WaterSave_Outdoors

4. Check your sprinklers Check your irrigation system every couple of weeks for broken or misaligned sprinkler heads. This can save a significant amount of water and keep your landscape looking great. 5. Manage your timer Every two to four weeks, adjust
the watering schedule to reflect changes in the weather. Reducing the watering schedule by one-minute on each sprinkler station can save more than 50 gallons per day!! 6. Mulch Place a 2 to 4 inch layer of organic matter, like compost, ground bark, or wood shavings around the base of plants. Mulching cools the soil, slows evaporation, and reduces unwanted weeds.
7. Mow Mow lawns to 2 ½ to 3’’ during the summer.  This will improve the quality of the lawn and reduce  water demand. 8. Attach a nozzle/ use a soil probe Attach a nozzle with a shutoff value to the end of your hose. You can check water penetration by probing the soil with a stiff wire or metal rod. It will move easily through moist soil, and be harder to push or will stop when it reaches dry soil. 9. Control Weeds Eliminate weeds. They compete with
your other plants for water and soil nutrients. 10. Aerate the lawn This is done by punching holes in
the soil. This improves the movement of water into the
root area and reduces wasteful runoff.

1. Replace your turf Lawns are the the main water users
in the average landscape. Replace your lawn with drought tolerant groundcover. Also don’t plant lawns on slopes
or narrow parking strips because they are hard to water efficiently. 2. Adjust watering Shrubs, or lawn in shade (north/east side of your house) will generally require up to 50 percent less water than the same plants in full sun (south/west side). Adjust your watering to account for different microclimates in your garden. 3. Water early Don’t water during the middle of the day.  It’s best to water in the early morning when the winds are calm and temperatures cool. Less water will be lost to evaporation.

© 2011 SOLANO COUNTY WATER AGENCY I 810 Vaca Valley Parkway I Suite 203 I Vacaville CA 95688

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