9 Gardening Tips

Water Efficiently

9 Gardening Tips Right Plant, Right Place Yard Pests Water Efficiently Fertilize Appropriately Mulch Recycle Stormwater Runoff Protect the Waterfront Wildlife Habitats Irrigation for Lawns & Landscapes Residential Irrigation Controllers Microirrigation in the Landscape Lawn Sprinkler Selection and Layout How to Calibrate Your Sprinkler System Watering & Sprinkling

Irrigate only when your lawn and landscape need water. Efficient watering is the key to a healthy Florida yard and reducing runoff.

1. Water your lawn and other plants only when they show signs of stress. Grass turns a bluish gray color, leaf blades fold in half and areas from footsteps don’t stand back up.

2. Calibrate your irrigation system to apply ¾’ to 1 inch of water per application.

3. Design or modify your sprinkler system to water lawn areas separate from plant beds.

4. Check for broken sprinklers and adjust crooked sprinklers to keep spray patterns distributed evenly.

5. Use micro irrigation in plant plants if you can.

6. Connect an automatic rain shut off device to your irrigation system. It is REQUIRED by law on all newly installed systems.

7. Mow your lawn grass so it has a height of 3-4 inches after it is cut. The longer the shoot, the longer the root.

8. Put a rain gauge in your yard to track rainfall and avoid unnecessary waterings

9. Design and maintain a yard that thrives on rainfall. Use irrigation only as a supplement to rain fall.