Saving Water in your Landscape
Tired of dragging around a hose or watering can?
Even though we garden in the humid east, I hate spending more time watering then necessary. We never water perenialls after the first year, and use a soaker hose in beds and borders. We use a sprinkler only on the tomatoes and vegtable garden. As a side benefit of less watering and lower bills, I get less weeds. You can too.
The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recommends the following easy steps for a water-saving garden makeover:
Start Early. Plan ahead so that all new plantings take place in the
spring. It keeps you out of the summer heat and plants require much less
water to get situated compared to the warmer months.
Go Native. When deciding what to install in your yard, consider native
and drought resistant plants. They typically require less maintenance and
little watering once established (sometimes none at all!).
Must Mulch. Use compost when planting and cover the area with mulch
afterwards. Compost helps keep the water by the plant’s roots and mulch
prevents evaporation. Make sure to leave some space around the base of each plant and resist creating mulch mounds around plants and trees.
Less Lawn. The average American uses 200 gallons per day watering their
lawn. Consider replacing some of that grass with an attractive groundcover
which is drought resistant, covers a large area, and requires zero mowing.
Super Soak. Up to a third of all water from sprinklers can evaporate
during the heat of the day. Instead, give your plants fewer, heavy
soakings. If you must use sprinklers, only use them in the morning.
Grey is Good. Recapturing grey water or rainwater can provide a free
source of garden irrigation. These systems can be easily installed and even
incorporated into irrigation systems.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip irrigation systems water plants right at the
root and serve as an efficient alternative to sprinkler systems. Be sure to
get a timer for maximum effectiveness.
Thanks for these timely tips.
