Conserve Water Outdoors with Green Landscaping Practices
- Mulch planting beds with newspaper, leaves, bark, or wood chips. Mulches retain soil moisture and improve soil quality.
- Water your plantings with a soaker hose or a drip irrigation system. Less water evaporates this way than with a sprinkler, and you target your watering.
- Use a timing device with any watering system.
- Use "wasted" water for your plants. A rain barrel or cistern that captures rainfall from your roof is a great garden reservoir.
- In some areas, gray water - water from bathing or washing clothes - can legally be diverted to garden use. Use water from your fish tank when you clean it in the garden because it contains great nutrients. Empty dehumidifiers in the garden.
- Get a squeeze nozzle for your hose. That way you only use water when you need it.
- If you have a swimming pool, keep it covered when not in use.
- Sweep sidewalks with a broom, not a stream of water.
- Group plants according to water needs so you can water with the least amount appropriate.
- Plant native plants that don't require extra watering.
- Use drip irrigation and water only during the coolest part of the day such as the morning or late evening.
- When washing your car, use a bucket and sponge rather than letting the hose run.
- Buy or make a rain gauge to see how much water garden is getting so you don't over-water.
- If you have timed irrigation, adjust it according to the season and the weather.
- Reduce the size of your lawn which is a water guzzler.
- When mowing your lawn, set the blades a little higher (at least three inches) and your lawn will require less watering.
- Test to see if your garden needs watering by putting a screwdriver into the soil. If it goes in easily, you don't need to water.
- Weed your garden because weeds take the water away from your other plants.