Tips to Conserve Water & Improve Your Lawn

The following tips from My Energy Tips and PSE&G will help you to conserve water while improving the quality of your lawn.

Lawn and landscape watering creates a surge in water demand during the summer months. For most homeowners, a green healthy lawn is a top priority. Many amateur landscapers end up over-watering their lawn, causing more harm than if they did not water it at all. By following some simple steps however, you can conserve a lot of water while still having that green lawn that you have always dreamed of.

Ø Fertilize properly. A good fertilization system provides the proper nutrients that enable your grass to build a deep root system that can better access water within the soil.

Ø Irrigate your lawn deeply (down to 4-6 inches) instead of every day. A well-irrigated lawn does not need to be watered more than once a week.

Ø If you use an automatic sprinkler system, install a rain shut-off device to avoid unnecessary watering.

Ø Use a rain gauge to measure how much rain or watering that your lawn receives. A lawn typically needs only 1-1½ inches of water per week.

Ø Schedule your watering cycles to reduce runoff and increase absorption. Try and water only as rapidly as the soil can absorb the moisture.

Ø Water early in the morning. Wind and temperatures are generally the lowest of the day, thus allowing water to be applied evenly and with little loss from evaporation.

Ø Adjust your lawnmower to a higher setting. Higher grass holds moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.

Ø Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart to allow water to reach to the root system instead of running off. Inexpensive manual or powered aerators are available at your local DIY retailer.