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Over watering is a contagion grown from casual use and unneeded extra irrigation. Watering habits formed during more plenteous water supply eras have not been retrained yet. But water dependence from out of state resources and treatment plants has to be cut down for sustainable living.
What you should be working on in the garden for summer water conservation is water lessening usages and water reduction. Plant placement, sprinkler management, and yard shade and dimensional soil shaping mean your lawn, garden, and yard has a chance with less water waste.
The flat garden is old hat. De-flat the garden with berms, swales, and basins to trap water and keep needful plants sucking moisture as they need to. But that no longer means leaving the hose on overnight. Arid gardening is catching on. Learn more at websites www.aquafornia.com and www.bewaterwise.com.
Installing rain shutoffs is a major way to make sure those sprinklers don’t irrigate while the clouds burst. It also installs a safeguard on systems that may be too “smart”, they work wirelessly, and can sense light rains. These may prompt neighbors to turn off water too if they see your sprinklers off.
Mulch it up and save water. Create zones in your garden or yard where mulch can replace grass areas. Waste bark, ground wood chips, and compost material can reduce evaporation and keep yard temperatures lower. Make shade pay off by reducing the backyard climate.
Underwatering key areas is what drives overwatering. Find intelligent ways to spot water plants and direct sunlight areas that need extra watering. Let soils dry up a little and use low-water brush plants and trellis constructions to create shade where brown spots occur.
Install shade transitions so plants don’t get shocked by bright sun bursting through treelines and cooking off buds before roots can absorb water.
Drip watering systems use larger drops and thinner water layers, causing water to stick in place and not cascade down the street and curbline. Find a system with a rebate or look for a used sprinkler system that’s better operating than the one you have. Upgrading sprinklers could save one fifth overall water usage for one summer.
Weather predictions are not infallible, and the weather station connection can control your watering through smart controls. But alternate mechanized watering with hand watering, drip systems and watering can depth irrigation. See which plants really need all that water and be sure to water roots, not branches leaves and buds.
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