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Let your plants “tell” you when they need to be
watered (look for signs of stress); don’t water simply because it’s your day to
water.
> Signs of stress include wilting and curling of the leaves; leaf blades
of grass will fold and turn a bluish-gray color.
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Group plants according to their water needs and
maximize the number of drought-tolerant plants within our yard.
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Water deeply but less often to promote deep roots
that are more drought tolerant; apply ½” to ¾” per watering.
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Water early in the morning, ideally between
4:00AM and 7:00AM; temperature and wind speed are at their lowest at this time,
reducing the amount of water lost to evaporation.
> Do not water between 10:00AM and 4:00PM; 40%-50% of water can be lost to
evaporation during this time.
> Watering in the evening can promote disease.
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Use a rain gauge to track rain fall levels.
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If you use an automatic sprinkler system be sure
that the rain shut-off device (withholds water when proper levels have been
reached) is set at ½-¾ inch.
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Do not water if rain is predicted within the next
24 hours.
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Use a rain barrel to capture valuable rainwater
for your plants, while helping to reduce residential water consumption. Call
941-764-4340 to order your rain barrel. The first rain barrel costs $35.00 and
additional rain barrels cost $30.00; the 55-gallon food-grade barrels have the
holes pre-drilled and come with the necessary hardware (overflow attachment and
spigot).
