Water Wise landscaping tips

Your lawn can still be green and healthy when you follow the Water Wise Rules.

Spring & summer tips

• Water twice per week in May. As the weather warms up, change to three days per week.
• Fertilize your lawn in early to mid-May. Don't fertilize once the heat of summer arrives. 
• Schedule pop-up sprinklers for 20 minutes, rotors for 45 minutes, multi-stream nozzles 60 minutes each watering day. These recommendations are starting points; adjust up or down as needed. 
• As the weather warms up, you may notice brown spots in your lawn. They may be a sign of poor sprinkler coverage. Check for clogged or misaligned nozzles, sunken or tilted sprinkler heads. 
• Consider applying for irrigation rebates to upgrade to sprinkler bodies with pressure regulation and check valves.

Fall & winter tips

• Once temperatures drop into the 70's consistently, water twice per week. As the weather cools down further, change to once per week in October.
• Schedule pop-ups for 20 minutes, rotors 45 minutes, multi-stream nozzles 60 minutes each water day to start. Adjust up or down as needed.
• Water consistently in fall so your plants go into dormancy hydrated. This prevents winterkill due to dehydration.
• Fertilize your lawn in fall, once around Labor Day and once around Halloween.
• Winterize your sprinkler system in October.
• Be sure to winter water Nov. - April if we experience dry winter conditions. 
• When it’s raining, catch the savings. We offer up to $50 for wireless and $25 for wired rain sensors to help prevent sprinklers from running when it’s raining. They are easy to install and typically pay for themselves in just one season.
• Improve coverage and reduce runoff with high-efficiency nozzles.
  • We offer rebates for high-efficiency matched precipitation nozzles, which are 20% to 30% more efficient than conventional spray nozzles and can save up to 5% to 10% of landscape water use.
• Perform a sprinkler checkup to make sure everything is in good working condition.

Your lawn can still be green and healthy
when you water wisely. Follow the right
watering schedule—and the tips below—to
set yours up for success.

Mowing

• Use your mower’s highest setting to promote healthy root growth.
• Mow frequently enough so you only remove one-third of the grass blade to prevent stress (one to two times per week).
• Let clippings fall rather than bagging them to recycle nutrients.
• Sharpen your mower’s blade twice per year for a clean cut.
• Mow when the grass blades are dry to prevent disease.

Aeration

• Core aerate once or twice per year in spring or fall to provide oxygen to the soil and encourage deeper roots.
• Water thoroughly 24-48 hours before aerating.
• Apply grass seed to thin areas after core aerating.
• Avoid power raking.

Fertilize

• Fertilize mid-spring, early fall and late fall to sustain steady growth throughout the year.
• Use a fertilizer with nitrogen; both traditional and organic types work.
• Avoid weed-and-feed formulas. Pull or spot spray weeds to prevent damage to nearby trees and shrubs.

The tips below will help you have a healthy landscape while using water wisely.

Apply water several feet outside the dripline with a watering can or soft spray wand attached to a hose or a soaker hose.

Recently transplanted trees and shrubs need more frequent watering.

Trees and shrubs planted in a lawn do not need to be watered separately from grass if grass is receiving regular irrigation.

Consider planting trees and shrubs that require less supplemental water.

Tree watering guide (April through September)

• Trunk diameter Less than 4 inches: 10 gallons per inch of trunk diameter 1x/week.
• Trunk diameter 5-9 inches: 10 gallons per inch of trunk diameter 3x/month.
• Trunk diameter greater than 10 inches: 15 gallons per inch of trunk diameter 2x/month. 
  * Trunk diameter measured 4.5 feet above the soil line

Shrub watering guide (April through September)

• Less than 3 feet tall: 2 gallons 1x/week
• 4-5 feet tall: 5 gallons 3x/month
• 6 feet tall or greater: 10 gallons 2x/month

Trees can add value and beauty to your landscape and, with good planning, you can plant new trees that will thrive for generations. 

To help your tree flourish, follow these steps:

1. Choose a Water Wise tree with proven success. Pick a tree that can endure weather extremes and periodic drought. Our Water Wise trees contain only the best long-term performers.
   
   
2. Plant it correctly. Following the recommended planting guidelines is critical to your tree's long-term health. Proper planting will allow your tree to develop a healthy, robust root system.
   
   
3. Water it regularly. Our semi-arid, prairie climate doesn’t provide enough moisture to sustain trees. Be sure to water your tree more frequently after planting, and regularly once it’s established. Use this watering guide.

Demonstration Garden 

• We offer free resources and classes at the Conservation & Environmental Center to help you select the right plants and learn how to create a Water Wise landscape. While you're there, stop by the demonstration garden for some inspiration.

The best way to water your lawn is to use the “cycle and soak” method. This method breaks up your watering time into smaller cycles, allowing the water to soak into the soil.

If an area is watered too fast for too long, many soils can’t absorb it, resulting in runoff.

How to cycle & soak

• Divide the zone’s watering time into two or three cycles.
• Water the first cycle and wait one hour.
• Water the second cycle and wait one hour before running a third cycle if necessary.
• Don’t water for short periods in both the morning and the evening. The water doesn’t soak deeply into the soil, leading to shallow roots and unhealthy grass.

Benefits

• The cycle and soak watering method not only saves water, but also improves your lawn’s health.
• Moisture deep in the soil promotes deeper roots, which contributes to a thicker, healthier, greener lawn.
• For more information on how long a zone should run, check out the sample schedule on the back.

For more information on how long a zone should run, check out our sample schedule.

Drip irrigation uses a network of plastic flexible pipes to carry a low flow of water under low pressure to plants. Generally, this pipe is installed at the soil surface and then covered with rock or mulch.

Save with drip irrigation

• Drip irrigation is 90 to 95% efficient while a sprinkler is only about 65% efficient. 
• With a drip system, water is applied right where it is needed at a slower rate, so it can be absorbed into the soil. As with any irrigation system, it’s only as efficient as the water schedule used.

Scheduling your drip system

• Schedule your drip system to run one day a week during April, May, September and October. Run it twice a week from June through August, if required.
• Set the run time between 45-60 minutes. After watering, check the soil moisture at the root (least 6 inches deep) and adjust the run time if needed.
• Check the drip system twice a month to make sure it’s running properly.
• For a newly installed landscape, water three days a week for around 30 minutes and monitor soil moisture daily.