After getting the utility costs down inside this year, I plan on heading off the rise in my water bill from lawn/garden maintenance pronto–no more learning the hard way for me. Although I get quite a bit of rain in my area, I still have to water pretty regularly in the summer months {nothing like the hotter regions of the country, though}. I have used these watering saving tips in the past with success, so I thought I would pass them onto you so you can use them as they apply to your area:
- Water early in the morning or late in the evening. That will cut down on evaporation.
- Mulch your plants. Give their roots a layer of cool insulation, that way, they can retain water.
- Plan a rainwater collection system. That is FREE water {after initial investment costs}. I love pretty much anything that is free.
- Group plants with the same watering requirements together. That way, you don’t over-water/under-water any of them.
- If you plan on putting a walking path in your yard, use porous materials–like gravel or bark. That way, any water run-off will soak back into the surrounding areas.
- Leave grass clippings on the lawn when you mow, instead of bagging them. That way, it will shade the roots of the grass and retain moisture.
- Aerate your lawn in the spring. It makes it easier for your lawn to pull in moisture.
- In the west, most varieties of grass only need about 2.5 cm of water per week. You may be over-watering unintentionally.
- Dig a circular trench around plants so that water will stay where it needs to…it’s like a moat for the plant to draw on.
- Water slowly for a longer period of time, rather than blasting the spot with a hose for a couple of seconds. That way, the soil can absorb the water without it just running off to places you don’t need to water.
How do YOU conserve water in your garden/yard the summertime?
~Mavis
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Jake White says
We are trying to figure out ways to be more efficient with the way we water our lawn. We have such a big lawn, that sometimes the city gets upset at us for using too much water. We never do leave the grass clippings on the lawn, so maybe if we do that it will help keep the grass green without having to water so much. Thanks for the information!
Mavis says
You are welcome. Keep us posted if it seems to help!
no nameplease says
A “traveling” sprinkler works well – using it primarily on the sunnier areas of the yard. Shadier areas often retain water better due to less evaporation from the sunshine. Each day, looking at the yard, you can see which areas appear “thirsty”.
KAYTHEGARDENER says
For shallow rooted plants like the lawns, position several small tuna fish cans around the place. Water until they are full twice a week, thus adding 2-2-1/2 inches per week.