Outdoor Conservation Tips

There are many waterSmart tips to help you beat the drought.

Plants need 1 inch of water every 7 to 10 days to stay healthy. Try these five to help them thrive:

.Water only once a week. When it hasn't rained, a deep soaking every week will provide your plants with plenty of moisture.

.Soak don't sprinkle. When you water, aim the nozzle at the base of plants so more water will reach the roots, many plants should not have their leaves watered..

.Don't water in the heat of the day. You will only lose water to evaporation. If you have an automatic system, set it to come on in the early morning hours between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m.

.Turn off the sprinkler when it rains. Install an inexpensive rain sensor shut-off switch.

.Mulch! Using pine straw, bark chips or ground hardwood mulch on the roots of plants and trees helps the soil retain water.

Landscape Planning - Next Year and Beyond

When you begin thinking of how your landscape will look next year, consider drought-tolerant and/or native plants, xeriscaping, or reducing turf area on your lawn.

Outdoor water use increases by up to 60% during this time of the year. Georgia still faces drought conditions, and outdoor water use can strain our ability to provide water for needs, including human consumption. Outdoor water use can also reduce the water in our reservoirs, rivers and streams, impacting outdoor recreation and the wildlife dependent on it for survival.

Creative Ideas for Saving Water: As water becomes more and more limited, new technologies are being developed to help citizens conserve more in every day activities.

.Create a Rain Barrel- Create a rain barrel to harvest rainwater that hits your home or garage. This will help control urban stormwater runoff and will help you store water to irrigate your yard during dry times.

.Create a Rain Garden-A raingarden is a beautiful natural landscape feature that requires less maintenance, fewer chemicals, and less watering than lawns. The raingarden holds water on the landscape so that it can be taken in by plants and slowly soak into the ground instead of flowing into the street or down a stormdrain.

Conservation Tip of the Week: A slight adjustment to your lawn mower can drastically increase turf survival during a drought. Encourage deeper rooting by raising the mower blade during dry weather. Cutting grass a little higher raises lawn survival rates and decreases water demand. Sharp blades also help reduce the need for water because dull blades shred leaf tips, causing the turf to use more water than necessary.