It doesn’t take a TV weather forecaster or phone app to tell us what’s staring us right in the face: We’re in a major drought and we’re racking up historic rainfall deficits. Area farmers as well as plain ol’ homeowners are putting a lot of stock in the prediction for chances of rain beginning Thursday, but N.C. Cooperative Extension agent Michael Ellington has some short-term and long-term suggestions to help conserve water, that precious natural resource.

The grass crunches under our feet, and the land is definitely parched.  Ellington reminds homeowners of a few conservation tips that serve us well whether we’re in drought conditions or not. The county isn’t under any water restrictions, but conserving water is always a good idea.

Change how and when you water – it’s better to water in the early morning, not in the heat of the afternoon when a lot of the moisture evaporates before getting to roots, where it’s needed most.

Raise the blades of your mower – your grass can look a little bit shaggier until we get some good, soaking rains.

And if you’re thinking about spraying those pesky weeds with a chemical herbicide, think again, Ellington said.

The effectiveness of systemic herbicides is “drastically reduced” during drought conditions. And that’s because plants are in drought mode themselves. “When the water is scarce, they activate natural survival mechanism to conserve every single drop of moisture they have,” Ellington explained.

Their waxy coating thickens and their pores close, effectively shutting down the plant.

“So, if you’re spraying systemic herbicides right now, you are wasting time and money,” he said.

Consider reducing the amount of turf grass in your landscape and opt instead for drought-tolerant, native plants, grasses and perennials. Their root systems are deeper than turf grass root systems. Native trees like white oak and Eastern red cedar are good options if you want to add some trees to the landscape.

Visit the Memorial Garden located at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market to get some ideas and inspiration for plant species that thrive in this area. The Extension Master Gardeners maintain the garden and are on site on the second and fourth Saturdays when the market is open. They’re very knowledgeable and always happy to answer questions.

There’s a specialized weather station at the farmers market that provides real-time weather updates.

Ellington said it’s a great tool to help track rainfall, temperature, wind and get local conditions in real time. Find it at https://ambientweather.net/

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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