Conserving Water While Gardening

A concern for gardeners is the efficient use of water. Gardeners of any variety of plants may struggle with managing water to best promote plant growth. Gardeners with insufficient water resources or who experience low natural moisture may have to resort to manually watering their gardens. Conserving water effectively can save money and help reduce water waste in your community. Here are some ways that you can conserve and manage water efficiently while gardening:

Care for Your Soil

The way you look after your soil can determine the success of your garden and lawn. Conduct a pH test to determine the quality of soil at the beginning of the season. Add organic matter such as bark clippings, ground-up leaves, pine needles, and grass clippings to help retain moisture. Adding mulch to the base of your flower bed, shrubs, and trees in spring can help your plants retain moisture and prevent evaporation during dry periods.

Water Appropriately

Research has shown that when you water your plants can have a significant impact on plant growth. The best time to water your garden is early in the morning before temperatures rise. Winds tend to be lower and there is much less evaporation occurring in the atmosphere. It is also a good rule of thumb to water plants whenever they show signs of distress, which can be at any time of the day. Avoid evening watering as it can encourage fungal growth. For potted plants in your garden, water them in the afternoon. Container plants often have rates of lower moisture retention, meaning they dry out more quickly.

Don’t Waste Water

Save and reuse water when you can. Use a big barrel or rainwater system in your garden to harvest rainwater and roof runoff. (Learn more about how to develop a rainwater system here.) Even saving cooled water that you have used for cooking or water that was used in a fish tank can help prevent waste and give additional nutrients to your plants.

When you do water your plants, don’t focus on watering the foliage as that doesn’t contribute much to the growth of the plant. Focus on watering within the root zone, which is approximately 1 to 3 times the diameter of the canopy of the plant. Stop if the water is pooling, and allow the roots to soak up the water before resuming. There is such a thing as over watering a plant, so don’t drown your plant as it robs the roots of air and causes root rot and soil compaction.

The most important way to prevent water waste is to water mindfully; use your sprinkler deliberately because water won’t help your driveway, sidewalks, or patio.

Choose Your Plants Wisely

What you choose to plant in your garden will make a big difference in how much effort you will have to put into your garden. Look into growing native plants. Native plants will be able to quickly adapt to your garden and will require minimal care on your part. Pick appropriately-sized plants and give them plenty of room to grow. Don’t opt for a bush that grows up to 10 feet if you only need a five-foot shrub in your front yard. Overcrowding plants can impede the growth of your garden, as well.

Consider the time you add plants to your garden as well. Adding plants to your garden at the end of fall or in the beginning of spring when it’s still cool will help those plants grow and establish a healthy root system.

Watering mindfully can save thousands of gallons of water a year, reduce water use by 50%, and shave hundreds of dollars off your water bill. Take a few of these tips to heart this season, and you’ll have a green thumb and a greener wallet.

Spring and Summer Swimming Safety

Minnesota is the land of 11,842 lakes, though 10,000 does have more splash.  For those of us living in Minnesota, we’ve all been exposed to a body of water or two, and undoubtedly have heard a few water safety tips: don’t run on the dock, wear a lifejacket, wait 30 minutes to swim after you eat (that’s a myth, by the way).  As the temperatures begin to rise, the temptation to rush down to the beach or pool gets greater every day. Before you dive in, remind yourself and your loved ones of proper water safety tips to ensure that everyone has a safe and fun time.

General Swimming Tips

The best offense is a good defense; all swimmers should arm themselves with the right tools in order to practice swim safety.

●     Take a safety course. Everyone who goes swimming - especially kids - should have had age-appropriate swim lessons. Enroll your family in courses that emphasize basic water safety skills, emergency survival techniques, important strokes, and how to tread water. Look for classes that focus on water safety, home pool safety, first aid, and CPR/AED to learn how to prevent and react to emergencies. The Red Cross offers excellent options for swimming and water safety courses.

●     Establish rules and boundaries. Set rules and limits, and consistently enforce them. These rules should be based on each swimmer’s ability and age.

●     Always swim with a buddy. Swimming with a buddy is not only more fun, but it can help ensure each other’s safety.

●     Avoid distractions. When supervising young children, avoid distracting elements and focus on staying within an arm’s reach of young children as they navigate the water.

●     Sun safety matters. Protect your skin and eyes from the dangers of being in the sun for too long. Apply waterproof and sweat proof sunscreen liberally 20 minutes before you go out. Wear protective eyewear to minimize sun glare and to properly supervise your family.

 

Safety in Natural Bodies of Water

●     Know your environment. In lakes, rivers, ocean beaches, and other natural bodies of water, watch for cold temperatures, currents, and underwater hazards that could pose a danger to water safety. Be on the lookout for currents and changes in weather that could drastically alter your swimming environment. Consider water shoes to protect your feet in rocky beaches.

●     Boat safety matters. You might feel safer when in a boat, canoe, or kayak, but water safety matters even in cases of implied protection. Equip your passengers with maintained and appropriately-sized lifejackets.

Pool Safety

●     Supervision at all times. Actively supervise young swimmers whenever they are around the water, don’t rely solely on a lifeguard. Designate a responsible adult to supervise.

●     Keep the pool area safe. Remove any ladders, outdoor furniture, or anything climbable that provide access to the pool when not in use. Use safety barriers as well. Secure your home pool cover when the pool is not in use. Install tall gates and enclosures that are high enough to be out of the reach of small hands. Consider pool alarms as an added layer of security.

●     Be aware of your surroundings. Don’t let your guard down around man-made bodies of water like pools. Be aware, and remind your kids to not play around drains or suction fittings.

Water safety is a necessity in the summer months, but it shouldn’t take away from the fun to be had splashing around on a hot day. Remind your family and friends (without being a nag) of water safety so becomes second nature as they enjoy the water this summer.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

Can you believe winter is here already? Whether or not we’re ready for the bitter cold and mounds of snow, the next season has arrived with a bang! Besides breaking out your winter jacket, snow shovel and ice scraper, there is one way you need to prepare your home.

If not properly winterized, pipes in the winter can be very damaging to your home and property. Minnesota homes are typically built with water pipes located on the inside of the building insulation, which protects the pipes from freezing weather. However, when weather becomes extremely cold or there are holes in the building that allow a flow of cold air to come into contact with pipes, it can lead to freezing – which may lead to busted pipes. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are the most vulnerable to freezing.

 

 

The first thing you should always remember to do is to wrap any pipes located in exposed or unheated areas to prevent them from freezing. Ask an associate at a local hardware store for the best materials to use.

Another way to prepare your home and protect your pipes is to seal off any openings. Be sure to cover up any doors, open cracks and air vents not used during the winter months. You can also install an electric fan on the furnace and direct it to blow hot air onto exposed basement water pipes.

Finally, always be mindful of your home’s temperature. This is especially important if you leave for a vacation. Turning thermostat down may save on a heating bill but be sure to leave it a reasonable temperature. We recommend no lower than 55 degrees.

 

If you suspect that you may have a frozen pipe, don’t take any chances- call a plumber immediately. If a water pipe bursts, turn off the water at the main shut-off valve and leave all faucets open. We highly recommend you do not try and fix this issue yourself for it may only cause more problems in the end.

Do you have any other winter tips for keeping your pipes in tip-top shape? Comment and share them below!

March Review: Tips to Save Water All Year Long

March was a busy time for the water industry. The Clean Water Act turned 40-years-old, the U.S. EPA hunted down loose faucets and leaks for a week, and March 22nd was World Water Day.

The Safe Drinking Water Act, established in 1974, helped to establish a set of national standards and regulations for all public water suppliers. The federal government provided leadership and funding to help states nationwide to help meet these standards. These nationwide standards help regulate states by meeting federal standards. Minnesota has always had strict water standards even before the federal mandate was issued. This act ensures safety procedures carried out by water suppliers and water treatment facilities. The water has been tested, it is safe to drink, and it has met the standards of the SWDA. 

Walter Mondale, who was U.S. Vice President when the act was passed, said, “Safe drinking water is almost the first requirement of a prosperous community.”

More than 97% of Minnesota water supplies meet all Safe Water Drinking Act standards.

The U.S. EPA, partnering with Water Sense, chased household water-wasters down for a week to reduce annual household waste in its “Fix a Leak Week”. The focus was to reduce household leaks that annually contribute to over one trillion gallons of water wasted nationwide. By fixing or repairing simple maintenances, for instance, a dripping faucet, a running toilet and other leaky valves, it will reduce the cost of water consumption while promoting sustainability.

Tips to Help Save Water Year-round 
· Take a look at your water usage during a colder month, such as January or February. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, there are serious leaks.
· Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have a leak.
· Identify toilet leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 15 minutes, you have a leak. (Be sure to flush immediately after the experiment to avoid staining the tank.)
· Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.

The UN System raised awareness of the inter-dependency between water and energy on March 22, titled World Water Day. This awareness event reached over 700 million worldwide, highlighting the importance and necessity of clean sources of drinking water in areas that need it most. 

Without water, there would be no life. That is why it is essential for our industry to keep growing, thriving from new innovations, to provide a healthy and dependable resource to those who matter most: you.

Cheers!