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Water Conservation in Your Yard
Often you don’t appreciate something until it’s gone! That can really be true about water conservation. Water for the garden- Taken for granted when it’s plentiful, and the importance is truly appreciated in the yard and garden once it becomes scarce.
There are some things you can do this summer to help conserve water in your
front yard landscaping
and
backyard gardens
Try these
landscaping basics
to make the best use of the water you have available. Mulch If you haven’t already mulched your plants, do it now! Mulch will not only help limit the amount of water that evaporates from the soil, but it also gives a manicured look to your gardens. Organic mulches like grass clippings or wood chips are preferable since they add organic matter to the soil. Plastic mulches are useful in limiting evaporation from the soil, but doesn't add any nutritional value to the dirt . It can look good and keep the weeds down .Use it between rows in the vegetable garden and will help limit moisture loss.
Use a Soaker Hose Place your water where it will do the most good. Sprinklers aren't really the best for water conservation and are very inefficient for getting water to the roots of your plants. Much of the water lands on the leaves and evaporates before ever reaching the ground. A slow gentle watering at the base of the plants, allowing the water to soak into the soil, will be most efficient. Prioritize Water those plants needing it most. Newly planted
trees,
shrubs, and
flowers
with limited roots systems will most likely suffer first from drought conditions. Give these plants priority if water is scarce. Use native plantsWell-established plants, especially those native to the area, are likely to withstand drought conditions with limited damage over the summer months. Water in the early morning before the day heats up. Watering early limits evaporation and supplies plants with needed moisture to make it through the hot, sunny day. Consider using drip or trickle irrigation systems. Many inexpensive, easy to install systems are available that provide small amounts of water to the base of individual plants. These systems place the water where it is needed most, rather than applying it across the whole garden. Check with your local garden center. Use a Rain Barrel
Collect water from downspouts when it rains.
Roofs intercept lots of rain. Collecting this runoff into a rain barrel can help limit the use of city or well water during dry spells. Why waste it?Create a rain Garden Use the rain that rolls off the roofs and driveways by creating a
rain garden.
Plant shade gardens under trees or in a shady spot near the house- these gardens won’t dry out as quickly.Add compost to the soil Amending the soil and
adding compost
will help the water absorb into the ground and get to the roots of the plants. If the soil is clay, the water runs off, If the soil is sandy, then water runs through it like a sieve.Even using a few of these ideas will help to conserve water one garden at a time .
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