10 Easy Tips to Reduce Water Consumption with Pennington Smart Seed

On behalf of myself and my readers I want to thank Pennington Smart Seed for sponsoring this two part series on lawn maintenance!  I also want to thank everyone who participated in our giveaway.  You guys shared some great lawn care tips here on the blog and on my Facebook page, which I’ve enjoyed reading.  By the way, one of my favorite tips came from Courtney.  She wrote, “Get your husband to help you out. Work goes by so much faster with 2 people!” Yes, I agree! Haha!

And for those of you wanting to know who won the $50 Amex giveaway. Your wait is over.  Please congratulate  our winner, Kimberly Bauer!

As we talked about before,  Pennington Smart Seed come in a variety of mixes, designed to grow in your specific climate.   The product is also a a drought resistent seed that requires less water than other seed on the market.  And Pennington Smart Seed actually requires 30% less water than other seed year after year.

Based on these product facts, I’m sure you can tell that the makers of of Pennington Smart Seed have done a lot of research in to water consumption and conservation as it relates to lawn maintenance.  Why do they think  it is so important, you ask?

1. With 2012 being the hottest year on record in the US, 2/3 of the country faced drought.
2. Homeowners use anywhere from 30 to 70% of their water outdoors.
3. Up to 50% of the water used outdoors is wasted because of wind, runoff, or other inefficient yard maintenance.

So how CAN you reduce your water consumption and still maintain a full, healthy, green lawn?

1. At the beginning of spring decrease the frequency of watering but increase the amount of water. This will help to make the plants more drought tolerant.
2. Install irrigation systems that will only water your plants when it is needed, and use rain barrels to harvest rainwater.
3. Use grass seed like Pennington Smart Seed, which requires less water.
4. Do not overwater.  Your lawn will not need water until the color falls below 50 percent, at which time it still ONLY needs one inch of water.
5. Be sure to fix your sprinklers so that they are not wasting water on your driveway or street. (I see this ALL the time, and it drives me crazy!)
6. Water in the morning or at night (anywhere from 10 pm to 4 am is best). This will prevent water loss due to evaporation from the summer heat.
7. Water on days when it’s not windy to keep water from being blown outside the areas you want watered.
8. When planting new grass seed, use mulch to add a protective layer and help your soil to retain moisture during the germination process.
9. Sweep your sidewalk and driveway rather than using a water hose.
10. Fertilize your plants. Plants that are properly fertilized will be stronger and healthier, with a stronger root system, and will need less water overtime.

Happy Gardening!  And Good Luck with your lawns this summer!