How to help your yard survive the summer without municipal water
Save water, save money!
Your lawn will probably get a good head start with a mix of sun and rain that spring typically brings so your lawn and should be well-established and lush. However, the hot and dry conditions that summer brings will take a toll on your lawn. Below are some steps you can take to minimize that impact and keep your lawn healthy and green throughout the season.
- The first step to help your lawn and other plants live through summer months is to have a yard that is not addicted to chemical fertilizers which weakens the roots and makes the grass and the plants susceptible in dry times.
- Next, when it rains make sure the water that falls on your property stays on your property. The rain won't do the sidewalk, street or sewer any good so watch how the rain falls and make it easy for it to settle in the green areas.
- Capture rain in a rain barrel so you can water your shrubs, trees, plants and lawn while waiting for the next rainfall. Be sure to use most of the water in the barrel so the barrel is empty before the next rain fall. You can water with a watering can, drip hose or even by opening the spout and allowing water to flow to larger areas.
- Plant a rain garden with native plants and grasses to capture rainwater. These gardens don't need to be watered after they are established and will hold extra water during a storm.
- Continue to plant trees, shrubs, plants and grasses that are native to your your area. Native plants grow well where they have lived for thousands of years because they are adapted to the climate. They require less water from you because they tend to find their own water that is located deep in the soil.
- Reduce the amount of turf grass on your property and replace with gardens, rain gardens, pervious material patios, playgrounds and rock gardens.
- You might even consider using greywater, which is recycled shower, bath and laundry water that can be used to keep thirsty plants alive without using municipal water.
