6 Landscaping Tips to Conserve Water

How much water do you use in your landscape? Maintaining an attractive landscape requires water. Grass, flowers and trees need water to survive. Failure to provide them with a sufficient amount of water will have a negative impact on your landscape. But there are several tips you should follow to conserve water in your landscape.

#1) Water During the Morning or Evening

Avoid watering your lawn in the middle of the day. Instead, water it during the morning or evening. Doing so will allow the water to soak into the soil. There's less sunlight during the morning or evening, so the water won't evaporate. By watering your lawn during the morning or evening, it will soak into the soil where it's able to hydrate the grass.

#2) Avoid Mowing Too Short

Another mistake to avoid is mowing your lawn too short. You'll have to mow your lawn to achieve a uniform and clean landscape. Mowing it too short, however, can result in greater water consumption. Grass will become stressed if you mow it too short. Stressed grass will then drink more water. During the summer, try to avoid mowing your lawn no shorter than 2.5 inches.

#3) Add Mulch

You can take advantage of mulch to conserve water in your landscape. Mulch has excellent water retention properties. Sprinkling it around trees and inside of flowerbeds will encourage water retention. Water will soak into the mulch rather than evaporating into the air.

#4) Install a Rainwater Collection System

Assuming you don't already have one in your landscape, you may want to install a rainwater collection system. A rainwater collection system is exactly what it sounds like: a system for collecting rainwater. You can use it to produce water from the rain, which you can use in your landscape.

#5) Choose Organic Fertilizer

If you're going to use fertilizer in your landscape, choose organic fertilizer. There's chemical fertilizer, and there's organic fertilizer. Chemical fertilizer contains harsh chemicals that can leave plants dehydrated. Organic fertilizer often has the opposite effect: It hydrates plants.

#6) Install a Hose Nozzle

If you use a garden hose to water your landscape, make sure it has a nozzle. Nozzles are designed to create a concentrated stream of water. Without a nozzle, water will flow out of your garden hose at full speed. A nozzle will slow down the rate at which water flows. As a result, the stream will be more concentrated, and you'll conserve water in the process.