Water Efficiently
A truly efficient way to use water in a yard is to design the yard so that it thrives predominantly on rainfall. Even if your yard has a lawn and specialty gardens, it is possible to design it as a Carolina Yard in which you can water the plants “as needed.”
However, even an ideal landscape design can be over-watered. That’s why many of the actions in this section deal with sprinkler systems. It’s extremely important that each irrigation zone is set to meet the needs of the plants in that area. For example, a lawn in full sun will demand more frequent irrigation than an established plant bed of shrubs and groundcovers.
Give your warm season lawn a break!
Avoid the temptation to keep it green and growing year round. Warm season lawns go dormant from late fall to early spring. During this time, both warm season and cool season lawns will need water only during extended periods of drought.
Let your plants tell you when they need water—and then water them correctly.
- Grass has bluish-gray tint and rolled leaf blades.
- Annuals droop and don't recover the next morning.
- Most established trees and shrubs need watering only during times of drought.
- Most plants thrive on 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall.
- Use the tallest recommended mowing height to reduce irrigation needs by developing deep, strong root systems.
Resources for proper watering:
Additional Resources: