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One of the most importantsteps in maintaining a healthylandscape is effective irrigation.A properly watered lawnand garden is more resistant to pestsand other lawn problems. However, much of the water used to maintain ourlandscapes is wasted through inefficientwatering techniques. By developing awater-efficient lawn and garden, one canmaintain a healthy and beautiful yardthat benefits the environment.
A water-efficient landscape starts with plant selection. Choosing plantsadapted to the area will help the landscape be both beautiful and waterefficient.Plants native to the areatypically require less maintenance andsmaller amounts of pesticides, fertilizers, and supplemental water. Newly established landscaping will require more water than an established area.Adjust the watering schedule accordingto the needs of plants.
Much of the water applied to lawnsand gardens never gets absorbed bythe plants. Common ways that water is wasted include:
- Runoff: Applying water too rapidly causes runoff, because grass andplants can only absorb so much water at a time. When runoff occurs, soil, fertilizers, and pesticides can be carried to nearby streams.
- Evaporation: Watering in themiddle of the day or using asprinkler that sprays a fine mistcauses much of the water applied to be lost through evaporation.Plants don’t have enough timeto absorb the water before itis evaporated by the sun.
- Under-watering: Watering toolittle is wasteful because it doeslittle to alleviate any droughtstress that the plants may have.
- Over watering: Applying too much or too often causes thegreatest waste of water. In addition to over watering the plant, excessive irrigation can leach nutrients deep into the soil awayfrom plant roots, which increasesthe chances of polluting thegroundwater. Overwatering alsocontributes to runoff pollution.
The goal of any irrigation system is togive plants a sufficient amount of waterwithout wasting any. Effectivewater conservation can be achieved for a landscape using either sprinkler ordrip irrigation systems.
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