Summer is heating up! Follow a few simple tips to help you lower your bill and use water more efficiently outside.
- Water plants in the early morning. Watering is more efficient in the morning when the sun is low, winds are calm and temperatures are cool. Watering in the evening can invite fungus to grow as leaves can remain wet overnight.
- Water wisely. Don’t water when it is raining and make sure sprinkler heads are adjusted properly to avoid watering sidewalks and driveways.
- Wash your car at a commercial car wash. You'll save water and keep pollutants out of local lakes and streams.
- Use a broom. Use a broom to sweep sidewalks and driveways rather than a hose.
- Consider allowing your lawn to go dormant. In the Pacific Northwest, lawns can go dormant and turn golden brown, but will come back in the fall.
- Upgrade your irrigation system. Install Water Smart controllers and rain sensors.
Want to learn more about how to use water wisely in your garden?
Join us Aug. 10, 2016, for a free hands-on Water Smart Workshop covering everything from soaker hoses and drip irrigation to rain gardens and cisterns. Learn more and register.