About 30 percent of an average American family of four's 400 gallons of daily water use is devoted to outdoor uses. With the number of homeowners increasing, households will use more water for both indoor and outdoor uses, like irrigating gardens and lawns. Your lawn can be one of the most beautiful places in your home. However, lawns need special attention that includes regular watering, mowing, and replanting, depending on the season, occasion or your pets. Nevertheless, watering your lawn and ensuring it stays pretty throughout the season should not interfere with a commitment to groundwater conservation and protection. Below are three ways to remain water conscious while taking care of your lawn.
Install a functional hybrid irrigation system
A beautiful lawn is the reflection of all the hours, water, and care invested in it. Installing an irrigation system that runs on a schedule saves you the time and money to hire someone to take care of it. A functional sprinkler system affords you the luxury of watering your lawn while on vacation and a drip irrigation system conserves even more water than a sprinkler. Using the two together, such as sprinkles for the middle of the lawn and a subsurface drip system for your lawn edges ensures water efficiency. Ensure that all leaks are fixed and the system checked and tested regularly. Leaks also translate to wastage of water, increasing your utility bill and also results in a waterlogged lawn.
Adjust your watering schedule
During midday and hot summer afternoons, the water evaporation rate is higher due to the temperature increase. Temperature affects a soil’s ability to absorb and retain moisture, which in turn requires more water to be applied to your lawn. Change your watering schedule to early in the morning when the grass is still dewy, as it is more likely to retain all the water. You can buy a programmable water timer for this specific purpose. Another amazing idea would include heavy watering your lawn often. Lawns watered in this way can survive up to seven days without a second session, cutting back on both the water and manpower.Tailor your grass to your soil
If you are planting your grass for the first time, or are replanting it either due to damage from the winter season or a disease, then consider hiring a professional. There are different types of grass, and all of them demand various inputs to thrive. Planting the wrong type of grass can bring along lots of challenges, and even require expensive and harmful chemical treatments and a lot of water. For instance, St. Augustine, a warm season grass, requires watering every 3-6 days to grow beautifully. If your soil is not alkaline, then planting this type of grass soil will lead to wasted water, compared to a grass that naturally grows in your area.
Water conservation is a critical aspect of environmental conservation and this includes doing your best to maximize the available natural resources. Your lawn is also important as it is an area to relax, entertain and play. A creative way to avoid compromising on either is to harvest your rainwater for lawn irrigation. However, it is the small things that count, and avoiding water wastage in such small ways really makes a bigger difference.
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Sally Phillips is a freelance writer with many years experience across many different areas. She enjoys reading, hiking, spending time with her family, and traveling as much as possible.
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