WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) - Wichita's recent water restrictions caused by the drought are affecting just about everyone, especially people like Julie Oetting who's business wouldn't exist without water.

"It just makes us more on our toes. We have to work just a little bit harder to do that water conservation here at the store," said Oetting.

Oetting runs the Stutzmans Garden Center at 21st and Webb. She says the mandatory water restrictions that only allow people to water outdoors one day a week, on top of the recent extreme heat, are making people more hesitant to buy plants and are starting to affect sales.

However, she says she's already looking at the bright side.

"I think that forcing us to become aware is a good thing. It'll position us to make choices in our plant selection that are more arid-based, incorporating that into learning the better water practices that we can use all the time," said Oetting.

Oetting says instead of feeling discouraged, she's adjusting to the new normal, educating customers on what plants will survive with limited water, and more importantly, how to use every drop effectively.

Oetting demonstrated that you don't want to spray water over the plants. Instead, just water the soil underneath. She says her team is now watering each of their thousands of pots individually to save water.

She says even though the restrictions are causing a lot more work now, she hopes everyone will remember what we're learning even after the drought is over.

"[I hope] that will put us in a conservation mode, not just in crisis, but all the time. It won't take away the desire for ornamental plants. It won't. It may be that we do fewer, but we'll find a way to have them," said Oetting.

While her location uses recycled water, Oetting says the drought is so bad some of the garden center locations are even having to dig wells just to keep the plants alive.