If you’re looking for tips on how to save water while still giving your garden plants what they need to thrive, our Mobile, AL landscaping company can give you a few pro tips.
Saving water in your garden helps our environment and lowers your utility bills. Plus, many communities participate in water restrictions which limit the amount of outdoor watering a Mobile family can do.
One of the most important ways to plan for efficient use of water in your garden is to start with the landscape design. We say this because it makes a great deal of difference how much water you’ll use based on where the plants are located, which plants are located together, and how the irrigation system is designed to meet their watering needs.
The irrigation equipment itself will also make a difference in how plants are watered. For instance, the soil dries quicker in sunny locations, so a root soaking system is best for these areas. In addition to the irrigation design for your Mobile, AL home, there are other ways to save water in your garden.
The Rainwater Harvesting Approach
Did you know that if you’re using a simple garden hose to water your garden, the hose can pour out 600 gallons of water in just a few short hours? Instead of simply turning on the tap to water your garden, you can use reclaimed rainwater instead.
The water collected from a rainwater harvesting system can most definitely supply your garden plants with plenty of moisture. You can also opt to install a greywater system which recycles the water from washing machines, bath tubs, and showers. Either system is an inexpensive way to irrigate your landscape.
Selecting Hardy Garden Plants
You can save a significant amount of water in your garden if you select hardy plants that need little watering. Depending on what type of garden you’re going for, there are many different flowers, grasses, vines, herbs, and veggies you can grow.
Rosemary, garlic, leeks, and similar vegetables need little water and do well in the sandy soil of our Mobile Bay area. Azaleas, Arborvitae, Mint, Begonia, Sedum, Hosta, Coneflowers, Daylilies, and Cosmos are also drought resistant garden plants but there are tons more!
Fix Your Irrigation Problems
Irrigation system problems can be a huge waste of water in your garden. Some of your garden plants may be getting no water at all. You can save water in your garden by hiring a landscaper who provides irrigation services or taking care of the problem yourself.
Clogged Sprinkler Heads – It’s not uncommon for dirt and debris to get stuck inside a sprinkler head. If the sprinkler head is blocked and the water flows out to the side, get it fixed or you’re just wasting your water resources.
Blocked Sprinklers – Another common irrigation problem is when they’re accidentally blocked by an object. Some garden irrigation systems can get quite complex, so make sure you know where all the sprinklers are and then don’t set objects on top of them.
Broken or Missing Nozzles – Sprinkler heads with broken or missing nozzles will waste water. Make sure all your sprinkler heads are in good repair.
Bad Irrigation Designs – Some irrigation problems don’t have anything to do with the hardware but more to do with the system design. A bad design will send too much water to plants that need less and not enough to plants that need more.
Bad Garden Plant Designs – Grouping plants that need a similar amount of water together should always be a part of designing your irrigation system. Otherwise, none of the plants in that location will get the specific amount of water they need to survive. If some of your garden plants are located near each other but have different watering needs, separate them and regroup them together.
Control The Weeds
Weeds suck up more moisture from the soil than an ordinary garden plant. To save even more water in your garden, and make sure the right plants get what they need, keep up with the weed control.
Weeds germinate and grow quickly, no matter the season. This is why it’s such a recurring problem for your garden. Weeds steal food, nutrients, and water from your garden flowers, plants, and grass. Keeping up with the weed control with ensure your garden has a better chance to thrive. Plus, you won’t be wasting water on them!
- Weed pulling
- Feed & Seed
- Weed germination preventer
- Fertilizer