Water Savings Start with Your Landscape, Watersavingtips.org for More Info
There are so many great tips for water savings at the new Watersavingtips.org. Take the pledge and save 10% – 25% off all natives at Central Coast Wilds Nursery in Santa Cruz.
Here is a great start for saving water outside:
Plants and Mulch
• Put at least a 3-4″ layer of mulch around trees and plants to retain moisture and keep the soil cool.
• Use drought tolerant plants. They require less water and are capable of withstanding extended periods without watering.
• Consider reducing or replacing grass lawns or overhead spray irrigation landscape areas with food gardens, drought tolerant and native plants, mulch, lawn alternatives or artificial grass lawns. (Rebates offered by most Districts.)
Reset your Maintenance Tasks
• Grass-cycle by leaving your grass clippings on the lawn to decompose and return nutrients to the soil.
• Don’t overwater your lawn. As a general rule, lawns only need watering every five to seven days in the summer and every 10 to 14 days in the winter.
• Don’t water grass lawns at all during a drought.
• Water early morning or late evening to when temperatures are cooler to avoid unnecessary evaporation.
• Limit pruning to the removal of dead, damaged, or diseased branches, dead foliage, and flowers. Pruning encourages new growth, which is much less tolerant of reduced water uptake
• Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.
• Does a professional landscaper manage your yard? Make sure to hire a Certified Green Gardener who has been trained to save water and prevent pollution while keeping your landscape vibrant.
