How To Use Water For Landscaping
As we know, water is a vulnerable and limited resource; we should use it wisely and efficiently for landscaping. The total consumption of water by all gardeners is important, although each of them utilizes only a small part of the total water consumed. Irrigating home landscapes and gardens is regarded as a luxury use of water by many people. It is a significant responsibility for homeowners or gardeners to use water efficiently and protect its quality. For this reason, you should avoid practices that cause ground and surface water contamination. The factors that cause a threat to pure water are improper use of pesticides, fertilizers and soil erosion. Water run-off because of excess irrigation should be reduced, and make sure to follow the label instructions on all fertilizers and pesticides.
This article focuses on many ways to save and efficiently use water for your landscape. You will also learn what water-wise landscaping is, how an irrigation system is useful, which type of irrigation is the most efficient, how much water it uses, and which water is best for irrigation.
10 Simple Ways To Efficiently Use Water For Landscaping
Saving water in your landscape isn’t a difficult or time consuming task. Listed below are a few suggestions that simply need changes in habits, one-time investments in water-saving equipment that you can do or have someone else get installed for you.
- Consider installing an automatic rain-shutoff device: This is a cheap device that you can install on your irrigation system controller that instructs the device to shut off when a particular amount of rain has fallen. The device protects your lawn and also your water bill from mistakenly overwatering. An automatic rain-shutoff device usually costs less than $200 to install, with labor included. It can save ample water to pay for itself after the first season only in several parts of the country.
- Upgrade your irrigation system using a smart controller: If you are willing to make a slightly larger and smarter investment requiring $300 to several thousand dollars, you can purchase a weather-based irrigation controller. This device has the capability to improve your watering efficiency by up to 40%. If you get big water bills, it will help you save and will likely pay itself back in less than a few years..
- Upgrade to water-efficient emitters: In the past decade, the emitter technology has grown tremendously. If your sprinkler rotors, heads, or drip irrigation emitters are older than a couple of years, seek guidance from your local irrigation expert to check your system and suggest more efficient options if possible.
- Stop leakage: According to the EPA, a single 1/32″ diameter leak on an emitter, hose, or outdoor faucet can waste more than 6,000 gallons of water in a year. Imagine the water wastage and cost if you have several leaks! The outdoor leaks are inclined to waste since they often go unnoticed. You can prevent this by hiring a professional landscape company like Edenapp to maintain your lawn, as they will check if there are any leaks at every visit. However, if you prefer keeping your landscape by yourself, then be sure to check for leaks at least once a week.
- Installing a rain barrel. Rainwater is suitable for plants as it is free of many chemicals and salts present in most city-water or groundwater sources. In addition, nowadays, many municipalities are offering incentives to homeowners who install these cheap water-saving devices. A landscape-irrigation professional like Edenapp can help you decide how to combine your existing system with rainwater to get the most benefits.
- Select drought-tolerant plants: Mindful plant selection can make a big difference in your water usage. Many plants, like yarrow, white fir, sage, and yucca, get naturally adapted to survive in low water conditions. Seek guidance from your local landscape expert like Edenapp to know which species can do well on your specific property and area.
- Mulching: A thick layer of mulch aids in keeping the root system cool and moisture in the soil. Like shredded bark and wood chips, organic mulches will gradually contribute organic matter to the soil. Choose your mulch carefully, as some mulches are more suitable than others for specific applications.
- Make sure to water the soil:Keep evaporation to a minimum by watering at the root zone. Keeping water away from your plants’ leaves will also help reduce fungal diseases and prevent sunscald. A professionally-designed irrigation system for landscaping, such as drip or any other, is always better for delivering water properly than the simple lawn sprinklers at the hardware stores. It proves a long-term investment that will pay for itself in some years in the form of healthier plants and reduced water bills.
- Mowing high: Mowing your grass high at the upper recommended limit of about 2 inches for most species will help to prevent too much evaporation by providing shade to the soil.
- Don’t overwater: It sounds very obvious as water wastage is mainly due to overwatering than for any other reason. By watering too much, you waste a precious resource and cause harm to your plants. Watering the soil excessively causes distress to your plants’ root systems that further cause fungal and bacterial diseases and root rot. Take advice from your landscape expert to help you design a watering system and/or schedule to deliver the right amount of water for your landscape.
What is water-wise landscaping?
A water-wise landscape mainly aims to conserve water and is also attractive, easily maintained, and functional in its natural surroundings.
If you are a resident of Utah, you have definitely heard that Utah is one of the driest states in the nation after Nevada. In addition to our relatively high level of water consumption and our population growth, this fact has brought water conservation as the prime issue among natural resource issues currently faced by the state.
In Utah, nearly 65% of the annual edible water consumption is supplied to landscapes. However, landscapes in such states are often over-irrigated. A significant amount of water conservation can be achieved by following water-wise landscaping principles as you install, design, and manage your landscapes.
How does an irrigation system help?
An irrigation system will ensure your landscape is watered correctly at the optimal times, as a result saving your significant amount of time and water bills too. In addition, you don’t have to worry about whether you have watered too much or too little. Or, if you have watered too much too quickly. Moreover, you will not waste water due to runoff.
What type of irrigation is most efficient?
Drip irrigation is the most efficient way to irrigate a landscape or any other area. Since water is applied slowly, drip irrigation is suitable for watering clay soils. This allows the soil to absorb the water, preventing runoff. Drip devices use a fraction of the water as compared to the water used by other overhead spray devices.
How much water does irrigation use?
Providing your landscape or lawn with one inch of water takes a little more than half a gallon per square foot (precisely 0.62 gallons). This means every 10’x10′ area will need over 62 gallons of water.
Which water is best for irrigation?
Generally, water used for irrigation must have a pH between 5.0 and 7.0. Water with a pH value of less than 7.0 is acidic, and water with a pH value of more than 7.0 is basic; pH value 7.0 is neutral.
Consider hiring Edenapp as your landscape irrigation expert to recommend the best plants that will do well in your area and install a well-designed irrigation system specifically for your landscape or lawn. We also provide all landscaping and lawn care services all year round to ensure it is lush, green and healthier.