7 Drought Tolerant Landscaping Tips For A Greener Yard This Summer

3. Maintaining a beautiful yard is a point of pride for many homeowners. From keeping the grass mowed to planting flowers and manicuring shrubbery, a lot goes into keeping a yard up to standard. For households that experience the occasional drought, the need to conserve water can take a significant toll without drought-tolerant landscaping.

5. Providing a lawn with one inch of water requires around a half gallon per square foot or about 62 gallons for every 10′ by 10′ area. This means that if you live in a hot climate, you may be pouring hundreds of gallons – and, consequently, hundreds of dollars a month – into your yard. Not to mention, drought risk areas don’t have the luxury of using excess water

8. 1. Fix Outdoor Leaks to Prepare for Droughts Effective use of water relies on your own practices but can also be attributed to proper maintenance. Whether you know it or not, pipes, spigots, hoses, sprinkler tubing, and other components of a watering system can develop weaknesses and, consequently, leaks. Periodically, take time to inspect your tools, looking for signs of issues. A slow-dripping faucet alone can cost hundreds of dollars a year in water expenses, so keep an eye out for any leaks or other problem areas to avoid wasting money on water you’re not even using.

11. 2. Add a Drought-Tolerant Greywater System After you wash your hands or do the dishes, where does the water go? That’s right – it goes right down the drain. That is unless you put it to good use. You may be wondering, what is greywater? Greywater refers to wastewater from non-hazardous applications like washing hands, taking a shower, or any non-toilet-related use. This water is too contaminated to be used for any sterile application but it is perfectly useful for things like watering lawns when properly treated. The components in this water that make it seem dirty are actually beneficial as fertilizer, stimulating plant growth.

14. If you have access to greywater in your area, taking advantage of it can be an excellent way to keep costs down while helping the environment. To get started with greywater: Explore city ordinances to ensure greywater use and collection is permitted Partner with a plumbing contractor to help create a device that accurately collects and applies greywater in a way that makes sense for your property Consider investing in a three-way valve to make it easy to divert water between greywater collection and your septic system Determine whether you want to use greywater with an irrigation system, like mulch basins, or through a hose for normal watering