How Much Water Is Your Lawn Using? It's that time of year where the grass grows and we feel compelled to water the lawn to keep it green. I'd like to share my favorite lawn water tips and tricks with you in hopes that we can all conserve a bit of water this summer. 1. First thing I'd like you to even if you don't have a lawn to water. Turn off all your faucets and go outside and check the water meter. If it's moving and your not using water then it means you have a leak somewhere and your losing water in the ground or somewhere else. It also means you are spending money on water you are not using. 2. I always put bark around my trees and in all my flowerbeds. Not only does it give my yard a finished look but it saves me money and water. Using mulch, bark or gravel traps moisture and slows the rate of evaporation and I don't have to water as often to keep my plants hydrated. 3. At the beginning of each summer and about half way through the summer I check my sprinkler heads for proper operation. Here's what I'm looking for: do the heads pop all the way up and if not then I use a steak knife and I cut around the sprinkler head to remove built up grass. I also check the heads to make sure they aren't broken and that they are not watering the driveway or sidewalks. 4. I water during the cool part of the day, usually early morning as nighttime watering can actually grows fungus. I never water when it's raining and I try and avoid windy days to water as well. Think about evaporation when you water - will the heat evaporate the water before it hits the grass? 5. If you do not use a sprinkler system and you water with a hose, use a timer and change your zones every 15 minutes or so, and use a sprinkler head that keeps the water low to the grass. 6. I've asked our lawn men to set the blades on their lawn movers a notch higher, the longer grass means less evaporation. 7. I advise my clients with evaporative coolers and water propelled hose wheels to direct the drain lines to flower beds to catch that otherwise wasted water. 8. Did you know that playing in the garden hose uses 10 gallons of water a MINUTE? 9. Xeriscape your yard or parts of your yard. 10. Use sprinklers or hoses that produce droplets instead of a mist or use soaker hoses for trees and shrubs. Misting allows water to evaporate at a faster rate. 11. Try not to over fertilize your grass. Over fertilized grass requires more water.