Lawn and Landscape Irrigation

Residential Water Use Lawns, Gardens & Landscapes

Lawn and Landscape Irrigation

Lawns and landscapes can be designed and maintained to be water conserving, prevent runoff of fertilizers and pesticides and good looking. To develop a landscape that is water efficient, build the landscape with good landscape soils, create water zones within your landscape, choose well-adapted water saving ornamentals and turfgrasses, and utilize the correct irrigation equipment for your landscape. Read on for more information to help you design and manage your landscape for water efficiency.

Irrigation for Maintaining the Landscape

screwdriver showing mud on it
As we move into the heat of the summer, we need to remember proper irrigation practices for our plants. It is just as easy to overwater as it is to underwater plants. And remember that irrigation practices differ among all different types of plants.

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Watering New Plants

Damp soil clings to a flat head screwdriver used to test soil moisture

April and May are classic times to install plants of all types – trees, shrubs, veggies, herbs, groundcovers and flowers.  One of the most basic requirements for ensuring their benefits and longevity is watering…but it’s not as simple as it may seem.  There are many factors that contribute to success.

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Landscape Mulch for Water Conservation

Young tree planted with bark mulch surrounding it
Mulching landscape beds and gardens is a waterwise practice. Conserving soil moisture, controlling weeds, mitigating soil temperature extremes, and improving soil health are key benefits.

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Fungi Can Develop from Improper Irrigation

summer patch in the lawn
Fungi can be very problematic for our plants, and there are a lot of different fungi. In plants, there is a disease triangle that leads to plant diseases. For disease to develop, you must first have a pathogen, a susceptible host, and a favorable environment. Pathogens are common in the environment and just waiting for the right weather to occur and a susceptible host to infect. The environment can sometimes be altered by our plant management practices, such as overwatering or underwatering and improper irrigation practices can lead to more disease problems. That’s why it's so important, whenever possible, to choose disease resistant plants for our landscapes – both turf, fruits, vegetables and ornamentals.

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Drought Tolerant Plants

Rocky Mountain Pussytoes plant
With ongoing drought, conserving water in home, business and public landscapes is important. One way to conserve water is selecting drought tolerant plants. As a rule, a drought tolerant plant is one that can survive on average rainfall with little or no supplemental water once established.

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