Summer Plant Survival

Lawns

Don't water too heavily at first if your lawn is bone-dry. The water will likely run off before it has a chance to soak in. Instead, water lightly and allow the water to percolate deep into the soil, cycling the water on and off every hour or so. Once the soil is saturated, deep soak every time you water.

Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda and zoysia may enter a period called heat-induced dormancy, which means they basically slow their metabolic rate to a snail's pace, often turning brown in the process. These grasses can actually survive with as little as an inch of water every five weeks. Cool-season grasses — such as fescue — don't have the same defense mechanism, however, which means that once they turn brown, chances are they're gone.

Trees and Shrubs

Trees and shrubs also suffer from the lack of rain and excessive heat. Although they too have defense mechanisms and very often have roots that reach down into the subsoil in search of moisture, prolonged drought and temperatures that hover at or above the century mark make them vulnerable as well. That's especially true of young or newly-planted trees and shrubs that haven't had time to establish extensive root systems. They can become heat-stressed after only a few days of drought or heat. Unless you catch them in time, they may never recover.

• Use a slow-trickle watering method for trees and shrubs. Allow the water to slowly seep into the soil over a period of an hour or more.

• Mist your shrubs. This technique can save both plants and water during periods of drought and heat. Misting is intended to add moisture to the air rather than the soil; it can work wonders on heat-stressed shrubs.

• Use mist nozzles. All types of inexpensive nozzles are available, and in most cases, plants will benefit from being misted a couple of minutes every half-hour or so during the hottest part of the day. This requires a bit of effort, but if the shrubs you're trying to save are important to you, then it's a small price to pay.