Make Water Work

1. Does your employee simply stand around?

• Put water to work only when it’s needed. Most lawns need just 2.5 cm (one inch) of water per week – about the depth of a tuna can.
• Don’t let water waste time, effort and money!  It should only sprinkle your lawn or garden, not pavement.

FACT: Watering deeply and less often promotes deep, healthy root growth.  If you’re watering deeply but not seeing results the problem may be inadequate topsoil.  Try top dressing with half an inch of compost, then over-seeding for a thick vigorous lawn.

2. Does your employee turn up for work on time?

• Water should be at work during the coolest part of the day to prevent evaporation.  Put it on the nightshift. A good rule of thumb is 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

3. Is your employee’s work effective?

• Notice brown spots? Water needs supervising. Check and make sure it is working where you need it.  Sometimes sprinkler heads break, or plants grow around the sprinkler head, preventing effective water use. Read about effective sprinkler use here (531Kb PDF).
• Leave grass 5 to 8 cm tall.  This slows water evaporation from the soil.
• Aerate your lawn in early spring of fall to improve water penetration.

FACT: A healthy lawn will have fewer weeds and pests.

4. Does your employee work well with others?

• Leave grass clippings as mulch on your lawn. They help feed the lawn and retain moisture, requiring less water and reducing evaporation
• Water works best with organic products like compost which minimize over-fertilizing and help prevent stormwater pollution.
• Water works most effectively when paired with plants suitable to our dry climate: drought-tolerant turf, and native and low-water variety plants. Read about the benefits of WaterWise landscaping here (147Kb PDF)

5. Is your employee cost-effective?

• Save money on your water bill by using high efficiency irrigation, like drip or microjet, for shrubs and gardens.
• Rainbarrels collect fresh, naturally soft and chemical-free water that is great for container plants, flower beds and food gardens.

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Learn more about water in the Okanagan and tips to protect it at Okanagan WaterWise.

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