Easy Ways to Keep a Picturesque Lawn While Saving Water

Easy Ways to Keep a Picturesque Lawn While Saving Water

If you want to know how to conserve water while maintaining the prettiest yard on the block, you’ve come to the right place. Fortunately, there are many practical ways to lower your

How does your landscaping look?

water bills and protect your community’s water supply—and they don’t involve a lot of time, energy, or money.

By making some simple changes of habit and potentially making some one-time investments in equipment, you can keep a beautiful, lush lawn and significantly reduce the amount of water you waste. And Garden Guy is going to tell you how to do it!

Don’t mow too low.

A lot of homeowners mow the grass too short either because it reduces the frequency they have to mow or simply because they don’t know they are doing it. However, if your grass is too short, it’s not going to do the soil any favors. Maintain a grass height at the upper recommended limit,

How low should you mow??

which is about 2.5 inches for most species. Along with helping shade the soil, this will also minimize evaporation.

Avoid over-watering.

Overwatering is the culprit for most of the water wasted when it comes to landscaping. But aside from wasting precious resources, overwatering is also terrible for plants. If your soil is holding too much water, it will put a strain on the root systems of your plants and can quickly lead to rotting, as well as bacterial and fungal diseases. Your landscape professional should be able to direct you on how much water you will need for each area of your landscape.

Explore your financing options.

Depending on your unique landscape, investing in equipment or property modifications might be necessary for you to keep a healthy lawn and save water. The good news is you might qualify for assistance programs. For example, the Energy Efficient Mortgage program (through the FHA) could potentially finance certain eco-friendly home modifications by including them in the costs of your mortgage.

Consider a smart irrigation system.

If you do not currently have a smart irrigation system, it’s worth your consideration, particularly if you have a rather large water bill. Depending on the system you choose and what your landscape needs, you can get a weather-based irrigation controller for $300 to a few thousand dollars. Such a system would increase your water efficiency by up to 40%, which means the savings on your water bill could pay for the investment within two years.

Get an automatic shutoff device.

One budget-friendly piece of equipment that any homeowner can benefit from is an automatic rain shutoff device. The initial investment is inexpensive, and you will likely pay under $200 to install the device. The device essentially cuts off your irrigation system when it detects a certain amount of rain, and it can save you enough on your water bill to pay itself off in the first season of use.

Look for leaks.

Leaks in your outdoor faucet, hose, or emitter can waste thousands of gallons of water each year. Leaks are fairly common for homeowners; it’s just that many people don’t know about them! And that’s just for one leak, so if you have several leaks, it could be doing damage to your bank account without you knowing it. Evaluate all of your outdoor water devices for leaks, or have your landscape professional assess them for you and make any necessary repairs.

Choose the right plants.

Finally, it matters what plants you choose for your landscaping because some will grow easier than others. Along with exploring native plant options, look for those that can withstand periods of drought. Working with a professional horticulturist like Garden Guy can help you strategize which plants will grow better with time and add the most appeal to your property.

Yes, you can have the most impressive lawn in your neighborhood and you don’t have to waste water in the process! Consider the tips above for conserving water as you maintain your landscape, and keep looking for other methods that can help along the way. And remember to find professionals who can help you design and manage your lawn for the long term!

Are you looking for an expert residential landscaper in the Houston area? Contact Garden Guy today!