Watering Your Lawn the Right Way

June 22, 2011, By Steve Graham 0 comments

We hear plenty about saving energy, but saving water is an equally important part of environmental responsibility. Many suggest access to fresh water is a looming crisis. Help your children and grandchildren live in a better world by saving water, which means watering your lawn properly. This is particularly important in the arid west, but valid anywhere yards are irrigated. Watering the right way also makes your plants healthy and productive, preventing diseases and maximizing growth.

Here are a few tips for watering the right way to maintain a beautiful lawn and garden, and to do your part for the environment.

• For flower and vegetable gardens, install a drip irrigation system that directly waters the roots. This is preferable to using a watering can, hose or sprinkler system that sprays water onto the leaves. Overhead water is often lost to evaporation and can rot plants if left overnight, or burn plants if water sits on the leaves during the day. The systems are more work the first year, but they save effort, time and water in the long run.
• With either a drip system or hand watering, water deeply and less regularly rather than relying on short and superficial daily watering.
• Water lawns early in the morning to minimize evaporation. Evening watering also avoids evaporation but may promote fungus if water remains on the plants during the cool, dark hours.
• Consider a more water-efficient sprinkler head, such as the Hunter MP Rotator. This sprinkler fits standard adapters and slowly sends out large drops at lower angles than standard sprinklers. This leads to less evaporation and wind-blown water. It also reduces runoff by reducing the speed of water flow.
• Shut off and blow out sprinklers during the winter. Also detach hoses to avoid frozen and cracked pipes and hoses. However, during dry winters, you may want to water occasionally to promote healthy spring growth.
• Mulch the lawn in March or April with about a quarter-inch of manure or compost, then thoroughly aerate. This will minimize the need for supplemental watering. Water two to three times a week through June. Later in the summer, cut back to every 10 to 14 days. A healthy start will keep the lawn healthy without wasting water in the hottest, driest months.
• Give trees and shrubs a deep, thorough watering once a month. They shouldn't need water as regularly as vegetables and flowers, but thorough watering will help keep them alive and healthy longer. It may seem unnecessary to water some trees because they thrive in the wild, but they do not have to compete with lawns for water in the forest.
• Finally, choose native plants for your area. They typically require less water because they are adapted to your climate. Keep in mind that even drought-hardy plants need at least one season of thorough watering to help establish them properly.