Summer Lawn Care For Unpredictable Weather

Summer showers seem to be making an appearance in every weekly forecast. And, although pop-up showers seem like a major improvement compared to droughts from previous years, they might not be enough to keep yards as healthy and green as desired. waterSmart, a water conservation education program, offers the following tips to help keep lawns healthy through rain or shine. These tips will help save water, time and money this summer—regardless of the forecast.

• Mulch –When showers are light or irregular, use mulch to maintain moisture in the soil. Pine bark, nuggets and hardwood chips are best, but rocks, gravel and marble retain heat which can cause evaporation. Another helpful hint – saturate a newspaper and place it on the ground before using mulch.
• Use Rain Barrels – Build or buy a rain barrel to capture water from pop-up showers. When scattered showers skip over lawns, rain barrels provide a conservation-friendly thirst quencher for plants. Materials can be purchased from local hardware stores. Screens can be used to keep out debris and insects. Visit www.watershed.cobbcountyga.gov for more tips on rain barrels.
• Know When To Water – Take advantage of pop-up showers and only water yards when necessary. Established yards can remain healthy on one inch of water for up to seven to 10 days. By setting up sprinklers to run once a week, individuals will save water, time and money, and plants will be healthy too! Or, look for natural signs. When plants turn a gray-green color and their leaves wilt, they need to be watered.

“Use the water from pop-up showers to your advantage,” says Becky Mixon, project manager for waterSmart. “By implementing waterSmart lawn care techniques, you can keep beautiful landscaping while helping to conserve Georgia’s drinking water supply.”
For more tips on how to have a waterSmart landscape, as well as other water conservation techniques, visit www.waterSmart.net.
Statewide watering restrictions went into effect June 2, 2010. Outdoor watering hours are 4 p.m. to 10 a.m. Details regarding the Georgia Water Stewardship Act can be found by visiting www.georgiaepd.org.