Drip Irrigation. Photo: Flickr--JobyOne

When the well is dry, we know the worth of water.
~Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanac, 1746

The site of lush green lawns and luxuriant flower borders have been known to take one’s breath away. Yet if the caretakers of such pastoral scenes are not wise in the ways of watering, the amount of water used to maintain them can cause you to gasp for breath.

Water is our most precious resource, and in Texas (and other arid part of the country and world) it is becoming more evident with each passing year that we must take steps to conserve it voluntarily. Contrary to what you may believe, water conservation and growing impressive lawns and gardens are not mutually exclusive.

Most landscapes in Central Texas need at least one inch of water per week for proper hydration. While one inch of water a week may not sound like much, it is fundamental to the longevity of your garden.

Of course, the amount of water needed to sustain your little oasis in the city increases as nature turns up the heat. Skip a regular watering day during the sizzle of summer, and boy-oh-boy, your plants will let you know about it in no uncertain terms.

Few things inspire more guilt, and repentant watering, than dehydrated plants.

The more time you spend in your yard, the easier it becomes to recognize signs of stress in your plants. If the leaves on your plants appear as though they’re losing the battle with gravity, or if when you walk across your lawn you notice the footprints from your steps are still there an hour later, it’s a good idea to break out the watering wand.

Better yet, install a trickle or drip watering system for the garden areas. Although watering by hand can be meditative and relaxing, it generally isn’t as efficient or effective as using one of these other methods.

A soaker hose is a simple and relatively inexpensive method to use. A fifty to sixty foot hose usually costs under 30 dollars. Soaker hoses are made from a porous material and operate at low pressure and trickle water to the soil and root zones of your plants very slowly; water essentially oozes from the entire length of the hose into the soil.

Drip systems are more expensive than soaker hoses – often more than two or three times as costly (or more) for the same amount of hosing — and take a higher level of skill to install. They are also more precise when set up correctly because they use an emitter system.

Emitters are placed along the hose exactly where you want the water to come out, generally at the base of a plant. This system is more efficient and will save water and money in the long run, because the water goes exactly where you want it to go, meaning there’s very little if any waste. In addition, you can maximize the effectiveness of these watering systems by covering them with mulch.

Your friend in water conservation is mulch. Mulch is a surface layer of material that provides some form of barrier between the soil below and the air above. Mulch has many benefits, not the least of which is water conservation.

Mulch can also improve the soil environment for plant growth; it will help maintain even soil temperatures, supply nutrients to the plants, act as a weed barrier, and improve the physical condition of the soil.

Bark mulch helps soil retain water and suppresses weed growth. It needs to be at least three inches deep to keep weeds at bay. It also helps keep the soil cool. Wood bark mulch continues to decompose even while on your garden. As it does, you might find a foamy yellow fungus forms on it. The fungus is a natural part of the wood’s decomposition and is harmless to your plants. Just stir it up and it will dry out.

Compost is an outstanding mulch and fertilizer all in one. When using it as mulch, put a three-inch layer of it around your plants. Compost is a soil conditioner and helps the earth to retain moisture, while encouraging microbial and earthworm activity in your garden. I just can’t say enough good things about it.

When planting your garden, consider grouping plants with similar water requirements together. It makes sense. You wouldn’t want to plant water-lovers next to plants that are have modest water requirements. It’s important to know your plants and their particular needs.

Watering needs also vary depending on soil type. Gardens with sandy soil must be watered more frequently than those with a high percentage of clay. Sandy soil allows water to drain quickly, whereas clay holds water. The ideal soil is called loam.

Expect to use about 75 gallons of water per 100 square feet of garden. This takes evaporation losses into account. Soil is best hydrated to a depth of six inches. As a general guide, the average house spigot must be left running, at moderate pressure, approximately one and a half to two hours to apply one inch of water to 1,000 square feet of garden.

When you take the time to understand your lawn and garden’s moisture requirements, and learn some basic water-saving techniques, you save yourself from having to live life by the drop.

A note about using overhead sprinklers: It’s common to see overhead sprinklers raining down water on lawns all over Austin. An overhead sprinkler sends water high into the air where it catches the breeze and drifts or evaporates before reaching its intended target. To find out if your landscape is getting adequate water from your overhead sprinkler, take about a half a dozen empty tuna cans (or similar containers) and place them throughout the area being watered. Check back in an hour. If you don’t find at least one inch of water in each can, your landscape is still thirsty. Adjust the water pressure so the spray is lower and try again; or change to a more efficient watering system.