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Conserve Outside |
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| Watering |
| Introduction |
| Practice smart watering to keep lawns and gardens healthier. Smart watering can reduce the need for pesticides, by preventing plant diseases that are often caused by over-watering. It also leaves more water in our rivers for fish, wildlife and people, and helps you lower your water bills. The following are two brochers target to your needs. |
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| How To's |
In the Smart Watering guide you'll learn how to:
- Water deeply but less frequently, to reach the root zone
- Make every drop count, with tips like soaker hoses, drip irrigation, mulching, and drought-tolerant plants
- Use automatic irrigation systems efficiently
- Water just enough, but not too much, for your plants
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| Overwatering |
| Overwatering is a common problem. Without knowing it you may be watering too much, too often - which can flood your yard with problems. How do you know whether you are giving your plants just the water they need to thrive? That is a difficult question and depends on the type of plants, the soil conditions, weather and length of day. All these factors directly contribute to your plants' water needs. Overwatering not only wastes your money and the region's resources, it prevents your plants from getting the oxygen they need and makes them vulnerable to disease. It also causes pollution by allowing fertilizers and pesticides to run off into creeks, lakes and the Puget Sound. |
| How to Prevent Overwatering |
| To slow the flow adjust your watering to reflect weather changes. Plants typically need half as much water in June and September as July and August. For more watering tips visit SPU's Smart Watering site. |
If you have an automatic watering system:
- Install a ”smart” sprinkler controller that automatically adjusts the watering schedule based on actual, on-site conditions. Rebates of up to $450 are available.
- If you already have a controller with a "Percent Adjust" or "Water Budget" feature, use the current Watering Index for the Seattle area to adjust your watering schedule.
- Have a certified irrigation professional (pdf) check for leaks and breaks every year.
- For new systems, understand the long-term costs and use a certified irrigation contractor to design, install and maintain it.
- For more tips visit Irrigation and Sprinkler Tips site.
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| Tools |
| Find out if you quality for our Irrigation/Sprinkler System Rebates. |
| Irrigation and Sprinkler System Tips: If you have an automatic irrigation system, learn how to use it efficiently. |
| Success with
Soaker Hoses (pdf): Soaker hoses are easy, and waste less water than sprinklers. |
| Installing Home Drip and Soaker Irrigation Systems (pdf): Learn how to design and install your own drip irrigation or soaker system. See "Drip Irrigation Equipment Suppliers" below for sources. |
| Using Rain Barrels in Northwest Gardens (pdf): After you apply all the conservation measures described above, learn how to catch and reuse rainwater at home. |
| Rain Barrel Suppliers (pdf) |
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For a free and easy customized watering schedule use the Irrigation Scheduling Calculators on the Irrigation Water Management Society web site.
Easily adjust watering schedules with the Watering Index. An index is a percent of the "peak" watering period or the time of year when days are the longest and the weather is the hottest. Learn more about the current Watering Index.
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| Resources |
| Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline |
| For free copies of these guides, or answers to your questions, call (206) 633-0224 or e-mail info@lawnandgardenhotline.org |
| Natural Lawn & Garden Guides |
- Natural Yard Care (pdf): Read this introduction to the whole series first, then get more detail in the seven guides below. A Spanish translation of the Natural Yard Care guide is also avaiable. View El Cuidado Natural del Jardin (pdf)
- Growing Healthy Soil (pdf): Learn about using compost and mulch in your lawn, garden, and perennial beds.
- Composting at Home (pdf): Compost yard waste or kitchen scraps to make your own soil-building amendment.
- Choosing the Right Plants (pdf): Choose plants that will thrive in your yard, and need less water and chemicals.
- The Plant List (pdf): 240 plants to meet your garden's needs.
- Smart Watering (pdf): Grow healthier lawns and gardens by giving plants just enough water, but not too much.
- Natural Pest, Weed & Disease Control (pdf): Save money and reduce chemical risk, with these "natural" tips.
- Natural Lawn Care (pdf): Learn about mowing, fertilizing, watering, and more... for a healthy, easy-care lawn.
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Water Right, Waste Less (pdf): You can develop a beautiful landscape that will thrive with fewer resources - including much less water - by following some basic steps.
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| Drip Irrigation Equipment Suppliers |
Drip irrigation equipment catalogues, including design information, are available at many garden centers. Or contact mail order suppliers:
- Dripworks, (800) 522-3747
- The Urban Farmer, (800) 753-3747
- DIG, (800) 344-2281
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| Choosing a Nursery or Landscape Professional |
| Find the tools, products, and professional services you need for a healthy yard. Learn more > |
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