Water conservation is a big topic in the warmer summer months, but the importance of saving water doesn’t end when fall rolls around. In fact, fall is the perfect time to look at how you’re using water and where you can maximize your savings. With these 6 helpful fall water conservation tips, you’ll learn how to easily save water and money this autumn.
Shorten Your Watering Time
As the daylight hours become shorter and the sun’s intensity decreases, your plants, lawns, and gardens require less water than they did in the summer. The amount of watering your landscaping needs will depend on several variables, including climate, plant type, and soil type.
A Lawn and Garden Hose Timer will also ensure you’re maximizing every ounce of water so you can shorten your watering time and avoid overwatering. When you need to water, stick with early morning or evening times when evaporation is minimal.
Watch the Forecast
For most of the U.S., fall brings more rain than summer—which is great for water conservation and our pocketbooks! Be sure to keep an eye on the forecast and avoid outdoor watering when rain is on the way.
Additionally, you can install a weather-based irrigation controller (also called a smart controller or ET controller), which will automatically adjust your watering schedule based on local weather conditions. The controller reduces the amount of watering when the weather cools down and adds necessary time when the temperatures heat back up.
Embrace the Broom
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios. According to the EPA, using a broom to clean these outdoor areas can save up to 6 gallons of water every minute.
Check Your Irrigation System
One of the best ways to conserve water is by ensuring your irrigation system is working properly. Fall is the perfect time to perform an irrigation inspection and fix all leaks and broken heads. Even fixing a small indoor or outdoor leak can save thousands of gallons of water a month.
Consider Rainwater Harvesting
Rather than allowing rain to run off, rainwater harvesting collects and stores the rainwater for reuse. There are many benefits of reusing rainwater, like using it for your outdoor watering (garden, plants, and lawn), which helps nourish your plants, reduces outdoor water usage, and saves money on your water bill.
Collecting and reusing rainwater doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as using rain barrels to capture the water for reuse later. At MyEcoPlace, we offer Eco-Friendly Re-Used Rain Barrels in a 50-gallon size or a 58-gallon size, depending on your needs.
Replace High Water Use Plants with Drought-Tolerant Plants
Fall strikes the perfect balance between warm soil and cooler air temperatures, making it a great time to prepare your landscape for the year ahead. To save water and money, consider replacing high water use plants with drought-tolerant plants.
There are endless variations of drought-tolerant shrubs, vines, cacti, succulents, and flowers that will not only add beauty to your landscape but save you time, water, and money in the long run. Some drought-tolerant plants to consider are coneflowers (Echinacea), agave, sedum, and lantana. You can find more resilient, non-thirsty plants that are great for areas of water scarcity here.