Agricultural experts advise against mowing your lawn during an extreme drought.

I’m finding it rather easy to follow that advice.

Instead of exposing an extra-crispy yard to abuse, I pour a big Diet Coke, turn on the TV and recline in the air-conditioned comfort of the living room.

It’s my way of showing tender loving care to the lawn.

I have consistently maintained my drought-stricken yard by not mowing it for about six weeks, other than knocking down a few stray weeds.

When it comes to droughts and lawns, the best policy is to live and let live.

Friends say they are watering their lawns this summer, but, as I explain to them, irrigation is bad for a yard during a drought.

It has been my experience that irrigated lawns grow. Then they have to be cut. Because watered lawns grow and have to be mowed, and mowing is not good during a drought, then irrigation must be bad for your lawn.

The side benefit of leaving your lawn alone is monetary. You’ll save on water and gasoline. This doesn’t include what you’ll save in mower maintenance. If you never use your mower, you never have to repair it.

Also, you’ll do your part to reduce this nation’s dependence on foreign oil. All great Americans should leave their mowers in the garage. It’s good for the country. It’s the right thing to do.

Plus, it’s better for the environment. Let’s all become grass huggers.

Judging by the severity of this summer’s drought, it may be time for Southerners to replace Bermuda with prairie grass and azaleas with cactus.

Or better yet, we could go fake. Last week, The Decatur Daily had an article that said some folks are installing synthetic grass.

You can get plastic rye, monofilament fescue and other varieties. It’s allergy-free and guaranteed not to fade, regardless of the severity of the drought. It looks great with vinyl siding, too.

Most importantly, fake grass doesn’t grow!

Artificial turf certainly sounds enticing. Instead of your wife saying, “Honey, the lawn needs mowing,” you could say “Honey, the lawn needs vacuuming.”

Being Southerners, however, maybe we should return to the days of swept yards. Swept yards used to be a sign of a well-kept home. My grandmother swept hers with a big straw broom.

Don’t laugh.

She also kept free-range chickens and look how trendy they’ve become.

Scott Morris is managing editor.

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