6. Water deep – and water less often to train the plant roots.

Plants are smart. They send their roots in search of water in whatever direction the water is waiting. This means the roots will stay on the surface of the soil if you water often and the water is now allowed to soak into the soil. If you want deeply – by letting the hose run slowly for 20 to 30 minutes in an area or by using a sprinkler or soaker hose so that the top one foot of soil is saturated, then you may not need to water again for a week or more. This will cause the roots to go deeper in search of moisture as the top few inches of soil becomes dry on hot summer days.

7. Leave the clippings on your lawn when you mow.

Grass clippings not only return nitrogen to the soil as they decompose but they act like a mulch to shade the soil.

8. Mow high.

Allowing your lawn to grow a bit taller during hot weather helps to shade and cool the soil. Try to remove no more than one third of the grass blade when you cut. Let your grass grow to three inches high, than remove one third from the top so the blades are still 2 inches tall.

9. Add organic matter to your soil.

Compost and manures, sawdust, wood shavings, grass clippings these are all forms of organic matter that will act like a sponge to grab and hold moisture once they are mixed into the soil. Sandy soil will benefit the most from the water holding capacity of organic matter.

10. Choose the right plants for your climate.

Some plants are just better adapted to hot summers and dry soil. Sedums and succulents that hold moisture in their fat and fleshy leaves, rosemary and thymes that resist drought with their tiny leaves, and plants with gray foliage due to the fine hairs that cover the surface of their leaves are all examples of plant material that are drought and heat resistant.