With summer here (or just about here in Portland), here are ten simple outdoor water-saving tips to help you conserve water and save money.
- Adjust your sprinklers so that they’re watering your lawn and garden, and not the street or sidewalk.
- Water early in the morning (before 10am) or later in the evening (after 6pm) when temperatures are cooler and evaporation is minimized.
- Set it, but don’t turn it! Whether you have a manual or automatic system, be sure to adjust your watering schedule. As the weather changes, so will your landscape’s watering needs.
- Water established lawns about 1 inch per week (a bit more during hot, dry weather). Find out how much to water each week with Conserve H20′s Weekly Watering Number.
- Inspect your overall irrigation system for leaks, broken lines, or blockage in the lines. A well maintained system will save you money, water, and time.
- Consider replacing some grass area with low water use plants and ornamental grasses. They are easier to maintain than grass, look beautiful, and require far less water.
- Group plants with like watering needs. Creating “watering zones” in your garden will allow you to give each plant the water it requires – not too much or too little.
- Add a shut-off nozzle to your garden hose and save about 5-7 gallons each minute your hose is on. The garden hose nozzle that I recommend (and personally use) is available in our online catalog, the Deluxe Garden Hose Nozzle.
- Adjust your mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn provides shade to the roots and help retain soil moisture, so your lawn requires less water.
- Water in several short sessions rather than one long session to allow for better water absorption and to prevent run-off.
{image credit: Kai [WSM]}