Preparing Your Landscape for the Summer Sizzle
As the temperatures begin to rise, it is a great time to prepare your landscape for the hotter and drier weather. Here are six easy and effective ways to help increase outdoor water efficiency and improve the drought resiliency of your landscape.
1. Test your irrigation system for leaks. Over time, your irrigation system is exposed to the elements and can break or leak, wasting gallons of water. Check for pooling water, missing or broken parts and water on the sidewalk, driveway or street. The regular maintenance of your irrigation system is an important part of building a resilient yard and ensuring water reaches your thirsty plants and does not get lost along the way. For resources on how to find and fix leaks visit www.smarthomewaterguide.org.
2. Adjust your landscape watering schedule. As temperatures and rainfall averages change throughout the year, so should irrigation run times. Bermuda grass only needs to be watered once every three days in the summer. For established desert-adapted trees, groundcover and shrubs days, space out the watering once every two weeks. The time of the day also matters. To reduce water loss due to evaporation, water one to three hours before or after sunrise.
3. Water deep and infrequently. Deep watering fosters stronger roots system and increases the soil’s ability to retain moisture for longer periods of time. For Bermuda grass, the goal is to allow water to soak 6 to 8 inches deep, so it reaches the root zone allowing the soil to absorb and retain more moisture. For additional resources on desert landscape visit wateruseitwisely.com/saving-water-outdoors/.
4. Use gravel and mulch. Apply a 2-inch layer of gravel or wood mulch around the base of plants to retain soil moisture. Mulch also reduces weeds, provides the soil with nutrients and protects plants’ roots. If you have weeds, try pulling them out instead of using a chemical herbicide that can often decrease soil health.
Bonus tip: Contact getchipdrop.com to receive free wood chip mulch from local tree companies.
Note: They will drop off a lot of mulch, so you so might want to go in on this with several neighbors!
5. Stop the summer scorch. The higher temperatures also mean the beginning of longer and hotter days, leaving your plants at risk for sun damage. Shade delicate plants, like vegetables, roses, aloes, citrus and newly planted plants from the sun. If you are adding new plants to your yard, consider how much sun exposure the plant needs and strategically choose locations where the young plants will receive the recommended amount of sunlight.
6. Avoid heavy pruning. Branches and leaves provide extra shade for your plant, the soil, neighboring plants, wildlife and people. Properly pruning your trees and shrubs for dead, diseased or damaged branches improves the plant’s health. Stressed plants consume more water than a healthy one which is why strategic, targeted pruning is valuable to the health of a desert landscape.
For more information on water conservation visit, www.glendaleaz.com/waterconservation.
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