Keep Your Lawns & Gardens Beautiful while Conserving Water
The spring season and warm weather are right around the corner, and residents will soon start to prepare for their garden and lawn-care routines. The Hicksville Water District would like to provide some helpful tips for our green-thumbed residents that will help keep lawns and gardens lush while minimizing water usage.
“There are ways to make your lawns and gardens look great while also conserving water and saving money on your summer water bills,” said HWD Chairman Karl Schweitzer. “We hope the Hicksville community can take advantage of these tips to manage their landscaping so they can be both beautiful and water efficient.”
Nassau County’s Lawn Watering Ordinance prohibits lawn watering between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm for all residences. It also requires that even-numbered and non-numbered addresses water on even-numbered days, and odd-numbered addresses water on odd-numbered days. Residents are also encouraged to replace their standard irrigation timer with a smart irrigation controller. This simple switch has proven to reduce overall water usage from irrigation systems by approximately 30 percent.
Native plants are also recommended to incorporate into your landscaping because they require less water, are more resistant to diseases and pests, and rarely require added fertilizer. Use caution when choosing more exotic plants as some plant species are invasive, require more water (which can increase your water bill) and could displace native plants. Healthy soils are also essential to keeping a healthy landscape. Foot traffic or home construction can cause soil to compact, so aerating your soil can increase the flow of water into the ground while reducing runoff water.
Another useful tip for your garden is adding mulch. Mulch is a great tool that helps reduce evaporation, promotes plant growth, and prevents soil erosion. It is important to avoid rock gardens in areas with less shade because the rocks will radiate more heat and lead to scorching of plants and water loss. Also, avoid using excessive amounts of mulch, as too much mulch will limit water flow to plant roots. Leaving a few inches of room between mulch and trees or other woody plants will prevent rotting.
