Easy to Implement Water Conservation Tips for Home Landscapers
For a great number of homeowners, especially those with property on the coast, climate change is top of mind these days.
All of this climate crisis anxiety has left many people wondering: what role can everyday men and women play in combating what is unmistakably the greatest existential threat of our time?
Thankfully, there are more than a few simple ways to modify your behavior for the better, especially with respect to water use--a formerly abundant natural resource projected, in the coming decades, to grow more and more inaccessible as fresh supplies dwindle.
Incorporate these easy-to-implement landscaping techniques into your gardening process to avoid water waste in the near future.
Be mindful of the heat
When watering plants, time of day is everything.
Higher temperatures mean higher evaporation rates. Meaning, if you're watering that hydrangea bush at high noon, with the sun bearing down on your backyard, all that water is likely to disappear into the air before it makes contact with the plant's roots.
Don't let that water go to waste. Water your plants in the mornings, before the sun's high in the sky, or in the evenings, when evaporation rates are lower.
Pro tip: invest in mulch. It might smell funky, but it's super effective when it comes to preventing evaporation of water.
Group plants with similar water needs
It doesn't make sense to plop your hearty succulents alongside super thirsty, need-water-every-day type plants, like irises.
Be strategic with how you arrange plants in the landscape around your home. Group them according to "hydrozones," basically, based on the amount of water that they consume on a day-to-day basis. This eliminates the possibility of over- or underwatering, meaning you're not only saving your precious water, but you're also saving the lives of your plants, since they're getting the approximate amount of water they need without fail.
Don't let your soil get compacted
This can be an issue in yards or green spaces that see a lot of foot traffic. Soil that's regularly trod on gets compacted, which means that water has a difficult time penetrating the surface and making its way underground, where a plant's roots live.
Adding more organic matter to the soil, aerating it, and removing any dead matter or debris (such as fallen leaves) will allow for the soil to breathe again, so that water and oxygen can course through it more readily.
Invest in native plants for your yard
We've written at length in other posts about the cost benefits of native planting around your home.
Not only do they stand to ward off insects, they're accustomed to receiving the average amount of rainfall that's endemic to your area, so that means you can basically let them go on autopilot without any upkeep or maintenance.
The average American uses a hundred gallons of water per day. That's an estimated 29 billion gallons used in homes across the country, every 24 hours.
Imagine how many dimensions of your day-to-day life are impacted, for the better, by access to fresh water. Now imagine if that went away. Taking small steps like those described in the article above can, and do, make a difference. Start small, and you'll make a big impact over time, and not just on the environment. If you're really focused on conservation, you'll see a decrease in your water bill, too, which means more money in your pocket.
Inspired? We thought you might be. Now get conserving!