Water-Sensible Green Spaces for a Healthier Planet

Everyone has a childhood memory of running around barefoot on freshly-cut grass. As you ran, taking in every last breath to fuel your game of tag or capture the flag, you probably didn’t think about the value of the clean air you were inhaling or the importance of the grass that stained your feet. A lawn with approximately 2,500 square feet of grass absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releases enough oxygen for a family of four to breathe. Green spaces like your lawn are essential to the livelihood of the planet, but even more important is the water used to maintain these green spaces.

In the arid southwest, water is a scarce commodity and we must employ water conservation practices everywhere possible, especially in the outdoors. The irrigation industry has come a long way in the advancement of water-efficient irrigation technology. Like low-flow shower heads for the interior of the home, there are water-efficient irrigation products designed to greatly reduce landscape water use. Today, you can have a water-sensible lawn while giving your kids a barefoot-friendly outdoor playground.

Five Ways to Maintain a Water-Sensible Yard

1. Call a professional to conduct an audit on your irrigation system and fix water-wasting inefficiencies.
2. Water in the early mornings when winds are calm and temperatures are cool.
3. Frequently adjust sprinkler heads so that water stays off the pavement and on your lawn.
4. Connect an inexpensive rain sensor to your irrigation system, and prevent the watering-in-the-rain scenario.
5. Use a “smart” irrigation controller, or regularly adjust your current irrigation timer to coincide with seasonal weather conditions.

For more tips on maintaining a water-efficient lawn, email greenspace@ewing1.com.