The drought parching
the ground in many parts of the country is a stern wake-up call
for water users, especially gardeners. The prospect of choosing
between having water to drink and watering the garden is inching
closer. For a closer look at where drought is predicted, current
or subsiding in the US, check the weekly National Weather Service's
Drought Monitor maps at http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/index.html
Some areas got a head
start dealing with the water issue in areas where development
or agriculture outpaced natural water supply, or where lush landscapes
and moisture-loving crops were defiantly planted in arid environments.
The rest of the country can learn from them.
Those of us who are
located in the semi-tropics of South Florida have been grappling
with the water issue for some time. First, it was too much. After
all, who wanted to live in a swamp? Much effort was put into draining
land, diverting water, and planting the melaleuca, M. quinquenervia,
a tree with an unquenchable thirst. All three efforts have come
back to haunt the state, with millions of Federal and state dollars
being spent to undo it all.
Local governments are
taking aim at the biggest landscape water-guzzler: lawns. Officials
are using a combination of carrots and sticks to get the message
across:
1. The Southern Nevada
Water Authority offers homeowners 40 cents a square foot to replace
all or part of their lawn with less water dependent plants. It's
paid in the form of a credit on their water bill of up to $25,000
for residents and $50,000 for commercial properties.
2. Albuquerque will
reduce water bills for residents up $500 for xeriscaping, conserving
water through creative landscaping; businesses up to $750.
3. In Sarasota County
and most recently in Tampa, Florida, builders must limit irrigated
lawn to 50 percent of the area of a residential lot not covered
by the house, driveway, sidewalks or pool. The other 50 percent
must use low-volume irrigation systems, usually called micro-irrigation
systems.
Landscape watering restrictions are becoming commonplace, some
of them year-round. Many homeowners, including myself, have to
check the day of the week and the house number before turning
on their sprinklers. An odd- or even-number address determines
which days of the week watering is allowed—scarily reminiscent
of the days when one's car's license plate number determined which
day you could get in line for gas.
Watering less or as
needed
While the expanse of
green we call a lawn has become symbolic for our wasteful water
ways, the reputation isn't entirely deserved. Most lawns simply
are over-watered. A healthy lawn only requires an inch or so of
water a week, though exactly how much varies with the texture
of your soil. Deep but infrequent watering encourages deep-root
growth and fortifies the grass against drought conditions. For
an excellent summary of what you need to know about lawn maintenance,
see Whitney Farms' website at http://www.whitneyfarms.com/guide/articles/article_lawn.shtml.
The most frugal way
to water a lawn is on an as-needed basis. To tell if Kentucky
bluegrass, the most common type of turf, needs water, step on
it. If it springs back, there is ample moisture. If it lies flat,
it needs water. St. Augustine grass, which is what's used extensively
in South Florida, tells you it's thirsty when the blades fold.
If you're not sure how long it takes your sprinkler system to
deliver one inch of water to your lawn, mark several cups one
inch from the bottom of the cup. Set out the cups around your
lawn and time how long your sprinklers take to deliver one inch
of water to the cups.
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