Irrigation Tips
Here are a few tips you can use to keep your water bill from skyrocketing during the irrigation season.
Know how much water your plants need and how often you should water:
For example, trees should need irrigation only 1-2 more times this season, but should be irrigated to 8 to 12 inches deep for best results.
Know the signs of drought stress:
Plants will often become more resistant to drought and will become accustomed to less water if they are given less. Learn to look for signs of drought stress in turf such as the grayish-green color and footprints that don’t spring back. Irrigate only when you see these signs.
Kentucky bluegrass has excellent long-term survivability under these conditions.
Identify low input areas:
That lawn behind the garage is a good example. Perhaps nobody sees or appreciates that area. Consider cutting back on irrigation through the summer months. It is important to remember that Kentucky bluegrass does not “die out” without summer irrigation - it simply goes dormant.
Avoid planting until fall:
All plants need more irrigation more frequently during establishment, and during the hot months this will run up your water bill. Consider waiting until September or October to plant lawns, trees, or shrubs since you will be taking advantage of fall rains and cooler temperatures. Planting in the fall will also reduce the severity of transplant shock.
Special irrigation permits for new plantings are available and required:
New landscape plantings need to be irrigated more frequently than established landscapes. This is true even for Xeriscape materials. To accommodate this need, we will again be issuing free special watering permits for our customers for 14 days (for sod or new transplants) or for 28 days (for seed). These permits can often be issued the same business day and allow you to irrigate Tuesday through Sunday. There is no irrigation allowed on Mondays. Click here to access the Special Irrigation Permit.