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Happy weekend, kids! It's that time of year for many of us, when we think about sprucing up our landscapes for the upcoming summer season. Some areas have an ongoing problem with drought, and even when we're not in drought, we should still conserve water. How to do that? Scroll on down for Today's Tip!
TIPS FOR PROTECTING YOUR YARD AND CONSERVING WATER DURING DROUGHT
Water trees first. Trees reduce the temperature of everything around them and are the most expensive things to replace. Drill several 4" wide holes about 24"-30" deep around the base of the tree, being careful not to damage large roots. [Check with your local utility company before you dig!] Fill the holes with compost, which helps water to reach the roots of the tree. Another option is to put your garden hose on a timed, low drip so that the water will seep deep into the ground.
Mulching flower and soil beds will help keep moisture in.
Don't mow your grass too short; 3 to 3.5" is best.
Don't use high-nitrogen fertilizers during a drought.
Repair any leaks in your hose or water spigot.
Attach a water-efficient spray nozzle to the hose.
Water early, before 9 a.m. so that the water doesn't quickly evaporate in the heat of the day.
If you have an irrigation system, set the timer to run only half the normal time. Then run a second cycle after a half-hour has passed. This gives the water a better chance to seep deep into the ground without runoff.
If you can easily jab a 6" screwdriver into your lawn, you can wait a week before watering.
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Wow, I would never drill 4 inch holes 24 inches down at the base of a tree. That's a sure death of a good tree. Besides creating a diseased gall situation therer the trees don't drink water at their base. They drink their water at the outter drip line area, that's the edge of the canopy of the tree. There at the drip line you could run a 2 ft rebar down every 6-10 inches apart around the tree and water. It's really best to run a drip water system at the drip line area and let it run for several hours maybe twice a month under normal conditions. Deep infrequent soaking is better than shallow watering as you need to get water way down into the lower root system which can be several feet.
Excellent tips! If I ever have another "yard" these will come in handy. My last tree planted was the desert willow in Texas. It's drought resistant but needed a nudge for a baby tree so did the back and forth thing with the hose. I didn't know about the round-about thingy. The desert willow has a gorgeous flower. I can imagine whoever is now in that house is enjoying what I left behind.
Thanks for the tip Pam! I don't know if our poor trees can last another drought like we had here in Texas last year. The city has lost some HUGE oak trees.
I really like the circle thing. Going to have to show hubby. I have an old soaker hose that can be recycled!!!
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good advice on saving water!
