Water Conservation in the Yard

Often you don’t appreciate something until it’s gone! That can
really be true with water. Taken for granted when it is
plentiful, its importance is truly appreciated in the garden
once it becomes scarce. If you find yourself in a drought, there
are some things you can do to help conserve water and make the
best use of what you have available.

If you have not already mulched your plants, do it! Mulch will
help limit the amount of water that evaporates from the soil.
While organic mulches such as grass clippings or wood chips are
preferable since they add organic matter to the soil, plastic
mulches are useful in limiting evaporation from the soil. They
can be laid between rows in the vegetable garden and will help
limit moisture loss; however, they also will limit infiltration.
Place your water where it will do the most good. Sprinklers are
very inefficient for getting water to the roots of your plants.
Much of the water lands on the leaves and evaporates before
reaching the ground. A slow gentle watering at the base of the
plants, allowing the water to soak into the soil, will be most
efficient. Water those plants needing it most. Newly planted
trees, shrubs, and flowers with limited roots systems will most
likely suffer first from drought conditions. Give these plants
priority if water is scarce. Well-established plants, especially
those native to the area, are likely to withstand drought
conditions with limited damage. Water in the early morning
before the heat of the day. This limits evaporation and supplies
plants with needed moisture to make it through the hot, sunny
day. Consider using drip or trickle irrigation systems. Many
inexpensive, easy to install systems are available that provide
small amounts of water to the base of individual plants. These
systems place the water where it is needed most, rather than
applying it across the whole garden. Check with your local
garden center. Collect water from downspouts when it rains.
Roofs intercept significant amounts of rain. Collecting this
runoff into a barrel can help limit the use of city or well
water during dry spells.

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