Smart Ways to Use Less Water on Your Lawn this Summer

It’s August, which can mean scorching temperatures, blazing sun and dry, drought-like days on end.

And depending on where you live, the summer also brings about lawn watering bans.

As a homeowner, you’ve worked hard to build a nice, lush and green lawn with things like:

Organic topsoil from Lane’s Landscaping Supplies
High-quality grass seed products
Nutrient rich fertilizer

So here’s your dilemma: On one hand, you want to keep your lawn as healthy and beautiful as possible.

On the other hand, watering bans in cities like Mississauga, Oakville, Milton, Burlington and Brampton keep you from hydrating your grass on a regular basis.

Fortunately, there is a way to be water-wise and have the best-looking lawn in the neighbourhood.

Use a hose to water your lawn?

Many Canadians use a plain old garden hose to water their lawn.

However, much of that water gets wasted when you consider:

4 billion litres of water are used every day across Canada for watering and irrigation
50% of daily lawn watering usage is wasted because of extra or unneeded watering
1100 litres can be used for lawn watering, which is the same as leaving the hose running for 8 hours

When your day comes to water your grass, make sure to use as little as possible.

Besides that, you can also:

Step on your grass before watering: If it pops right back up, it’s strong enough that it doesn’t need to be watered

Cut down on your grass cutting: Longer grass is better able to handle dry, arid conditions vs. short, trimmed grass

Water in the early morning or evening: Less water is needed and cooler temperatures and the water won’t evaporate either

One more thing you can do is make sure your garden hose and nozzle is free and clear or debris or damage and is in good working condition too.

Sprinkler Head — *Keep your sprinklers in good shape*

Have a sprinkler or irrigation system?

Even though sprinkler systems are automated, they can still waste excessive amounts of water.

Unless you:

Position them properly: Make sure the sprinkler heads are watering your grass and not your aggregates, interlocking pavers or interlocking patio stones instead

Get your system tuned up: When was the last time the pipes were cleared, leaks sealed and clogging debris was removed from the sprinkler heads?

Program your sprinklers to activate in the morning or at night: Just like using the hose, less water is required in early morning or late evening sprinkling sessions

Other things you can do

Obviously watering is a big part of keeping your grass nice and green.

But even when you’re not watering (or restricted from doing it), there are still things you can do to maintain the health and appearance of your lawn:

Leave grass clippings on the lawn: Since they’re organic, they’ll decompose and feed your lawn the vital nutrients it needs

Put away the fertilizer: It sounds counterproductive, but fertilized lawns actually need more water and are more susceptible to drought stress

Sharpen your lawn mower blades regularly: Dull blades tear grass, meaning more water than usual is required to help your lawn recover

Need more help with your lawn this year? Come to Lane’s.

Whether you want to calculate how much topsoil you should use, arrange for topsoil delivery or just need helpful advice, we’ve got you covered.