Based on the weather for the past two weeks and the forecast for the next two weeks,
we recommend watering 3 days per week for the next 14 days.
This recommendation is only applicable to the watering schedule you received from your Slow the Flow sprinkler inspection. If you no longer have the watering schedule from your inspection, please call 303-999-3824 or email
water@resourcecentral.org
and we will resend your schedule.
|
|
A Friendly Reminder:
Don't forget to adjust your controller!
With the relatively recent shift in weather from wet and rainy to dry and hot, make sure you're running your system for the current recommended number of days (see above) to ensure your grass is getting what it needs. The current recommendation MAY BE DIFFERENT than the number of days we set your clock for at the time of your consultation! Your Slow the Flow customized watering schedule is a great starting point, but always remember to adjust as weather changes to avoid over or under-watering your lawn. Don't set it and forget it!
Efficient watering while maintaining a healthy lawn requires periodically adjusting your number of watering days. Luckily, the above watering recommendations are based on both temperature and precipitation to help prevent overwatering if rain's in the forecast, and under-watering if we're coming up on a heat wave. Know someone who's watering seems out of sync with the weather? Tell them to sign up for a Slow the Flow consultation to receive their own watering schedule plus access to our weekly watering recommendations!
|
|
Summer is in full force! With 90+ degree days looking like they'll be sticking around for awhile, it's important to know the signs of heat stress in your landscape.
We discussed some turf-specific heat wave tips in
our last newsletter
, but what about your other plants? Read on for some tips on how to identify heat stress in trees and shrubs, and what you can do about it.
|
|
Hot and dry conditions can stress trees and shrubs, just like they can stress the grass in your yard. Due to their size, trees and shrubs don't tend to show signs of stress as quickly as your grass will. Especially in the case of younger, less-established trees and shrubs, watering during periods of insufficient rainfall will be necessary to keep them in healthy condition.
Signs to look out for:
A tree's initial response to heat or drought stress won't be visible above the soil surface. Trees respond slowly to prolonged periods without water by killing off their smallest roots first. This helps them to conserve the energy and nutrients that would otherwise be dedicated to those areas, and they acquire some additional energy that was stored in those roots during times of adequate moisture.
|
|
Some more obvious indications that your trees and shrubs are under some stress include wilting, leaf scorch (browning or yellowing of leaf tips, edges, and/or veins), and some loss of foliage.
|
|
Next Steps:
Water, but don't Overwater!
Some additional hand watering for your trees and shrubs is usually enough to get them back on track. Keep in mind, supplemental watering does not mean watering in excess, it simply means watering whatever is needed on top of rainfall amounts to reach your plant's normal requirements. If your plants have been stressed for some time, you'll want to ease them back into it. Keep the soil moist, but not wet or water logged. Roots need oxygen as much as they need water, and over saturating the soil will lead to more stress in the form of suffocation!
Prune sparingly.
Shrub pruning is typically recommended in spring, before new growth begins. If your shrubs are stressed, however, pruning dead or dying branches can reduce the plants watering needs and minimize future damage to the rest of the shrub.
Avoid fertilizers.
These are wasted on already-stressed trees and shrubs, and can even cause more stress if applied during drought-like weather.
Fill in with Mulch.
Trees and shrubs both benefit from a small ring of mulch at their bases. Mulch helps to reduce evaporation from the soil after watering, leaving more in the ground for roots to soak up. If you already have your shrub and tree-bases mulched, make sure to fill in any bare spots where mulch may have shifted or decomposed over the course of the summer.
|
|
Thinking ahead:
If you consistently find yourself needing to provide extra care to certain plants throughout the summer months, consider swapping them out for some native or drought tolerant plants that require less water. Xeric perennials, like any plant, require a little bit of maintenance to establish, but by year 3, they're largely self-sufficient, even in the heat of Colorado's summers. See more info about our xeric perennial program below!
|
|
The Colorado Sprinkler Guide is here to help you avoid overwatering! By providing you with weather-based watering recommendations, our goal is to keep you on track with your sprinkler schedule and prevent overreactions to hot temperatures that lead to drastic and unnecessary increases in watering times. Thanks for reading!
|
|
|
|
|
Is the grass in this picture dead or dormant?
|
|
|
|
If you selected "dormant", you must be keeping up with our newsletters! This grass is indeed dormant, not dead. Kentucky blue grass is extremely drought tolerant, and simply "shuts down" if it's water-stressed. With a few weeks of consistent watering, this lawn will perk right back up to its green former glory. No reason to stress over dormant (not dead) grass!
|
|
Fall is a great time to plant a garden!
|
|
Garden in a Box
Just when you thought you missed your chance to plant your perennial garden until next spring, we've got good news!
|
|
Fall Garden In A Box season is here! September is a great time for planting perennials. Warm soil temperatures encourage steady root growth before winter. Come spring, your low water garden will have a jump on foliage growth and flowering - making an impressive show come summer! Browse our professionally designed collection of popular water-wise Gardens In A Box online at online garden store, or call to order 303-999-3820 x222.
|
|
Resource Central
(formerly Center for ReSource Conservation) is an innovative nonprofit dedicated to helping people save water, reduce waste, and conserve energy. With 40+ years of experience, our programs make it easy to conserve natural resources.
Disclaimer:
The proposed changes to your watering schedule contained within this newsletter are calculated using evapotranspiration data and weather forecasts averaged across the Front Range, and may not be fully accurate for your specific geographical area. By agreeing to receive this newsletter, you understand that all recommended changes to your current watering schedule are simply suggestions for you to follow, if you so choose. Furthermore, you acknowledge that Resource Central will not be held responsible for any damage to your landscape or irrigation system, nor will Resource Central be liable for covering costs due to an increase in your water bill.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
