Money-Saving Tips for Home Maintenance

It’s time to prep your yard and landscaping for the warmer weather ahead. The amount of time and money spent on keeping your yard in pristine condition can quickly become a massive headache.

Here are 3 tips for saving time and money on your yard and landscaping this year:

Conserve Water Use

Watering your yard can quickly become expensive during the hottest months of the year. Be smart about the amount of water you are using for your lawn and garden. But, how much water do you really need for your lawn? Typically, the average lawn requires about an inch of water a week.

Now how do we translate that into total time running your sprinkler? Rain gauges can be helpful. You can easily make one with an old bucket, milk carton or really any type of a container. Start by running your sprinkler for 20 minutes and then measure the amount of water that filled the container. If you collect about ¼ inch of water in that 20 minutes of running the sprinkler system, you know that your lawn needs about 60 minutes of watering per week to keep within the healthy 1 inch of water range needed per week.

Timing is Key

Water evaporation is much more intense during midday hours. Set your sprinklers on a timer, or try to get into a habit of only watering your lawn during the early morning or evening hours.

Potted plants on the other hand require a little more attention; due to the small, confined pots these plants live in. They’re vulnerable to drying out in warmer weather. During the warmer months, make sure to water and fertilize often.

Save Time and Set Up Auto Watering Systems

There are many affordable alternatives on the market to an elaborate irrigation system. Setting up a soaker hose that you can easily snake through the garden will save you the headache of dry and dead flowers later in the year. These soaker hoses not only cut water use over the conventional sprinkler system, but they can also be set to a timer system that eliminates any additional work or stress.

Another viable option that requires a little more effort is a targeted drip system. Targeted drip systems are a much more permanent and costly solution. These systems are usually more directed to water plants straight to the roots and can be arranged to water potted plants and hanging baskets.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll most definitely save yourself the stress of constantly dragging out the hose and making time to water your lawn and garden.