- Choose Native plants. Native plants are adjusted to your area’s normal rainfall, soil conditions and climate. Once they have been established, they require little or no watering. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources offers a guide with plenty of suggestions for Southern Ontario residents. Click here to access the guide.
- Add mulch. Mulching around plants is a great way to reduce water loss plus it looks great. Mulch also cuts down on water-stealing weeds. Natural mulches include compost, bark chips, and pine needles. Save money by spreading your grass clippings and ground-up leaves on flower and vegetable gardens. These organic mulches gradually break down and add nutrients to the soil.
- Manage your grass carefully. A green lawn can drink up to 70,000 litres of water each year! You can keep the lawn and manage your water use by planting drought-resistant varieties of grass like bermuda and buffalo grass which require 20% less water than some other common lawn grasses. It’s also a good idea to keep your grass long to shade the roots and slow evaporation. Mow less often and when you do, raise the height of your mower blade to 3 inches.
Follow these tips and you could have it all- a beautiful lawn, a lower water bill and a smaller environmental footprint.
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