Five Quick Water-Saving Tips

Living in the dry Southern California climate, we are all too aware of how important it is to save water whenever possible.  Ventura County is just one of the areas in Southern California that experiences drought-like conditions.  You can do your part to help conserve water by following these five quick water-saving tips:

Watering Your Lawn - Don't water during the hottest part of the day.  Turn your sprinklers on at the very beginning of the day or the very end of the day to retain the most moisture.  The Ventura County heat can quickly evaporate water, leaving your plants and lawn thirsty for more.  Automatic timers for your sprinklers will help you control both the length of time and the time of day your landscaping gets watered.

Drought-Resistant Plants - While not completely water-free, using drought-resistant plants helps minimize the amount of water needed to keep them healthy.  Visit your local nursery or home improvement store's garden center to find out what plants are best to plant and how to care for them.

Flower Beds - Cover your plain dirt flower bed with mulch.  Not only does it retain moisture at the base of the plants (where it is needed most), but it also looks prettier.  Consider using soaker hoses instead of sprinklers to water your flowers.  This also keeps water closer to the roots and uses much less water than a sprinkler does.

Sprinkler Systems - Just like interior plumbing leaks, you need to do a thorough inspection of your Ventura County home's sprinkler system to look for possible leaks.  Don't forget to check your garden hose (including nozzle), spigot and sprinkler timer.  Your timer will need to be reset when the weather changes to adapt for more or less precipitation as well as to make sure the sprinklers run properly.

Rain Barrels - Even in the hot summer weather, we can experience the occasional rain shower.  Rain barrels can be used to capture rain water any time during the year.  This water can then be used for your gardens, flower beds and potted plants.

Outdoor water use can be controlled by following these five quick water-saving tips.  Help do your part to conserve water at your Ventura County home throughout the year.