September 12, 2004 Weekly Water Saving Tip

Last Updated: 2004-09-13 14:23:20

Weekly Water Saving Tip #38

Last week we mentioned with September here, it is time to begin to adjust watering schedules to water less frequently. The temperature still reached 100 degrees last week but the days are getting shorter and the night temperatures are getting cooler. This reduces the stress of the plants in our landscape.

So, the irrigation requirement for this week is every 5 to 7 days. Again, let me stress, it is now time to decrease the frequency of irrigations. Push as many days as possible between watering days.

Check your sprinkler system if you haven’t already. Check all the sprinkler heads of the system. Are they spraying where they are supposed to? Are there any leaks? Also, as you adjust your timer to decrease the watering days, double check and make sure it is going to do what you set it for. Making these adjustments as needed saves water and our landscapes.

Continue to watch the plants in the landscape for any problems of insect infestations or the development of diseases. If you have disease or fungus problems, a common cause is over watering. Diseases develop soon with the cooling temperatures of the evening. This is especially true in the development of powdery mildew.

Lastly, it cannot be over stressed that this season is the time to begin to develop the plants in the landscape for next year’s hot, dry withering weather. This will take time and effort on your part, but the rewards and benefits for you and your plants are worth it.

The weekly water saving tip is provided to Washington County Water Conservancy District by Dr. Frank Williams, professor of the BYU Horticulture department. If you would like any more information please call me, Julie Breckenridge, at 673-3617.