- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Irrigation System
- Use an automatic controller on your irrigation system
- Use drip for your flower beds
- Replace old sprinkler heads with high efficient ones. If your system is over 10 years old check out the new sprinkler heads at your local garden center
- Use multiple run times if you have a lot of run-off before the timer shuts off. For example; you should irrigate every other day for 20 minutes but after 15 minutes the water is running off the lawn. Instead run the system for 10 minutes, wait 1 hour and run for another 10 minutes. This works especially well on slopes.
Benefit:
- Limit evaporation and run-off
- Limit disease
- Limit weeds
Remember, Master Gardeners do not recommend specific stores or products. You can purchase supplies any where.
- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Now that Governor Brown has put his foot down, drawn a line in the sand, I mean signed an executive order for households to save water, how do you get started.
Here is a checklist to get you started. These are proven methods that will save you water.
- Water during the cool parts of the day. Watering before 8am reduces evaporation and interference from the wind.
- Don't water the gutter & sidewalk. Position your sprinklers in such a way that water lands on your lawn or garden, not on concrete, where it does no good. Remember sidewalks and gutters do not grow no matter how much you water them.
- Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, faucets and couplings. Even the smallest drip from a worn washer can waste 50 or more gallons of water a day.
- Water your lawn only when it needs it. A good way to see if your lawn needs watering is to walk across the lawn, turn around and look for your footprints. If you see them, the lawn needs water.
- Place a layer of mulch around trees and plants. A layer of mulch will slow the evaporation of moisture.
- Plant drought-resistant trees and plants. There are many beautiful trees and plants that thrive with far less watering than other species.
- Use a broom to clean driveways, sidewalks and steps. Using a hose to push around dirt wastes 150 gallons each time you hose off the driveway. Remember concrete does not grow no matter how much you water it.
- Don't run the hose while washing the car. Use a nozzle on the hose. This will save 150 gallons of water each time you wash your car.
- Teach your children that your hose and sprinklers are not toys. There are a few things more cheerful than the sound of happy children playing under a hose or sprinkler on a hot day. Unfortunately, there are also few things more wasteful of our precious water.
- Check sprinkler and drip systems for missing heads, holes, detached lines and for the proper placement of drip emitters. Our 2 and 4 legged family can easily wreck havoc with the sprinkler system.
Please be careful where you get your water saving information this summer. I am sure there will be a lot of misinformation and scams. We are a trusted source of information.
- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
This is a 7 part series on saving water in your garden and landscape. Here is part 1.
1. Create drought resistant soils
- By incorporating 2-4 inches of compost into the soil you will increase the water holding capacity of the soil
- Topdressing compost around plants will reduce water needs but not up to the plant base. Space @ the base.
- Mulch all exposed soil to reduce evaporation with bark, leaf litter or rocks
Benefit:
- Reduced water usage
These simple steps can save a lot of water, beautify your landscape and improve plant health!
Watch for our next installment on Monday March 16, 2015.
