OKLAHOMA OUTSI DE
e’re into that time of year when the weatherman turns on the tape record- er that says, “The weather tomorrow will be hot, accompanied by low humidity and more dry conditions.” So what else do we expect? It’s July after all!
But all these hot, dry conditions take a toll on the landscape and lawn, and they can also take a big toll on our pocketbooks. The lack of rain has forced many of us to use a lot more water than we would like, just to keep everything alive. So how can we cut our costs and still have the pleasant garden effects we planned and planted for? If you don’t want to make drastic changes to your landscape—namely, removing a lot of lawn and water loving shrubs and replacing them with xeric plants and ground covers—consider the fol-
lowing tips for reducing the cost of watering. ✓ First, spread a good landscape mulch around
your shrubs and fl owering plants. There is no better way to prevent the loss of water vapors from the soil. I suggest about an inch and a half
Water-Wise Gardening W
By Allan Storjohann
of cypress, cedar, pine or cotton-bur compost. ✓ Second, reduce the amount of nitrogen you
are putting down on the lawn and landscape. Us- ing organic-based fertilizers with low nitrogen will cause the lawn to grow slower and require
less water. The same is true on the shrub beds. ✓ Third, install a moisture meter sensing device on your sprinkler system. This will shut the system off and not let it run when the soil is al-
ready wet from rain. ✓ Fourth, install an inexpensive drip system under the mulch layer. Soaker hoses work well
for this too, and may be cheaper to buy. ✓ Fifth, check your irrigation system often for leaks and spray heads that waste water outside the landscape area, and program the system to shut off before there’s any runoff down the street or sidewalk.
These changes shouldn’t be too costly for you, but they may not achieve the major savings you need to drop the water bill down to acceptable levels.
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22 OKLAHOMA LIVING
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