How To Survive This Drought!

Experts tells how best to exploit water days

By Keri Smith / www.ajc.com / Published on: 06/10/07

As the metro Atlanta drought worsens, restrictions are tight in the northern suburbs, and they could get tighter. So what's the best way to use water on the days you're allowed to water?
AJC Northside posed that question to Luca Gianturco, owner of Scottsdale Farms Landscape Co. & Nursery in Alpharetta.

One surprise: Established lawns only need to be watered once a week, if you do it right. Here are some tips.

Deep watering

•The bigger the roots are, the better the grass is. Try to get an inch of water on the grass per week.

Water measurement

•Take tuna fish cans, which are about an inch deep, and place them randomly around the yard. Set your irrigation timer to see how long it takes to fill the can, then you'll know how long to set your irrigation timer next time. If you don't have an irrigation timer, you can still use the can trick. Just set your sprinkler up at different spots in the yard. The amount of time it will take depends on the design of the irrigation system.

Lawns

•Established lawns prefer to have a deep watering about once a week. It is much more beneficial than shallow watering done often.

Shrubbery and Flowers

• Again, water as deep as you can and try to get the soil moistened about 6 inches deep per plant. Top the soil with a 2-inch layer of mulch to help keep the roots cool and retain moisture.