there is a prolonged period with less than average precipitation. Last summer northeast Illinois experienced a serious drought. In northeastern Illinois many communities banned or reducedwatering of lawns and gardens. What can you do as a gardener to reduce your water use throughout the growing season?

Lawns and gardens use a lot of water. On average 36% of water use by a typical household is for watering the lawn and garden. To reduce summer lawn watering, let the lawn go dormant. Apply one-quarter to one half inch of water every 2-4 weeks to keep the lawn alive. Lawns will green back up in the late summer and fall with the arrival of fall rains and cooler temperatures. Water the lawn in the early morning. Watering in the morning minimizes the loss of water due to evaporation.

Water your flower and vegetables early in the morning. Watering during the hottest part of the day will cause the loss of almost 50% of the water applied through evaporation. Water your flowers and veggies where the plant's roots are located, instead of setting up a sprinkler and watering areas without plants.

Newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials should be the first priority when deciding what to water during a drought. Water the root zone of these plants. Water older trees to the tree's drip line. Mature trees need one to two inches of water every two weeks. Ninety per cent of a tree's roots are in the top 12 to 14 inches of the soil and are not just located around the trunk. You can use a sprinkler to water trees, but be sure the water is applied slowly to avoid runoff. Place a one inch tuna fish or cat food can three quarters the distance from the sprinkler to the outer edge of where the water is being applied. When the can has filled with water check the time. This will give you an estimate of the time needed to apply one inch of water.

Mulch your vegetable and flower gardens. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch after the soil has warmed in the spring. Mulches can reduce water use by as much as 10-25%, plus as mulches decompose they release nutrients into the soil. At the end of the growing season, organic mulches can be turned back into the soil, thereby improving soil structure. Mulches also prevent soil from splashing on the plants which helps to reduce the possibility of soil-borne diseases.

Apply a 2-4 inch layer of mulch around trees. Avoid the volcano effect which is the piling up of mulch around the trunk. Remove all weeds before applying the mulch. Apply the mulch so that it covers the root zone of the tree. Be sure keep a 2-3 inch wide mulch free area around the trunk. This practice will help to prevent bark decay.

For more water conservation tips check out the Dealing with Drought fact sheets at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/dupage/news/news857.html.