One of the most important steps in maintaining a healthy landscape is effective irrigation.  A properly watered lawn and garden is more resistant to pests and other lawn problems.

However, much of the water used to maintain our landscapes is wasted through inefficient watering techniques.  By developing a water-efficient lawn and garden, you can maintain a healthy and beautiful  yard.

Water Efficient Landscapes

Water-efficient landscapes start with plant selection.  Choosing plants adapted to the area will help your landscape be both beautiful and water-efficient.  Keep in mind that newly-established landscaping will require more water than an established area.  Adjust your watering schedule according to the needs of your plants.

The goal of any irrigation system is to give plants a sufficient amount of water without wasting any.

Water Mistakes

Much of the water applied to lawns and gardens never gets absorbed by the plants.  Common ways that water is wasted include:

• Runoff – applying water too rapidly causes runoff because soil can only absorb so much water in a short period of time
• Evaporation – watering in the middle of the day or using a sprinkler that sprays a fine mist causes much of the water to be lost through evaporation
• Underwatering – watering too little is wasteful because it does little to alleviate any drought stress that the plants may have
• Overwatering – excessively wet roots can lead to disease in many plants.  Overwatering can leach nutrients deep in the soil away from plant roots, which increases the chances of polluting the groundwater.  Overwatering also contributes to runoff pollution.

Irrigation System Maintenance

• Make sure that the sprinkler heads are adjusted to avoid watering sidewalks and driveways, or other hard surfaces.  A sprinkler head should spray larger droplets of water instead of a fog of fine mist.
• Don’t just set the system in the spring and leave it on all season.  Check your settings periodically, and make adjustments as needed.
• Check your sprinkler heads regularly.  Remove any dirt or debris that may be clogging the nozzle and make sure that water is flowing at the proper pressure.  Trim overgrown shrubs or grass that may obstruct the spray pattern.