If you’re looking for more ways to conserve water outdoors, here is a list of tips! Some are simple things that can make an impact on the environment and your wallet.
OUTDOOR TIPS
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Use porous material for walkways and patios to prevent wasteful runoff and keep water in your yard.
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Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid overwatering some while underwatering others.
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Choose the right Arizona-friendly plants and watch them thrive in our desert environment.
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Reduce the amount of lawn in your yard by planting shrubs and ground covers appropriate to your site and region.
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Plant species native to your region.
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Plant in the spring and fall, when the watering requirements are lower.
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When sprucing up your front or backyard, consider xeriscaping. This landscape method uses low-water-use plants to limit your water use.
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Consider attending a landscape class hosted by a water provider. Most workshops occur in the spring and fall.
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Avoid planting grass in areas that are hard to water, such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.
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Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
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Start a compost pile. Using compost in your garden or flower beds adds water-holding organic matter to the soil.
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Use a layer of organic mulch on the surface of your planting beds to minimize weed growth that competes for water.
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Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants helps them retain moisture, saving water, time and money.
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Use 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
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Visit your local xeriscape garden to view plants that thrive in our hot desert environment.
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Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low-water-use plant and save up to 550 gallons each year.
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Call your local conservation office for more information about xeriscaping with water-thrifty trees, plants, and ground covers.
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Collect water from your roof by installing gutters and downspouts. Direct the runoff to plants and trees.
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For automatic water savings, direct water from rain gutters and HVAC systems to water-loving plants in your landscape.
LAWN CARE
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Hire a qualified pro to install your irrigation system and keep it working properly and efficiently.
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Hire a Smartscape Certified professional landscaper who has received landscape training specific to the Sonoran Desert.
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Adjust your lawn mower to the height of 1.5 to 2 inches. Taller grass shades roots and holds soil moisture better than short grass.
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Leave lawn clippings on your grass, this cools the ground and holds in moisture.
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If installing a lawn, select a lawn mix or blend that matches your climate and site conditions.
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Aerate your lawn periodically. Holes every six inches will allow water to reach the roots, rather than run off the surface.
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If walking across the lawn leaves footprints (blades don’t spring back up), then it is time to water.
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Let your lawn go dormant (brown) during the winter. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every three to four weeks, less if it rains.
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Avoid overseeding your lawn with winter grass. Ryegrass needs water every few days, whereas Dormant Bermuda grass needs water monthly.
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Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light and water.
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While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.
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Water your summer lawns once every three days and your winter lawn once every five days.
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Catch water in an empty tuna can to measure sprinkler output. 3/4 to 1 inch of water is enough to apply each time you irrigate.
LANDSCAPE
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Read the Landscape Watering by the Numbers guidebook to help you determine how long and how much to water.
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Use a trowel, shovel, or soil probe to examine soil moisture depth. If the top two to three inches of soil are dry, it’s time to water.
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Set a kitchen timer when using the hose as a reminder to turn it off. A running hose can discharge up to 10 gallons per minute.
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Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk or street.
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Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
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Timing is everything when it comes to irrigation. Learn how to set your controller properly.
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Look for WaterSense® labeled irrigation controllers.
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Learn how to shut off your automatic watering system in case of malfunctions or rain.
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Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it.
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If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption.
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Water only when necessary. More plants die from over-watering than from under-watering.
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Signs of overwatering: Leaves turn lighter shades of green or yellow, young shoots wilt, and sometimes algae or fungi grow.
#106
Adjust your watering schedule each month to match seasonal weather conditions and landscape requirements.
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Install a rain sensor on your irrigation controller so your system won’t run when it’s raining.
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Water dry spot by hand instead of running the whole irrigation system longer.
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Don’t water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away or evaporates.
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Use drip irrigation for shrubs and trees to apply water directly to the roots, where it’s needed.
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Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.
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Use sprinklers that deliver big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops and mist often evaporate before hitting the ground.
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Use a rain barrel to harvest rainwater from gutters for watering gardens and landscapes.
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For hanging baskets, planters and pots, put ice cubes on top of the soil to give your plants a cool drink of water without overflow.
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Remember to periodically check your sprinkler system valves for leaks, and to keep sprinkler heads in good shape.
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Spring is a great time to give your irrigation system a checkup to ensure it’s working efficiently.
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Pruning properly can help your plants use water more efficiently.
POOL
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Use a pool cover to help keep your pool clean, reduce chemical use and prevent water loss through evaporation.
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Make sure your swimming pools, fountains and ponds are equipped with recirculating pumps.
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If you have an automatic refilling device, check your pool periodically for leaks.
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When back-washing your pool, consider using the water on salt-tolerant plants in the landscape.
#122
Minimize or eliminate the use of waterfalls and sprays in your pool. Aeration increases evaporation.
#123
Don’t overfill the pool. Lower water levels will reduce water loss due to splashing.
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Keep water in the pool when playing, it will save water.
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Instead of building a private pool, join a community pool.
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Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those that spray water into the air.
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Use a grease pencil to conduct a bucket test to check for pool leaks. An unnatural water level drop may indicate a leak.
GENERAL OUTDOOR
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Winterize outdoor spigots when temperatures dip below freezing to prevent pipes from leaking or bursting.
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For more immediate hot water and energy savings, insulate hot water pipes.
#130
Use a commercial car wash that recycles water. Or, wash your car on the lawn, and you’ll water your grass at the same time.
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Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car. You’ll save up to 100 gallons every time.
#132
Wash your pets outdoors, in an area of your lawn that needs water.
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When cleaning out fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your non-edible plants.
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When you give your pet fresh water, don’t throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.
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Use a broom instead of a hose to clean patios, sidewalks and driveways, and save water every time.
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Evaporative coolers require a seasonal maintenance check. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually.
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If you have an evaporative cooler, direct the water drain to plants in your landscape.
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Set water softeners for a minimum number of refills to save both water and chemicals, plus energy, too.
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If you have an evaporative cooler, install a recirculating pump to keep water from bleeding off with one pass.
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Report broken pipes, leaky hydrants and errant sprinklers to property owners or your local water provider.
#141
Know where your master water shut-off valve is located. Were a pipe to burst, this could save gallons of water and prevent damage.
#142
Install a thermostat and timer on your evaporative cooler so it only operates when necessary.
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