Turf Care - Reducing Water Usage

Water only on your scheduled day
Water early in the morning or late in the evening
Purchase a rain gauge... or use the old fashion tuna can method to monitor the amount of water your applying to your lawn
The average lawn needs 1" to 2" inches of water per week dependent on rain fall

Second... is the efficient use of water! It is a sad fact, but the average sprinkler system is less than 60% efficient in distributing irrigation water. There are many factors that go into designing an efficient sprinkler system. Uniform coverage, slope... changes in micro-climate within your yard, such as shade and sunny locations, all play a part in sprinkler system design. A well thought out... and properly installed sprinkler system could pay for itself over time... in water savings alone! It is advised to have your sprinkler system checked and adjusted by a sprinkler professional.

A third consideration is the amount of grass...
Is it really necessary to have wall to wall Bluegrass? There are endless ideas that can be incorporated into having a beautiful... yet water wise landscape. Here's just a few ideas... Put in large border areas around the yard. Fill them with native plants... and drought hardy trees and shrubs. Cover the bed's soil with water conserving wood mulch... not rock and plastic. Then create an island oasis in the middle with Bluegrass and a shade tree.

The days of thinking we have an endless supply of water have to end. We must accept the fact... that we live in a semi-arid, desert climate... and must change accordingly.

Article written by: Kevin Jones, President - Jones Lawn & Tree, Inc.

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