Will Your Lawn Survive the Summer?

March 31, 2010

The Beautification Committee of the Hampton Clean City Commission would like to challenge you to prepare your landscape for the summer. When we’re in the midst of the spring rains, it’s easy to forget that water can be very scarce in the summer! Prepare now for the coming summer and possible drought.

• Set up rain barrels to capture this wonderful rain and save it for the long, dry summer. The Hampton Clean City Commission offers classes in partnership with the Hampton Master Gardeners and others, but other sources offer information and complete kits as well. During the month of March, HCCC and the Hampton Master Gardeners offered six rain barrel workshops attended by a more than 90 people. Think of all the rain these homeowners will be capturing!! Be alert for announcements of upcoming workshops, which will take place later this spring.
• Include mulching in your spring gardening plans. Mulch helps hold moisture in the ground around your plants and discourages weeds that insist on sharing that moisture with your prized plants. Mulches come in a wide variety of materials ranging from the traditional wood or pine needle mulch to high tech landscape cloth. Pick the mulches that are right for your landscape and your budget.
• Add compost to your soil. The organic matter in compost helps sandy soil retain moisture and allows moisture to better penetrate clay soils. You can make your own compost in a backyard compost pile with advice from the Cooperative Extension or you can purchase compost. The Virginia Peninsulas Public Service Authority Compost Facility has unbagged compost and garden centers around the area sell bagged compost. Some compost is made from leaves and grass, and some is made from treated sewage solids, so be clear about what you want before you buy it. Both are beneficial, but they are different.
• Look for native plants that don’t require a lot of water when you add plants to your landscape. Information is available from your friendly Virginia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners and local nurseries. Ask specifically for native plants, so you don’t end up with an invasive alien taking over your landscape. Over time you’ll save money by recognizing the special climate of our area and making purchases with that climate in mind. Denial of the reality of our local climate means more money into the compost pile, when you have to remove expensive dead or dying plants.
• Put plants with similar water needs in the same area of your landscape, so you can water according to need. The amount of sunlight they receive will also impact on how much water they need, so use shade strategically to save water. That way the plants get the water and sun they need and you’ll use water more wisely. Remember that the less water you use, the more money you’ll save.
• Consider using drip irrigation rather than water sprinklers. That way the water goes directly to the soil around your plants and you’re not watering the hot dry air! Direct watering of thirstier plants (with a water can or hose) is also more efficient than using a sprinkler to water.
• When you water your plants, water them deeply and infrequently. In other words, don’t just put a little water on them morning and evening. Instead, provide enough water (at least one inch at a time) to soak several inches into the soil. Then water less frequently. This will encourage your plants to send their roots deep into the ground to get water, and will result in stronger, healthier, and more drought-resistant plants.
• Consider capturing some of your household water from light uses to water your thirstier plants. Here’s an idea – put a dish pan in your kitchen sink to capture the water that runs to get to the right temperature, then reuse it at least once, maybe using it for washing the veggies, before you water your plants with it. No waste, no worries!

For more information about water conservation tips, visit HR WET.

Water is our most precious resource, and we urge you to make the best possible use of it in your landscape.

For more information about the Hampton Clean City Commission and its mission of improving the physical environment of Hampton, contact us at hccc@hampton.gov or 727-1130.

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Media Contact:
Debbie Blanton, Hampton Clean City Commission Coordinator