May 10, 2005 Weekly Water Saving Tip

One of the most important factor for conserving water is watering deep and less frequently. So, with that in mind, irrigation for turf is every 7 days. Again, the deep and infrequent irrigations encourage the roots to grow deep. These deep roots allow the plants to survive the environmental stresses such as the hot summers.

The most important factor for conserving water is the weekly maintenance and inspection of the water system and your plants. This is not only for the sprinkler system, but if you have a drip system, a special effort must be made to assure it is working. Maintenance is every bit as important in both systems. It will take some effort to make sure that the drip system is working properly. A couple of days without water at this will not be as critical as it will be later on so make sure everything is working and get in the habit of checking it weekly. A good idea is to check your system after each mowing.

On Saturday, May 21 — The Garden will present a Free workshop: Turf Types and Tutelage. From this workshop, find out the different varieties of turf available and what is best suited for your needs. Learn how to keep your turf healthy and green even in this desert heat and still save on your water usage. Taught by Kevin Holyoak, Turf Specialist. The workshop will be held at the Tonaquint Nature Center at 10 a.m. The workshop is free, but space is limited so please call 673-3617 to reserve your spot.

The weekly water saving is provided to Washington County Water Conservancy District by Dr. Frank Williams, professor at BYU Horticulture Department. For more information you can call Julie Breckenridge at 673-3617.