When it comes to watering your plants and lawn in the summer, you might think that more water is a good thing. Wrong. Using excess water can actually damage your plants and contribute to a large amount of wasted water. Follow some of these tips to decrease your outdoor water use and keep your plants and lawn healthy and looking great.
Water in the mornings or the evenings to reduce the amount of water that evaporates. Watering before the sun is hot, or after it goes down, allows the water to be fully absorbed instead of evaporating. Try to use your garbage disposal as little as possible. Try starting a compost pile instead. Not only is it wonderful for your garden, you’ll avoid wasting gallons of water every time you use the garbage disposal. Put a layer of mulch around your plants. The mulch will retain moisture longer and keep your plants hydrated. You can even put a layer or two of newspaper under the mulch to help absorb even more water. Save the sprinkler for large areas that you can’t do by hand. If it’s possible to water by hand, do it. Watering by hand helps you avoid over-watering. Everyone likes a fresh cut lawn, but you don’t have to set your mower to the lowest setting to for it to look nice. In fact, if you set your mower to a higher setting it will help the grass shade the root system and keep the soil moist. Moist soil will keep the grass healthy, and healthy grass means a greener yard. Direct your downspouts towards your plants or a tree. You can also use the water from your downspouts to water your plants, when possible, instead of using the hose. When watering your plants, water the roots not the leaves. The leaves don’t need the water as much as the roots do. Keeping the roots moist will help the leaves stay healthy. Avoid watering your plants on really windy days. A lot of the water ends up on the driveway and the sidewalk where it is just wasted. Make sure you keep your lawn and garden weeded regularly. Weeds compete with your other plants for water.