These
Lawn Care Tips are courtesy of the CICA
(click
to visit)
Connecticut Irrigation Association Water
Saving Tips
Avoid Water Restrictions Through Water Conservation
1.
Check and adjust your irrigation system program weekly.
Take
natural rainfall into consideration when programming.
2. Water lawns thoroughly but not too often. (About 1” per
week on most soils.) Don’t over water your lawn.
3. Water lawns and plantings separately. Plantings generally
have larger and deeper root zones and require less frequent
watering.
4. Know your soil type. Sandy soils may need more water.
Sloped or clay soil may require more frequent light watering
to
avoid runoff (cycle and soak).
5. Water during early morning hours when temperatures and
wind speed are lowest. This reduces losses from evaporation.
6. Mulch flowerbeds, gardens and landscape beds with a porous
material to retain moisture. Mulching also helps control
weeds that compete with plants for water.
7. Plant native and/or drought-tolerant grasses, ground covers,
shrubs and trees. Once established, they do not need to be
watered as frequently and they usually will survive a dry
period without any watering.
8. Group plants together based on similar water needs.
9. Install sprinklers that are the most water-efficient for
each use. Low trajectory nozzles for windy sites. Micro and
drip irrigation for landscaped areas.
10. Check sprinkler heads for rotation and check for broken
or clogged sprinklers.
11. Check to make sure rain shut off device is operating
properly.
12. Set sprinklers to water your lawn and landscaped areas
only. Do not over spray onto driveways, sidewalks, etc.
13. Always use a sharp mower blade.
14. Never remove more than 25-30% of the leaf blade when
mowing. If you are then you need to mow more frequently.
15. Raise the height of cut to at least three inches. A lawn
cut higher encourages grass roots to grow deeper, shades
the root system and holds soil moisture better than a closely
clipped lawn.
16. Avoid over fertilizing your lawn. The application of
fertilizers increases the need for water. Apply fertilizers
that contain
slow release, water-insoluble forms of nitrogen.
Additional Water Saving Tips For During a Drought
1.
Do not water lawns and plants until first signs of
stress
occur.
2.
Prioritize areas within your site for irrigation. Not
all areas may need to be irrigated. Most
turf grass species will
go dormant during a drought and green back up when sufficient
rains return.
