More Green, For Less: 5 Ways to Reduce Outdoor Water Usage

As the warmer weather arrives, our attention turns to outdoor projects, such as seeding, planting, and maintaining our lawns and landscaping. It is estimated that the efforts to regrow and maintain lawns during the warmer months can increase water usage by as much as two to four times more than the rest of the year. Therefore, it’s essential to be mindful of water conservation during the spring and summer months paying attention to outdoor water usage and irrigation schedules.

We have compiled some helpful tips that will allow you to get that lush green lawn that will make you the envy of the neighborhood while also helping you conserve water and save on your monthly water bills.

Know When to Water

The rule of thumb says it’s best to water lawns and landscapes in the early morning and evening after the sun goes down. This is because watering lawns during the hotter parts of the day can lead to most of the water being lost due to evaporation during the daytime heat.

Check Your Irrigation System Before Using

Inspect irrigation systems before using them to check for leaks and broken or clogged sprinkler heads. Broken sprinkler heads can spray water on the sidewalk, street, or driveway, wasting water that never reaches your lawn. Damaged sprinkler heads and leaking irrigation systems can waste substantial amounts of water, resulting in high monthly water bills.

Let It Grow, Let It Grow

When starting up the mower, raise the blades to allow the mower to cut the grass around 2 to 3 inches long. Longer grass helps promote deep root growth that helps your lawn during drought conditions, reduces water evaporation, and helps prevent weed growth within the lawn. Letting your lawn grow a little longer may require a few extra lawn cuttings, but it will help maintain a healthier and greener lawn in the long run.

Sweep, Don’t Spray

Instead of using the water hose to spray away grass clippings and debris from your driveway or sidewalks, you can use a broom. This requires more manual labor, but you will reap the rewards when you open your next water bill.

Let Mother Nature Help Out

Watch the weather to see if rain is in the forecast in your area. If it is, turn off your irrigation schedule for the day and let mother nature provide some H2O for the lawn. Watering your lawn or landscaping on rainy days is just wasting water you already get for free!