Water scarcity all over the world has evolved into a problem that needs immediate solution by all those involved. The water facilities, public or private, the local, governmental or international associations and organizations, the national environmental departments and the vast public have to be informed on what water quantities they should be consuming and how that translated into a deficit or overflow of water resources. Especially when one considers watering gardens and back or front yards, watering them deeply and thoroughly sounds like the only option. But there is also another issue that one has to consider; water frequency. The number of times one waters the plants that exist outdoors as well as indoors is extremely important for controlling the overall water consumption patterns. Watering plants infrequently, depending on their specific needs, is not a bad idea. Instead of leaving the watering process last for more than three hours each time-which does not benefit the soil or the plants-it is best if one decides to water them twice or once a week; again depending on the season and specific plants watering requirements. Since plants send out extra roots in dry conditions to seek water, this type of watering plan will encourage rooting and greater tolerance to dry spells. In addition, as nature illustrates, plants often bloom more profusely when stressed, as the natural instinct to reproduce creates more flowers. Thus, you should water responsibly, using correct watering techniques. For example, you can water only during late in the afternoon, but before the sun comes down, so as to prevent the weather conditions from heating the water and thus reducing its evaporation loss. Moreover, you should water less often and for longer lengths of time to encourage deep root growth. Extremely important is for your irrigation system to be in its proper working condition. If drip irrigation will not work for you, try a hand held hose rather than a sprinkler. If you use a sprinkler, make sure you don't water sidewalks or driveways. Install a drip or other water conserving irrigation system, as slow drip and deep root watering systems can save up to 60% of all water used during garden care. Professionally installed and maintained irrigation systems will further help conserve water. Many people have also invested in developing some kind of rainwater capturing systems from their roofs, in order to use it later to water their garden and ornamental plants. Another important issue is the proper condition of your soil. Since water does not easily penetrate clay soils and it manages to pass too quickly beyond the root zone of plants in sandy soils, adding an organic matter to clay and sandy soils will increase the penetrability of clay soils and the water holding capacity of the sandy ones. Furthermore, you should consider keeping your lawns to a proper height. Gradually let lawns reach a height of 3 to 4 inches, as longer blades of grass can mean going 3 to 4 days longer between waterings. Concluding, saving water and keeping your garden looking beautiful is easy when you think about it and you can always follow these ways to see how water wise you can be around the house. |
