As the summer temps creep up towards triple digits, your lawn, trees, and landscaping plants will require more water. And Mother Nature tends to take a break this time of year, despite the recent storms saying otherwise. That means you’ll need to be watering more, right at the same time that many communities are restricting outdoor water use. But with a little work, you can cut down on how much you need.
Tips for Minimizing Landscape Watering Needs
Saving water is not usually someones’ strong suit. It is something that should be done, however. When a drought hits, or when you just want to do good by Minnesota and the rest of the earth,conserving water can be an ideal way to go. Here are some tips to help you get started on your water conservation journey, allowing you to make the most out of your home and garden.
- Limit the Amount of Turf That You Have: While this seems like something that might be impossible, given the size of your yard; it can actually be beneficial to conserving water. The majority of the water that you use everyday comes from having to water your lawn. Consider adding rock gardens, or vegetable gardens where grass does not have to grow, and it can still be beautiful.
- Turn Off the Water When Not In Use. When you turn off running water, you’re not using it; you’re saving it. This seems like such an easy thing to do, but believe it or not, many people fail to do so. Keep an eye on the sprinkler and soaker hose and shut them off when things are sufficiently wet. And if you’ve got an irrigation system on a timer, be sure to check that it actually shuts off when it is supposed to.
- Use Only Plants That are Tolerant to Drought. When you have plants that can go longer periods of time without being watered, you’re saving water. For example, native plants usually require a lot less watering than hybrid or non-native species; this can provide you with a way to save. And there are other types of plants that have very low water needs.
- Store and Reuse Water. Catching water in rain barrels and then using it to water your plants and grass can help you conserve water use. If you’re letting water run in the house to warm up (or cool down), put a container underneath the faucet to catch the excess water and then use it outdoors. Also, you may be able to divert gray water for outdoor use as well.
- Water Only What Needs It. Make sure your sprinkler and irrigation heads are watering plants and grass and not spraying water on hard surfaces. That may sound like a no-brainer, but you wouldn’t believe how many well-watered driveways and sidewalks we see as we drive around the Minneapolis area. Use sprinklers that allow for customization of the spray pattern.
- Use Mulch on Your Plants. This helps to hold in and retain the water around the plants. When you want to make sure that they have an adequate water supply and do not become dehydrated while in the sun, mulch can help retain the water while also keeping the ground around your plants cooler. A side benefit? It cuts down on weeds.
Speak with us here at Architectural Landscape Design, where we can help with water conservation in your yard. We know your garden, landscape and grass is important to you, but so is the earth. Using these tips can help both. If your yard requires far more watering than you’d like, why not talk to us about a landscape design that’s got minimal watering needs?
We are a licensed Minnesota landscape design, installation, and maintenance contractor and we serve the entire Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area, as well as outlying communities, including western Wisconsin.