In the Garden: Practice water conservation in your landscape
Our dry spring weather has a lot of folks concerned about how it will impact the Inland Northwest in general and our gardens in particular. While this is a worrisome situation, we should take the time to evaluate how we use water in our landscapes, what we can do to conserve it and adopt water-saving practices all the time rather than only during dry years.
The best time of day to water our gardens is early in the morning because there will be less evaporation. Watering at night is less than ideal because the added moisture increases the chance of diseases spreading to our plants and makes it easier for certain bugs – such as slugs, cutworms and earwigs – to move about the garden.
Drip irrigation systems and soaker hoses are the most efficient way to water vegetable garden beds. They deliver water to the soil surface, making it easy for plants to access it, and there is little loss to evaporation. Overhead watering isn’t ideal because more evaporation takes place, and wet leaves are more susceptible to disease issues.
In the rest of the landscape, it’s important to ensure that lawns, trees, shrubs and flower beds are getting an appropriate amount of moisture – but not too much. Lawns require a lot of water, but there are steps you can take to decrease that usage. Consider reducing the size of your lawn. Mow your lawn less frequently: The grass will shade the soil, which in turn helps it retain moisture and reduces evaporation.
If you have a sprinkler system, watch the different areas of your yard while sprinklers are running. Are they watering hard surfaces such as a sidewalk, patio or driveway? If so, adjust the sprinkler heads to prevent this or at least minimize it. Repair dripping water spigots, make sure hoses still have washers so they make a good connection with faucets, and replace hoses that leak.
One thing that makes me cringe is seeing sprinklers running in the middle of a rainstorm. There are “smart” sprinkler systems available that allow you to control them remotely via your cellphone, and they can be programmed based on local weather data. Additionally, there are low-volume sprinkler heads available to cut down on water usage.
When adding plants to your landscape, it’s wise to group them based on their water needs. Consider planting a xeriscape, which is a landscape filled with drought-tolerant plants. And if you think of cactus when you hear the word “xeriscape,” rest assured that there are a lot of options for wonderful plants in this category. The information box contains links to many helpful plant selection guides.
It’s a good practice to mulch the soil of vegetable, flower and shrub beds. This helps the soil retain moisture, prevents soil compaction and makes it more difficult for weed seeds to germinate. My favorite materials include compost, shredded leaves and grass clippings from a lawn that hasn’t been treated with herbicides. Let’s all do our part to conserve water, which is such a precious resource.
Susan Mulvihill is author of “The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook.” She can be reached at susan@susansinthegarden.com. Watch this week’s “Everyone Can Grow a Garden” video at youtube.com/susansinthegarden.