Let’s talk about water conservation...

Summer sure made it here in a hurry! With the temperatures rising quickly, water conservation will be big again this summer. Keeping that lawn green and lush requires water, water, and more water. But, you want to check that your watering is doing the job efficiently so you don’t overwater or have sprinklers missing their mark. Here are a few water conservation tips you can use with your property:
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1. Check your sprinklers. The two things you are looking for include coverage and volume. In terms of coverage, you want to make sure your sprinklers are only spraying where they are needed and not on sidewalks, the street, your car, etc. If sprinklers are spraying where they ought not, adjust or replace heads as needed. Also, you want to monitor your sprinklers so there is not a lot of overlap because too much watering can be just as bad as not enough.
   
   If you’re not sure how much water your lawn is getting, you can use a water guage. A general rule of thumb is one inch of water per week to keep your lawn healthy. If you run your sprinklers for 15 minutes you will be able to see how much water your sprinklers are putting out. At the end of 15 minutes, read the measurement and multiply that number by whatever it takes to get a total of one inch. For example, if after 15 minutes your guage is filled one quarter inch, you will need to run your sprinklers for 60 minutes over the course of the week to get one full inch of water.
   
   
2. Apply bark to your planter beds. Bark helps to retain moisture so you won’t need to water your planter beds as much as you might need to water your lawn. Bark is especially great in both weed control and moisture retention. Plus, it just makes for a nice looking feature area in your landscape. It’s a win-win-win!
   
   
3. Adopt a “moisture management program” to conserve resources. We have a program that utilizes biodegradable and eco-friendly quick dissolve granules giving you up to three months of moisture management. This product is typically used on turf, planting beds, and around trees and shrubs.

Whether you want to cut your watering by up to 50%, or if you want to give your lawn that extra drink, we can help. At Graham Landscape & Design, our team of irrigation and design experts can help you reach your water conservation goals. Please give us a call at 541-729-8029.