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Summer brings peak demand for watering lawns, gardens, and landscapes in our region. A well-maintained system keeps your yard beautiful and healthy while minimizing water waste. Follow the tips below to get the most out of your water and irrigation system while keeping utility bills low and helping to protect the environment.
- Adjust sprinkler timers at least once a month throughout the summer to account for plants’ changing water needs. Doing this can significantly reduce water use. The City of Ashland offers a week-by-week watering guide based on the weather forecast. (As of April 11, the guide hasn’t yet been updated for the new year. Thanks to continued wet weather, it’s not quite time to begin regular watering.)
- Water at the best time. Water between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. to avoid losing water to wind and evaporation.
- Water only when needed. Let the soil dry between watering. Roots will grow deeper looking for water below the surface as soil dries. Insert your finger a few inches below the surface — if the soil feels dry, it’s time for a good soaking. A moisture meter is another great way to prevent over-watering.
- When to Water. It’s best not to water every day. Less frequent, deep watering will encourage deeper root growth and plants won’t become stressed as quickly when the weather is hot.
- Scheduling. Even within a single garden, you’ll find different watering needs based on slope aspect, shade, and soil type. Schedule watering for each zone separately. Consider the type of sprinklers, sun or shade exposure, soil type, and plant water requirements. Remember that lawn, shrubs, and flowers all have differing water needs.
- Cycle & Soak. If you are watering on a slope or if pooling occurs after only a short time, then consider breaking up total watering time into two cycles separated by an hour.
- Check your sprinkler system regularly. Inspect for leaks and make sure all sprinklers are watering your plants and not hardscape or bare ground.
- Make adjustments. If you have a dry area in your landscape, apply extra water manually with a hose instead of running the sprinkler system longer. You could also add a sprinkler or emitter to the dry area.
- Add mulch — but make sure it’s firewise! Mulch locks in moisture and minimizes evaporation. But wooden mulch can be a major fire hazard. The City of Ashland recommends an inorganic mulch (in other words, not from plant materials), like decomposed granite, or fine compost, only if organic mulch is a must-have.
- Create interest. Plant your landscape with attractive, drought-tolerant, firewise, and pollinator-friendly plants.