Be smart about summer irrigation

– A moisture meter instantly reads if soil is wet, dry or just right. Most local water agencies are now offering free moisture meters. (Check with your water provider, https://bewatersmart.info/rebates-and-services/.)

– Or try the screwdriver method: Plunge a long-handled screwdriver into the soil. If it easily goes in 6 inches, the soil is sufficiently moist. If not, it’s time to water.

– To test for moisture by hand, use a trowel to dig down 6 inches and grab a fistful of soil. Does it clump? Then, moisture is OK. “If it feels dry, it needs water,” Higgins says.

2. Maintain that soil moisture with organic mulch

Organic mulch (such as wood chips, straw, compost or dried leaves) helps soil retain its moisture while keeping plant roots and soil microbes comfortable in heat or cold. The mulch also feeds soil microbes, essential for healthy plants. In turn, healthy plants need less water and better withstand summer stress.

3. Make the most of smart tools

No. 1 is a smart irrigation controller, available at a discount from several local water providers. (Again, check here: https://bewatersmart.info/rebates-and-services/.) “It’s a good tool to have,” says Higgins. “The primary reason we offer smart controller rebates is, if there is a rain event, it shuts off (irrigation). You’re no longer running your sprinklers during a storm.”

Smart controllers use local weather-based data plus soil moisture monitoring to determine when water is needed and how much. “It automatically adjusts the water applied to actual need,” she adds. “On hotter days, a smart controller will increase the amount of time water is applied. A regular controller just waters the same amount all the time. This helps maximize your irrigation system.”

Smart controllers also make it easier to “cycle and soak” (eliminating runoff) and to set early-morning run times. (Be an early bird without getting out of bed.)

4. Get smarter about irrigation needs

To better understand their landscapes’ needs, Sacramento area water customers have a handy online tool, the recently updated Sacramento Region Smart Irrigation Scheduler. (Try it here: https://beyondthedrought.com/index2.php.)

“The Sacramento Region Smart Irrigation Scheduler helps you calculate how much you need to water your landscape, in minutes per week per sprinkler zone,” Higgins explains. “Now, if I’ve lost you at sprinkler zone, that’s OK; this will help you get acquainted with your landscape and your sprinkler controller, too.

“What’s cool about the Sacramento Region Smart Irrigation Scheduler is it helps you build a better watering schedule and helps you get to know the relationship between your landscape and the sprinkler controller, and you get a healthier better-looking landscape as a result.”

For more details: https://bewatersmart.info/