SAN ANGELO, Texas — Landscape and gardening decisions are being
affected by insufficient water. This includes planting, pruning,
fertilizing, mowing and weed control. Some adjustments to normal
and accepted landscape practices can improve plant survival and
use our water resources more wisely. A good example is the
simple practice of mowing. Research has shown that raising the
mower height on many turf species will improve drought
hardiness, establish deeper roots and improve survival. It
stands to reason that more leaf area to photosynthesize and
produce more plant foods likely will lead to stronger plants.
This is very important during hot weather. Likewise not removing
more than one-third of the grass top at any mowing will reduce
plant stress. This may require more frequent light mowing to
encourage stronger plants. Fertilizer is thought of as a plant
stimulator. It can be a source of nutrients that may be lacking
in the soil that, when supplied, will result in more growth,
flowering, fruiting etc. The ca