Sixty percent of total water use happens during peak summer months. Some people spend a lot of money and effort continuously watering their lawn to keep everything green. All that water adds up quickly. Sometimes, when drought conditions in the state are extreme, Front Range cities tend to put watering restrictions into effect, limiting the duration and frequency of landscape waterings. What’s a landscape owner to do?

Here are a few tips for managing water use and keeping it efficient and effective in the summer:

1. Check your irrigation system for leaks and broken heads

If you don’t have an irrigation system, installing one that reduces evaporation like a drip line or a low-pressure, low-angle sprinkler, can help significantly.

If you already have an irrigation system, maintaining it and inspecting it regularly for broken heads and leaks is critical. The goal of efficient irrigation is to get the right amount of water—not too much, not too little—to the right plants and the right time.

2. Don’t water during the hottest part of the day

Watering between 12pm and 3pm can be a bad idea, because the heat will evaporate a lot of the water, leaving your landscape still parched. Watering between 6pm and 10am, during cooler parts of the day, is a much better idea. A worry-free irrigation system on a timer will help you rest easier knowing that your landscape is taken care of.

3. Switch to water-wise plants

A water-wise landscape doesn’t have to mean cactuses and rocks. You can have a beautiful, green landscape accented by seasonal colors by incorporating native plants. Colorado has a stunning variety of native plants that can stand up to a summer drought while providing seasonal (or even year-round) color. Don’t forget to mulch, too! Mulch helps keep the soil moist and reduce landscape water needs.

If you have any questions about how to make your waterings more efficient and effective, call Detailed Landscape and we’ll be happy to talk about what’s right for you and your yard!