When it comes to keeping your lawn and landscaping in peak condition, the odds are that you find yourself using a lot of water. Watering your yard can be an expensive proposition both in terms of the environment and your wallet, and most people do not realize that they could save a lot of time, hassle, and water by following some basic watering tips.
In terms of watering equipment, there are a variety of methods to employ when it comes to your yard. If you have the money, you might want to opt for an automatic sprinkling system that operates on a timer. These are expensive and they can also be complicated to figure out, especially for a large yard which will require a lot of hoses. Keep in mind that underground sprinklers have been known to erode ground and in some areas they may be banned by city ordinance because of the hazard of creating sinkholes.
There are also a lot of choices when it comes to manual sprinklers. The three most popular models are the traditional back-and-forth sprinkler, the rotating sprinkler, and rotor heads. Each of these models comes with its advantages and disadvantages. Back-and-forth models are great for coverage, but they can also be very hard to adjust. Rotating sprinklers are easier to adjust than the back-and-forth models, but they are usually pretty flimsy. They also don't provide for the coverage of a large area due to their proximity to the ground. Rotor heads ensure the maximum coverage of an area due to their reset cycle, but they too can be difficult to adjust and usually will not adequately water the area around their base.
Drip lines are ideal for watering your landscaping ground plants. Excessive sprinkling can actually damage your plants by having the water fall on leaves instead of the ground, which might result in some decay or mold. Drip lines eliminate this problem by applying the water directly to the ground underneath of the plants, where it will soak in to the roots.
Various hose attachments are also useful in watering your lawn in the most efficient way possible. The best attachments are spray heads with various settings, such as the stream or mist settings. These setting will come in extra handy at the beginning of the season when new plants are too tender to be directly sprayed and need the gentle application of the mist.
Hoses can be a huge source of water wastage when it comes to watering your lawn. Make sure that the threads on your hose attach well to the tap, in order to eliminate leaks. Hoses should be properly stored over the winter by draining them thoroughly to prevent any water accumulation from freezing and causing minute or large cracks in the plastic, and the hoses coiled and hung up when stored.
Finally, don't overdo your watering. There is really no point in watering during the day, especially on really hot days. Most of the water will end up evaporating instead of being soaked into the ground. Wait until the evening, when the temperature begins to cool. Dusk and dark are ideal times to water and will ensure that the ground soaks up the more water than is evaporated. Remember that you do not have to leave your sprinkler on one are for very long; fifteen minutes is usually more than sufficient for lawns, and landscaped areas will probably require even less.
