IRRIGATION SERVICES FAQ
- How do I not waste water?
-Don't drown you lawn. Some water is lost to runoff by being applied too rapidly, and some water evaporates from exposed, un-mulched soil. The greatest waste comes from applying too much water and doing it too often. Instead of watering for 20 minutes straight, water four times for 5 minutes each, with a 15 minute break between each session. This allows the water to soak in, while minimizing runoff.
-Watch the clock. Watering in the evening isn't good. The water stays on the leaf surfaces and makes it more susceptible to fungal diseases. Midday watering is better for the plants, but you lose more water through evaporation. The optimum time to water is between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. because the leaf surfaces have a chance to dry out during the day and there is lower evaporation because the sun isn't fully out.
-Play the zone. Divide your yard and landscaping into separate zones so grass can be watered separately and more frequently than groundcovers, shrubs and trees. Both sprinkler and drip irrigation can be incorporated to achieve efficient use of water.
-Raise the blade. Trim your grass at a higher mower setting to shade roots from sunlight and encourage deeper roots.
-Water only the things that grow. Make sure that you heads are properly adjusted so that you are watering only the things you want to water, not the sidewalks, house, and driveways. The properly adjusted heads should spray large droplets of water instead of a fog of fine mist, which is more susceptible to evaporation and wind drift.
-Consider dripping. If you plan on watering individual trees, flowerbeds, potted containers, or other non-grassy areas, consider direct application of water to roots using low volume "drip" emitters. Water applied by drip irrigation has little chance of waste through evaporation or runoff, and will prevent unwanted weeds from growing.
-You can neve have too much mulch. Mulch, conserves water by significantly reducing moisture evaporation from the soil. It also reduces weed populations, prevents soil compaction and keeps soil temperatures more moderate.
-Be rain smart. Have your irrigation system adjusted as the seasons and weather changes. Have a shut-off devide installed that automatically detects rain. They are inexpensive and enable you to take advantage of nature's precious gift without paying for it.
