What You Can Do to Save Water and Have a Green Lawn

What You Can Do To Save Water And Have A Green Lawn

·  If you are building a new home or laying new sod, be sure there is at least 6 inches of topsoil beneath the sod.

·  Test your soil and consider adding compost as organic material. It will dramatically increase the absorption of water.

·  Follow the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense guidelines for landscaping: Limit the amount of turf you plant, don’t plant grass on steep slopes, and don’t install ornamental water features.

·  Don’t over-water. Most lawns need only 1 inch of water each week, either from rain or from irrigation. If you don’t have a rain gauge, set out a small tuna can. If it fills up in a week from rain, you don’t need to water.

·  Step on your grass. If it springs back, it doesn’t need watering.

·  Water early in the morning to prevent evaporation. The middle of the day is when the most water is lost to evaporation.

·  Microirrigation or drip systems, not sprinklers, should be used on planting beds and strips of grass that are less than 8 feet wide.

·  Cut grass no shorter than 2 inches. It will promote deeper roots that require less water.

·  Install a weather-sensing controller or soil-moisture sensor as part of your automated sprinkling system. They will reduce over-watering.

·  Aerate your lawn, as needed.

·  If you use a hose for watering grass or shrubs, be sure it has a shut-off nozzle.

·  When hiring an irrigation contractor, look for one that is certified. The EPA offers a state-by-state list of WaterSense Irrigation Partners at www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/irrprof.htm.

For more information, go to:

·  Water Conservation Toolbox metrocouncil.org/environment/WaterSupply/conservationtoolbox_residential.htm

·  Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense Program

www.epa.gov/watersense/index.htm

·  University of Minnesota Sustainable Lawncare Information Series www.sustland.umn.edu/maint/maint.htm

·  Irrigation Association Consumer Handbook www.irrigation.org/Rsrcs/default.aspx?pg=consumer_info.htm#5