Be a TEXAS WATER STAR!
Save water by modifying just a few everyday habits and making inexpensive upgrades to technologies in your home landscape. The greatest waste of water is applying too much too often – it over waters plants; leaches nutrients deep into the soil, away from the roots; and can pollute streams and lakes by carrying fertilizers and pesticide in runoff.
Water Strategically. Water your landscape early in the morning (before 10 a.m.) or late in the evening (after 6 p.m.). If you water in the heat of the day, most of your water is lost to evaporation. Do not over water your lawn. During the summer months, apply only 1 inch of water on your lawn every 7 days. Doing this will encourage a deep root system and a healthier lawn. During the winter months reduce your watering to once every 15 to 20 days. Remember: rainwater counts. If it rains, you do not have to water your lawn. Buy a rain gauge to better track rainfall. Adjust sprinkler heads to water the landscape and not the pavement, and be sure to check your system regularly for leaks or misdirected sprinkler heads. Water your landscape by hand, or run sprinklers in manual mode. Use the cycle soak method by running sprinklers just long long enough for the soil to absorb the water, and repeating as necessary. This will stop water before it runs off onto the sidewalk or street. Reduce irrigation station run times by 2 minutes and save 80 gallons of water. Install and maintain rain/freeze sensors to avoid misapplication of water. If possible, replace outdated overhead sprinklers with multi-stream rotors, soaker hoses, or drip irrigation.
Learn new ways to improve water conservation in residential, recreational and public landscapes at the Texas Water Star Conference which will be held on Friday, May 17 at the Thomas A. Glazier Senior Education Center in Houston. Topics include: The State of Water in the State of Texas, Irrigation Auditing, Earth-Kind Landscaping, Rainwater Harvesting, Turfgrass Water Conservation, and Irrigation Technologies. Click here to download/print the flyer for more information. You may also contact Diana Todd at 281-855-5614 or via email at DGTodd@ag.tamu.edu.
