Water Conservation in the Texas Heat!!
Hot Texas weather requires us to drink more water to prevent dehydration; your yard is thirsty too. More water for our lawns is needed at this time to prevent foundation issues and plant loss. How often you should water depends on such factors as the grass type, where you live, what kind of soil you have, how much sun your grass gets, and what time of year it is.

Tehama Ridge residents can use the following tips to keep a beautiful lawn and watch your plants and grass thrive:
Maintain proper grass length.
Weeds – yuck!! Set mowers to 3-3.5" to keep grass longer, which will help the grass retain moisture and crowd out weeds. If your mower can mulch the grass,
use that feature and leave the grass clippings on the lawn to provide much-needed nutrients and prevent water from evaporating. This also keeps yard waste out of landfills. Water appropriately. Most people over water their lawns, which results in unhealthy grass and wasted water. If you step on the grass and it springs back, you don’t need to water. If you step on the grass and leave a footprint, it is time to water. Watering only when it’s needed can save 750- 1,500 gallons a month. Avoid the temptation of watering every day or every other day if your lawn does not need it. When you do water, apply a sufficient amount of water, enough to make 6 to 8 inches of soil wet. This will enable the plants to grow deeper roots, decreasing the need to water often. A good general guideline is to focus more on watering deeply when you do water, rather than focusing on frequency of watering. Depending on the soil type, a lawn can use about one or two inches of water per week. TEST: To measure how much your grass is getting, put a few graduated cups or cans in the sprinkling area to see how much water is collected. Run your sprinkler or irrigation system for 15 minutes, and then measure the water in the cans. Multiply that number by four to get the average total for one hour of watering time. This exercise will also let you know which areas your sprinkler system is missing. Timing is Everything · DON’T water at night - water can sit on the lawn and may cause disease. · DON’T water at midday – water is lost to evaporation at this time. · DO water early in the morning - evaporation is minimized and the lawn utilizes the most water.

Timely Tips for Gardeners:  


Watering Your Landscape 
Water requirements vary from one area of your landscape to the next.
If you own a sprinkler system, each zone should be programmed 
differently depending on the needs and you should always  operate it manually. 


Established lawns should be watered  once every five to seven days,applying about one inch of water. 
This soaking encourages deeper rooting which leads to stronger, healthier plants. Shrubs and flowerbeds may require more watering
depending on the age of the plant material. 
A good test is to dig down 4 to 6 inches and feel the soil.  If the soil is dry, a good deep watering is in order. 
Plants in full sun will require more moisture as well as those growing in containers. Please remember, any newly planted tree or shrub requires hand watering for that first year.

The best time of day to water is early morning before the temperatures begin  to rise. 
Also, early mornings tends to be a time of lower winds and thus reduced  evaporation. Mulching is an excellent way to retain moisture. 
It will also insulate the  soil surface from the direct rays of the sun.Educating yourself on the needs and wants of watering a landscape will save you time and money. Stay cool!