Tips: Saving Water Outdoors
1. Don’t overwater your lawn – no more than once a week in the winter or twice a week in the summer. A good rain eliminates the need for watering for up to two weeks. Buy a rain gauge. Most of the year, lawns only need one inch of water per week.
2. Plant it smart. Xeriscape landscaping is a great way to design, install and maintain both your plants and irrigation system. It will save time, money and water.
3. Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. This reduces evaporation and waste.
4. Position sprinklers so water lands on the lawn and shrubs and not on paved areas.
5. Install irrigation devices that are the most water efficient for each use. Micro and drip irrigation and soaker hoses are examples of efficient devices.
6. Check sprinkler systems and timing devices regularly to be sure they operate properly. Florida law now requires that “anyone who purchases and installs an automatic lawn sprinkler system MUST install a rain sensor device or switch which will override the irrigation cycle when adequate rainfall has occurred.”
7. Raise the lawn mower blade to at least three inches, or to its highest level. A higher cut encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades the root system and holds soil moisture.
8. Avoid over fertilizing your lawn.
[Source: South Florida Water Management]
For more free tips to help us all consume water wisely:
(1) Check out the index of our previous blogs on this page
(2) Click Show Me How to find fast facts and tips to saving money and managing your lawn sprinkler system
