I was looking at some weather records and this time last year we were receiving an abundance of rainfall to the point many people were concerned with excessive water standing in lawns. What would we give for some of that now? Much of the Miss-Lou is feeling the strain, both home owners and in agricultural areas.

Hay fields are dry, ponds are low, lawns, gardens and plants are stressed. You cannot change Mother Nature but here are some options to think about.

Q. How much is an inch of rain per week?

This is a common question I get a lot so let’s answer it first. It takes 27,000 gallons of water to irrigate an acre one inch. There are 43,560 square feet in an acre. Therefore if you divide, it takes .62 gallons of water to irrigate one square foot of lawn. Therefore, if you have a small space in front of your house that is 10 feet by 10 feet (100 square feet) it needs 62 gallons of water a week to equal a 1-inch rain.

To find out how much water you are putting out simply see how long it takes to fill up a one gallon container. If it takes about 20 seconds to fill up a one gallon milk jug then you are putting out about 3 gallons a minute. Therefore, it will take approximately 20 minutes a week or 10 minutes twice a week to water 100 square feet.

Obviously it may be somewhat unpractical to water large yards of an acre or more without irrigation systems, therefore you may consider focusing on areas closest to the home or areas of high visibility. In addition, I would recommend you water twice a week as opposed to a little every day. Providing a bi-weekly soaking is preferable over frequent light sprinklings because soaking the soil deeply encourages deeper roots to develop, in turn, making the plant better able to withstand drought.

Q. Can my lawn die from extended drought?

The answer is yes but we are far from that situation. Even though many of your lawns may be growing slow and looking brown in some places there is enough energy in the root systems to maintain them for extended dry periods. Now if we incur these conditions until September we could see trouble.

If adequate irrigation is available continue to provide about an inch of water per week to the lawn.

You should also raise the mowing height 25 percent or more and limit all unnecessary traffic. If watering ability is limited, apply water to only those areas that are most important to you. Accept the fact that unwatered portions of the lawn will remain dormant and brown until ample rainfall arrives.

Q. What happens if I stop watering my lawn?

The truth is most people are probably just hoping for the best and their lawns are surviving, however by watering your lawn you are definitely receiving a big bonus. To make your decision easier consider the benefit you and your lawn will gain from doing so.

A healthy lawn not only provides great aesthetics to your home but also serves as a tremendous air conditioning system as it transpires water. A lawn can be as much as 20 degrees cooler than concrete or even bare ground so even though you may be spending more money for irrigation, your home surroundings will be much cooler as a result.

Another obvious benefit is water is much cheaper in the long run than renovating a sick or dead lawn.

David Carter is the director of the Adams County Extension office. He can be reached at dcarter@ext.msstate.edu.