Watering Season is Here!
Spring has arrived in the Northwest, and it looks like our record-setting rain in the winter is going to be followed by record-setting heat. If your home has a lawn and landscaping, this is a good time to start a watering routine.
Most plants do best if the soil is allowed to partially dry out between watering. For lawns, a dull appearance or footprints not showing indicate that it’s time to water. Vegetables and other annuals should be watered at the first sign of wilting, but tougher perennials (plants that live for several years) only need water if they stay droopy after it cools off in the evening. Trees and shrubs usually don’t need any watering once their roots are fully established (two to five years), except in very dry years.
The flip side of the watering season is that water rates go up. To take care of your lawn, but also keep your utilities bill in check, consider following these tips:
- Water early in the morning (before 10 a.m.) or later in the evening (after 6 p.m.) when temperatures are cooler and evaporation is minimized.
- Adjust sprinklers so that they are watering your lawn and landscape and not the street or sidewalk.
- Set it but don’t forget it! Whether you have a manual or automatic system, be sure to regularly adjust your watering schedules throughout the irrigation season.
For more tips and online resources, visit the Seattle Public Utilities website and read about “Smart Watering.”
