Conserving Water in the Garden
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If you are like me when the high temperatures hit, yard watering tends to run up your water bill. Here are some tips for cutting down on water usage (and $$) in that area. You can get a little carried away with it or keep it simple. See if one of these tips will help you.
- Water right before sunrise if possible to minimize evaporation and to give plant leaves a chance to dry quickly and thoroughly to avoid fungal disease. If this isn’t possible, watering in the evening is the next best option. Ensure soil isn’t too compacted to allow the moisture to seep in.
- Capture rainwater with a rain barrel and/or a gutter/barrel collection system. Not only will this save you money, but this water may also be better for your garden since it doesn’t contain the pH altering chemicals used for making drinking water safe. A fine mesh screen over the top of the barrel will keep mosquitoes from laying eggs in your garden’s new water supply. Rain barrels are available for purchase or you can make your own.
- Water the necessary amount. Over watering can cause a multitude of issues, including fungal disease. Look for signs that plants need water before watering. Slightly wilted leaves are a good indicator. Remember that the plant leaves themselves only need occasional watering to remove dust and sweep away insects. Lawns should receive about _” to 1” of water per week as a general guideline. This can be measured using a raingauge or estimated by putting a few small containers around the lawn to see how much water they collect. During the hottest periods, you can allow the lawns to slow down. If you want to cut lawn watering all together, you may allow your lawn to go dormant for the hot weather. For more extensive information on lawn maintenance visit american-lawns.com.
- Water plants closer to their roots. Use soak hoses and drip methods to help deliver the water where it is needed without wasting water. Delivering water slightly below the soil line helps make sure the water doesn’t evaporate and places it closer to the roots where it is needed. There are some great methods for watering potted plants too. One involves a water container or bucket with a hose-like attachment which links to a disperser in the pot to deliver water to the plant as it is needed. Another holds water in a container or bulb with a skinny opening at the bottom that is placed deep into the pot to deliver water by gravity when needed. Places like Gardeners Supply Company have these vacation watering systems available for purchase.
- Group plants according to water need to optimize the amount of water used in an area, especially when using automatic watering systems. Try to locate the plants with high watering needs close to the house so they are easier to reach with a hose.
- Plant more shrubs, more perennials, and fewer annuals. Generally, the larger the root system, the better the plant is able to obtain it’s own water. Annuals require the most maintenance.
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Be sure to find rain barrels which offer a mesh mosquito guard, and also look for barrels which have an overflow valve function to allow the excess water to flow out of the rain barrel and away from your foundation. Hooking a drip hose to this valve is a great way to give your garden or flower bed a constant source of moisture.