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Better Way to Beautiful…Coming Full Circle in Your
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There once was a time when gardeners relied on their own labor and the
give-and-take of Mother Nature for water, insect control and fertile soil.
The advent of sprinklers, pesticides and artificial fertilizers promised
less work with greater abundance, and the sense that we can control Nature’s
harsher sides.
More than 50 years later, we’re seeing there’s a cost to these “modern” amenities.
Water supply is pushed hard with a growing population, especially during
our dry summers. Pesticides and fertilizers travel to our water bodies with
damaging results. And sadly, our hard work in the garden doesn’t seem
to have decreased.
The Saving Water Partnership brings solutions to customers that are a “better
way” to achieve the beauty we all desire. This “way” is
a layered cake of practices that build upon each other and address interrelated
needs. The cake layers aren’t new. Rather, they rely on age-old strategies
of:
- choosing plants that can naturally thrive in the available soil and sunlight,
- enriching soil with compost to further benefit plants,
- allowing beneficial insects to do their job,
- relying on non-toxic remedies to help plants thrive and
- watering in a way that establishes healthy plants with stronger roots.
These practices also allow us to appreciate the imperfections of the natural
world instead of trying to eliminate them. This newsletter, along with our
Savvy Gardener classes and promotions, are invitations to gardeners to try
a “better way to beautiful.” The frosting on the cake comes
from your own experiences. If you have suggestions for other ways of sharing
or improving our ever-evolving resource, please email Liz Fikejs at liz.fikejs@seattle.gov. |
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Drip Irrigation
– Watering for Healthy Plants
Bradner Gardens Park: 29th Ave. S. and S. Grand St
Visit Bradner Gardens Website
Saturday, June 30th - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Instructor: Cheryl Petterson, Dialog Design
Drip irrigation can dramatically cut your water use, save you time, and give
you healthier, more beautiful plants. This class will provide an overview of
drip options and emphasize those options that work best for our climate. Garden
designer Cheryl Petterson will show you how different systems work at Bradner
Gardens Park, while explaining key tips for a smooth installation in your own
garden. Discover which drip system will work for your needs without wasting time
on trial-and-error.
Deadline to register is June 24th. This class
costs $25 and is limited to 25 people. Registration information:
http://savingwater.org/education_classes.htm
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Take a Hose Hiatus
Nota Lucas, Conservation Program Manager, Seattle Public Utilities
 Welcome to summer in the Pacific Northwest! After
months of rain, we finally get to enjoy sunny days. On
average, we get only 5 inches of rain from June
through August. But the flip side is that
many gardeners pour lots of water on their yards,
unknowingly wasting much of what is applied.
How often do you water and for how long?
Our latest customer survey shows that many gardeners are watering their planting
beds every other day, which typically causes shallow roots and high water bills. While
more frequent watering may make sense for newly planted plants, especially if
planted in warm weather, the “tough love” of holding back water can
actually help plants thrive as they become established. Allowing soil to
partially dry out, forces the roots to search deeper down for moisture. More
extensive roots mean better drought resistance and a greater opportunity to access
soil nutrients. To help your plants tough out our dry spells, make sure
water goes down deep below the soil surface and then dries out before the next
soaking.
Here are some tips to help you train your roots for a beautiful, healthy
yard.
Watering Your Lawn
On average, Northwest lawns need about one inch of water per week to stay green,
but they need less in early and late summer when we receive some rainfall
and have less sun.
- To find out how long it takes to water one inch, try the tuna can test
in our Smart Watering Guide.
- If you have an automatic sprinkler with a controller,
you can adjust it according to changes in the weather by looking up the
Seattle area watering
forecast.
Letting Your Lawn Go Brown (or Dormant)
While brown lawns generally green up after fall rains, for best results, water
deeply once a month in summer. If the water runs off the surface, help
it penetrate by turning the water on and off in cycles until the water starts
soaking in.
Taking Care of Your Lawn Whether You Water or Not
Whether you water or not in the summer, these steps will keep your lawn healthy:
- Mow high, about two to three inches (except bentgrass lawns) to shade the
roots and keep them cooler and less stressed in warm weather.
- Dethatch or aerate in the spring or fall, if needed, to make sure water
actually penetrates the surface.
- Download Natural Lawn Care for more detailed information.
Smart Move for Beds and Borders
You'll need to water less often if you applied mulch on your beds in the spring
or fall. Mulch cools the soil and helps it retain moisture. Also,
after plant roots are established – usually one to three years after
planting – you may not need to water at all.
Watering Beds and Borders:
1. Soaker hoses
Soakers work best on level ground. Because the water seeps directly into
the ground, they may do the job more quickly than you think. Learn to
use them correctly by downloading our Soaker Hose factsheet.
2. Drip irrigation
Drip irrigation delivers water straight to the roots, but unlike soaker hoses,
it can work on slopes if the emitters are “pressure compensating.” Sign
up for our Savvy Gardener Drip
Irrigation class on June 30th in Seattle,
or read our tips
on drip systems.
3. Sprinklers (automatic and manual)
Overhead sprinklers waste the most water. Plants need water at the roots,
yet sprinklers send water up into the air (to be evaporated and/or blocked
by leaves) before some of it reaches the soil and roots. Consider drip
or soakers instead.
Automatic sprinklers pose special challenges. They
are often turned on too long and/or too often, so more water is applied than
is needed. Leaks can occur underground where they can’t be seen. Broken
or blocked sprinklers may go years without being fixed if no one is there to
occasionally observe when the system is running. See “Sprinkle
Smart and Save” to learn how to use less water while keeping the convenience
of your system.
Some customers have told us that the biggest way they could conserve water would
be to turn off their spigot. While there are many ways to use water more
efficiently in the summer, prevention – before summer arrives – is
even more powerful. Proper plant selection, mulching and good design are
just a few strategies that happen before and after summer’s dry months. Conservation and creating
a healthy, beautiful garden is a year-round activity that will keep you connected
to your garden and much more.
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| Sprinkle
Smart and Save |
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Did you know that up to 50% of the water used by automatic sprinkler systems
is lost due to over-watering, evaporation or bad system design and maintenance? Before
summer passes you by, take these steps to conserve water, save money on your
water bills and keep your yard healthy and beautiful:
1) Get your sprinkler system tuned up by a licensed irrigation professional,
who will repair leaks, broken heads and other problems that waste water and
can harm plants.
2) Water better with the weather! Adjusting your watering schedule
based on the weather saves water and helps keep plants healthy. To start
watering with the weather and create a personal watering schedule, go to www.iwms.org.
3) Upgrade your sprinkler timer with a “smart” controller
that monitors your on-site conditions and automatically adjusts to apply just
the right amount of water. These controllers can reduce water use by
up to 30%, while keeping your lawn and garden lush and healthy. Learn
how to access rebates of up to $450 for making your sprinkler system more efficient
at www.savingwater.org or by calling (206) 633-0224. |
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| Summer
Featured Factsheets
Soaker Hose Factsheet
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 Follow
these easy steps for soaker hose success. |
Smart Watering
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Learn when to water and how much. |
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| Featured
Resources
Public garden:
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Bradner Gardens Park
 See
examples of drip irrigation, drought-tolerant plantings, year-round color, fragrance,
street trees, natives, vegetable gardening, and more.
Visit
Bradner website |
Expanded list of Natural Nurseries
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Find a nursery in your area that carries Natural Yard Care products and tools, such as natural fertilizers, less-toxic pest and weed control products and smart watering tools. Natural Yard Care Nurseries in King County
Read about these nurseries in Capitol Hill Times article. Link |
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Natural Lawn & Garden Series
Learn how to have a healthy and beautiful garden with our guides.
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Choosing the Right Plants |
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Natural Pest, Weed & Disease
Control |
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Natural Yard Care (summary of above) |
View these guides online or to request a Natural Lawn & Garden Guide, contact
the Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline at (206) 633-0224 or at info@lawnandgardenhotline.org |
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Saving Water
Partnership List:
Cedar River Water and Sewer District
City of Bothell
City of Duvall
Coal Creek Utility District
Highline Water District
Water District 20
Water District 45
Water District 49
Water District 90
Water District 119
Water District 125
City of Mercer Island
Northshore Utility District
Olympic View Water and Sewer
Seattle Public Utilities
Shoreline Water District
Soos Creek Water and Sewer District
Woodinville Water District |
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The Natural Lawn &
Garden
Hotline
For environmentally friendly
answers to your garden questons
(206) 633-0224 or at
info@lawnandgardenhotline.org |
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| We welcome your suggestions. Please share them by emailing
Liz Fikejs, Seattle Public Utilities at liz.fikejs@seattle.gov |
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Photo & garden credits:
Photos by Jacqui James Photography taken in the gardens of Stacie Crooks
Garden Design and Jennifer Carlson of Haven Illustrated. |
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How to subscribe or remove name:
To add or remove your name from our subscription list, please go to:
http://seattle.gov/lists/gardening.htm |
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View our past
editions:
http://savingwater.org/
outside_archivesavvygardener.htm |
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