Keep Your Landscape Green Despite Watering Bans and High Water Bills

You can have a good-looking landscape and lower your water bill this summer! 

Whether it is a self-imposed or community wide watering ban, many gardeners are looking for ways to reduce their use of municipal water.

Start by prioritizing your watering needs.  New plantings and stressed plants should receive top priority.  Make sure these plants are watered thoroughly and often enough to keep the young and recovering root system evenly moist.

Next are the moisture-loving plants like paper bark birch, katsuras and Japanese maples.  Water thoroughly and mulch the soil around the base of the plants to keep the roots cool and moist.  This also eliminates the grass that is a big competitor for water and nutrients.

Consider letting your lawn go dormant.  Dormant grass will recover though you may have a few more weeds to control in fall.

And, don’t forget about established trees and shrubs.  They do need a helping hand during extended droughts.  Water the area under the canopy thoroughly.

A bit more information:  You can further reduce your water bill, live within your communities watering ban and keep your landscape thriving.  Capture rain with the help of rain barrels and cisterns.  You can collect 623 gallons of water off 1,000 square feet of roof for every inch of rain.  Try interlinking several barrels to maximize your ability to capture and store rainwater.  And, make sure to have an overflow hose to direct excess water away from the house and into the lawn or better yet rain garden.  You will be amazed what a difference this can make.

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japanese-maple paper-birch katsura-tree rain-barrel

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