In the Outdoors
During the summer months, the biggest drain on water resources is
your lawn and garden. Many municipalities have instigated summer
watering restrictions, based on time and day, to help control summer peak
demands. Careful plant selection, coupled with wise watering habits on
your part, can significantly reduce outdoor water use without affecting
the lushness of your landscape.
Reduce
Lawn and Landscaping: The average suburban lawn may need about
100 000 litres of water in a growing season. Ironically, we
often over water, only to have it run off, or burn off with the sun. How
many times have you seen an untended sprinkler watering a driveway or the
sidewalk?
The best time to water is in the early morning – after the dew has
dried – or in the late afternoon. Watering at these times cuts down
on losses to evaporation. After a heavy rain, you may not need to water
for a week or more.
As a general rule, your lawn and garden will need about
2 to 3 centimetres (1 inch) of water per week. One way to
check whether you've applied enough water is to place a few plastic
containers around your lawn when you water. That way you can measure how
much water has been applied.
In many parts of the country, watering in the spring may do more
harm than good to your plants. The less you water in the early part of
the growing season, the deeper the roots grow, and the greater the natural
reservoir your grass can tap.
However, if you live in the prairies, watering in the spring is
essential, especially after a dry winter. But, be careful not to over
water.
The same applies to fertilizer. Too fast a start, resulting in lush
growth, sets plants up for a fall during times of drought. Slow-release
organic fertilizers that ensure slow but steady growth work best. If
you can get by without any fertilizer, so much the better.
When it comes to watering plants and flower beds, drip
irrigation is the most effective method. With drip irrigation, porous
tubes deliver small quantities of water directly to the root zone.
If you use a hose, apply water slowly at the base of each plant –
not on the leaves. Soaker hoses, with holes turned toward the
ground, are best for this purpose. Some types are buried in the root zone.
A long, slow watering done once a week is better than several short quick
ones, which may actually do more harm than good.
If you use a sprinkler for your lawn, choose the type that spins in a
circle. This type lays down water in a flat pattern in large droplets
which drop to the soil surface, thus minimizing evaporative losses. The
oscillating type which cycles back and forth applies water in a fine spray
straight up part of the time, leading to higher evaporation losses. This
type is also more susceptible to wind effects which may blow the spray
onto adjacent pavement.
Check sprinklers frequently for proper direction and even spray pattern
and set a timer to remind you to turn off the water, or install an
automatic timer which shuts the water off after a preset time
interval.
Water from the sky is free, so make use of it. Cisterns are
perfect for catching rain-water from the roof for use on your lawn or
garden. Channel downspouts into barrels, buckets, or holding tanks, to
collect water for later use.
Once you've supplied an adequate amount of water to your lawn and
garden, you'll want to do all you can to keep it in the soil.
Incorporating compost is still the best way to regulate soil
moisture.
Also, cut your grass high to provide shade for the roots. Set the mower
blades between 5 and 8 centimetres; and leave the grass cuttings
on the lawn as a mulch. The mulch slows the evaporation of water from the
soil and acts as a fertilizer for the grass.
An 8 to 15 centimetre layer of loose, organic mulch on the
soil surface around plants and trees retains moisture and moderates soil
temperature.
If your lawn fades in the summer, don't panic. Grass becomes
naturally dormant during hot, dry periods. It will revive quickly after a
good rainfall or when the weather becomes cooler.
Car Washing: Using a running hose to wash your car can waste about
400 litres of water. Using a bucket with a sponge plus a trigger
nozzle on the hose will save you about 300 of those litres. And,
never clean the driveway or sidewalk with the hose. Use a rake and
broom and save about 200 litres of water every time you sweep.
Pool: If you own a pool, be sure to use a pool cover when
it's not in use. This will cut down on evaporative losses and will keep it
cleaner and warmer. Check equipment such as filtration systems and water
inlets on a regular basis for signs of leaks.
Retrofit
Yes, you can retrofit your lawn!
The secret to keeping green while reducing water use is in a low
maintenance landscape. This means keeping thirsty turf grass to a
minimum – or replacing it instead with either native ground covers
such as ivys, periwinkle or junipers, or flower beds, patios and
walkways.
Plants and shrubs native to your region generally require little more
water than nature provides (look at the forests and fields!). Plus,
they're usually the last to suffer damage from insects or disease.
In the case of walkways and patios, consider an interlocking paving
stone to minimize runoff and maximize water retention in the soil.
Retrofitting to a low maintenance landscape can be a little costly. But
you don't have to change everything at once. Also, your investment should
pay you back by increasing the value of your property. In the prairies,
consider desert landscaping using drought-resistant plants
(xeriscaping).
If you can't bear to be without a green lawn, consider a
drought-resistant grass species which needs no water other than what
mother nature provides. You can sow this grass seed directly over your
lawn and, over the course of a season, it will replace the existing grass
species. 
There's no better resource than a local garden club or organic
gardening association when it comes to advice on what to plant, when, and
where.
[Getting
greener]
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