Environmentally Friendly Lawn Irrigation Systems

Irrigation system needs for a landscape can run up your utility bill for water unless you use a well for lawn irrigation. Everyone wants to save money and be environmentally friendly when caring for our lawns and gardens. Here are some tips for making your lawn irrigation as friendly to the Earth as possible.

If you already have a lawn irrigation system in place, you'll want to use it in an environmentally friendly manner. This means that you will want to avoid irrigating between noon and 6 p.m. when much of the water applied to the landscape will evaporate in the heat of the day. A well-kept lawn needs only about one inch of water per week total, so keep track of how much water nature supplies, adding only the lawn irrigation absolutely necessary to maintain a lush landscape. When you do irrigate, apply water long enough that the water goes deep into the soil. An irrigation system that is allowed to water only a short time every day prevents the grass from forming deep root systems, resulting in weeds and other landscaping problems. Lawns with deep root systems are drought resistant, allowing you to use your irrigation system as little as possible.

If you have an automatic lawn irrigation system, check into adding moisture sensors so that the system only operates when the irrigation is really needed. A rain and moisture sensor system is more of an investment than a simple sprinkler system timer, but it pays for itself in the long run with water saved. You can find smart lawn irrigation system controllers at lawn and garden center or hardware stores.

Low Volume Drip Irrigation

If you do not have an irrigation system existing, consider using low volume drip irrigation and irrigation for targeted areas only. Drip hoses and soaker irrigation systems are inexpensive compared to many more sophisticated types of irrigation but can be just as effective and provide the same results but in a more environmentally friendly manner.

Maximize the water which is applied to your landscape through your irrigation system by aerating the soil regularly. You can also help the aeration by adding a light top dressing of added leaf compost to add aerated organic matter to the landscape. Raise your mower blades to 2 1/2 or 3 inches to allow the roots to grow deeper and less moisture to be lost to evaporation. The shorter you cut the grass, the more likely it is to be damaged by disease, attacked by weeds, and turn brown during a drought.

Collect Rainwater In Barrels

There is no need to use any type of irrigation system for small flower beds. Instead, allow rainwater to collect in barrels and use it to water flower beds and potted plants. The plants respond well to natural rainwater because of the lack of added chemicals which are present in most tap water.

It is easy to use an irrigation system with the environment in mind. It doesn't require much effort, only a little planning and it will help save resources as well as money.

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