Tips for Dealing with a Lawn Watering Restriction

There are several short term and long term methods of dealing with a lawn watering restriction in your town.

Short Term

• Fertilize less.
• Don’t use pesticides.
• Mow less often. Newly cut blades loss water through their open ends.
• Sharpen mower blades. Dull blades tear grass, creating larger openings through which more water evaporates.
• Raise mower blades. Higher turf provides shade from the drying effects of the sun.
• Leave grass clippings on lawn. It recycles moisture in grass back to soil.

• Switch grasses. For warm zones, consider low watering grasses such as centipedegrass, buffalograss, zoysiagrass. For cooler zones, consider low watering grasses such as tall fescue and zoysiagrass.
• Control thatch. Too much thatch prevents water from reaching the roots. Some thatch is good because it helps retain moisture in the soil and shades the roots from the blaring sun.
• Improve the soil. Add compost to help retain moisture.
• Aerate. This encourages deeper roots to make use of the small amount of water it does receive.