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Contact: Cassie Larson cassie@mnla.biz, (651) 633-4987

Don't Throw Money Down the Drain: Water Smart!

Most homeowners overwater their yards and landscapes, unwittingly wasting money every time they take out the hose or turn on the sprinklers. Adopting water-savvy habits not only helps reduce this waste, it saves money while promoting a healthier lawn and landscape, according to the Irrigation Association and the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association.

Watering your Lawn

In general, turf grasses need about 3/4"-1" of water per week to maintain green color and active growth. However, during certain times during the summer when high temperatures are the norm, you should allow lawns to naturally slow down in growth during those extreme conditions. You may let the lawn go almost completely dormant in hot weather. Many factors such as the soil and weather all have a role in the lawn's water needs so don't just use a calendar to determine which days you need to water.

If your lawn has a loss of shine or footprints stay in the lawn after walking across it, this indicates that it's time to water. When you do water, be sure to do so thoroughly so moisture soaks down to the roots. Exceptions to this general rule would be for newly seeded lawns where the surface needs to stay moist, newly sodded lawns that have not yet rooted into the soil, or when summer diseases are a problem.

Given a choice, water early in the day when lawns are normally wet from dew. Avoid midday watering due to excessive evaporation, and at night due to potential increased chances of some diseases gaining a foothold. The exception to this guide is when you are in extremely hot weather and nighttime temperatures don't go below 68 degrees. Then it is better to water in the late afternoon or early evening, providing you don't have watering-time restrictions. Early or late in the day reduces the amount of evaporation that takes place during the very hot day, allowing more water to reach the root zone.

In addition, to reduce the possibility of having fertilizer wash into our water system, don't water heavily soon after fertilizing. Use light waterings to give the fertilizer the opportunity to be absorbed by the soil. Also, if heavy rains are in the forecast, hold off fertilizing until the heavy rains have passed.

Some easy ways to lower water bills and get more water to your lawn include:

• Use a timer that screws onto the hose end to water just the right amount
• Water lawns separately from other plantings.
• Make sure sprinklers aren't watering the pavement.
• When soil is dry or compacted it won't absorb water quickly. If water puddles, stop watering a while and then restart, so the water has time to penetrate.
• Water in the early morning or evening. If you water during mid-day half the water will evaporate.
• Confine non-turf plants to plant beds to make it easier to water lawn areas.
• Use turf species appropriate to the climate whenever possible as they will require less water.
• Irrigation systems allow you to control your use of water automatically. If you don't already have it, consider installing "smart" technology or a rain sensor that automatically adjusts your system to apply water based on factors such as evaporation, precipitation, plant water use, or soil moisture. By replacing only the water that is needed, smart systems offer substantial savings - and convenience.
• Saturate the root zones. Roots are generally within the top six inches of soil. Then let the soil dry. Watering too frequently results in shallow roots, weed growth, disease and fungus.
• Don't water too long. Water each zone several times for short periods rather than in one long session. For example, rather then watering for 15 minutes, water three times for 5 minutes, allowing time for the water to soak into the ground before watering again. This reduces run-off.

Watering your Gardens

Most plants do best if the soil is allowed to partially dry out between waterings. Vegetables and other annuals should be watered at the first sign of droop, but tougher plants that live several years only need water if they stay droopy after it cools off in the evening.

Bedding plants and perennials are usually small when planted and have comparatively shallow roots. These plants may have to be watered more often to ensure a consistent water supply. Check the soil with a trowel or spade to the depth of the expected root zone. The entire root zone should be moistened before the plants show signs of wilting. If the plants are allowed to wilt a few times, growth will be retarded and harvest yields reduced. Be careful not to over water. Drip irrigation systems are beneficial for this purpose.

You can easily over water your garden. The most common symptoms of over watering include rapid and gradual defoliation (where the lower leaves on the plant yellow and fall), wilting or drooping, stunted plants, spotted foliage, and gray fuzzy mould around the stem, leaves and flowers of the plant.

Some easy ways to lower water bills and get more water to gardens include:

• Build your soil with mulch and compost , to hold water and prevent evaporation.
• Choose low water use plants such as native plants - they can often thrive just on rainfall, once established.
• Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation on beds. Soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems save 50% more water than sprinklers.
• Use a timer that screws onto the hose end to water just the right amount.
• Make sure sprinklers aren't watering the sidewalks or driveway.
• When soil is dry or compacted it won't absorb water quickly. If water puddles, stop watering a while and then restart, so the water has time to penetrate.
• Water in the early morning or evening. If you water during mid-day half the water will evaporate.
• Practice "hydro-zoning" by grouping plants with similar water needs close together.
• Plants in containers need special attention. Both volume of soil and total water available for plant use are limited. These plants have to be watered more often than plants growing in the ground. Watering should begin when the soil surface feels dry to the touch, but not before .

Hire a Professional to Help

"Water use issues have become a big concern in communities across the United States ," says Bob Fitch, executive director of the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association. "A well-trained irrigation professional, working with today's technology can save homeowners time and money, and provide better results."

Creating an efficient irrigation system requires specialized knowledge and understanding of irrigation design principles and local environmental conditions - something most weekend gardeners don't have. Complying with local installation codes is another consideration. Similarly, the best irrigation design won't perform well if the installation is done incorrectly or if inferior components are used. Something as simple as selecting the correct type of pipe can mean the difference between a system that lasts and one that suffers from ongoing repair problems.

Irrigation systems also need regular maintenance to keep them working efficiently year after year. Damage from lawn equipment or from improper winterization can cause leaks and failures. The best bet is to hire an Irrigation Contractor to design and install the new system for you. To locate irrigation professionals, choose the "Locate An Expert" feature at GardenMinnesota.com. Always be sure to check the credentials of a prospective contractor and don't be afraid to ask questions. Hiring a well-trained contractor and insisting on high-quality components is the best start to ensure your system will operate at peak efficiency.

Editor's Note: There are two photos available to run with this story. Please e-mail cassie@mnla.biz and the photos will be forwarded to you. The cutlines for the photos appear below:

Photo #1: A properly installed irrigation system with sprinkler heads provides a uniform precipitation rate within the areas of each irrigated zone.

Photo #2: Water plants in container gardens with a hand-held sprayer. Watering should begin when the soil surface feels dry to the touch, but not before.

To find an irrigation professional in your area, visit Minnesota's on-line gardening resource, GardenMinnesota.com.

The Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association is the state's largest green industry trade association with more than 1,500 member businesses including garden centers; landscape contractors and designers; tree and flower growers; irrigation contractors; and lawn, tree, and garden services.

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