Drought Fighting Tools
It is possible to provide your plants with adequate water AND practice water conservation. The key is to determine how moist your soil actually is, and over time, compare it to the water you apply. Sticking your finger ½” in the ground isn’t going to give accurate results. But the right tools can! With some simple diagnostic techniques, you can manage your water use more effectively.
- Use the can test – Are some parts of your lawn sparser and browner than others? It is probably a water distribution, not a timing, issue! The “Can Test” can determine if your system is watering evenly. Place empty tuna fish can (or the equivalent) at intervals throughout your garden, turn on the water, then compare the results. Adjust your sprinkler heads, and test again, until you get the same amount of water in all the cans. The Can Test can also give accurate feedback about how much water your sprinkler system produces in a given amount of time. By comparing that information with the condition of your lawn, you can figure out an effective watering schedule.
- Try a moisture meter – These handy gadgets cost less than $10 and can be purchased at your local hardware store. They consist of a dial with a 9” metal probe. When you stick the probe in your soil, the meter tells you how much moisture is in ground up to a full 9”. Like the can test, it can tell you if you’re getting water in your plants’ root zone.
- Use a timer – If you turn on your watering system by hand, set a timer in the house, or better yet, buy the kind which attaches to your hose. They’re around $30 and available at your local hardware store. Once you set the time, it will automatically turn off your hose. You’ll save more than $30 on your water bill.
- Rely on an automatic irrigation system – Hand watering can be useful occasionally, but it is generally very inefficient. Invariably some plants get too much water, and others get too little.
- An automated system has a controller - a mechanism which can be set to water at specific intervals. This system can be much more efficient than hand watering if the soil moisture is monitored, and water applied only as needed.
- “Smart controllers” are a recent innovation. Instead of setting the watering time and interval, the controller takes into account the daily weather, plus the specific landscape and environmental factors for each irrigation line in your yard. Then, these controllers calculate your watering requirements! Once you understand the principle, they are easy to program. Not all smart controllers are alike – a little research will be useful.
- An automated system has a controller - a mechanism which can be set to water at specific intervals. This system can be much more efficient than hand watering if the soil moisture is monitored, and water applied only as needed.
You need not give up your garden, nor pay high water bills. If you make good plants choices, use the appropriate tools, and develop good observation skills and monitoring habits, you can surround your home with beauty and still be sensitive to current water and weather conditions.