Be mindful of resources, even in times of plenty
On one hand, we are going into the warm season in pretty good shape — as far as water resources go; the reservoirs that serve San Angelo and the Concho Valley are more full than they have been in recent years.
But on the other hand, it has started out as a pretty dry spring so far — and even if we do have "plenty" of water, that doesn’t mean we should be complacent and not worry about water conservation.
Now that landscape irrigation is starting-up for the spring and summer, be very mindful and cautious with water use so we can preserve the resources we have.
A good general rule-of-thumb for watering plants is “deep, but infrequent.”
This means to water thoroughly when needed so that water is pushed deep into the soil, but don’t water too often — wait until the plants really need more.
For lawns, about 1-inch of water applied once per week is adequate in the summer.
In the cooler spring and fall, apply the 1-inch of water less often (every two or three weeks).
Watering this way helps promote deep plant roots, and trains plants to be more heat and drought tolerant. Plants that have deep roots have access to more water than shallow-rooted plants, and will perform better — and look more attractive — when it gets hot and dry.
Some other practices you can implement to promote a healthy and drought-tolerant landscape include: generous use of mulch; drip irrigation instead of spray irrigation; utilizing more efficient spray irrigation for turf; rainwater harvesting; good plant selection; landscape planning with zoning/grouping of plants that have similar needs, and good soil management with the incorporation of compost before planting.
Mulch provides almost miraculous benefits when it is applied correctly, compared to gardening without mulch.
Besides conserving water by preventing it from evaporating from the soil, organic mulch also moderates soil temperature, provides rich organic matter to the soil as it breaks down, controls weeds, improves water holding capacity of soil, and reduces erosion.
The trick is that it must be applied at the correct depth to get the most benefit, and it is very tempting to spread it further, to make a bag cover more ground. The more ground a bag of mulch covers, the thinner the layer is.
Calculate the volume needed to cover the ground three to 4-inches deep – this depth will really make a big difference in water conservation and weed control. Don’t go too deep or plant roots can suffocate, but aim for the target of 3 to 4 inches.
Allison Watkins is the Texas A&M AgriLife extension agent for horticulture in Tom Green County. Email her at firstname.lastname@example.org.