Water deeply, but infrequently!

Most plants do best if the soil is allowed to partially dry out between waterings. In lawns, look for a loss of shine or footprints staying in the lawn because it's drooping to indicate when it's time to water.

Vegetables and other annuals should be watered at the first sign of droop, but tougher perennials (plants that live several years) only need water if they stay droopy after it cools off in the evening.

Trees and shrubs usually don't need any watering, once their roots are fully established (one to three years).

Moisten the whole root zone. Watering deeply builds deeper, healthier root systems. To see if you are watering deeply enough to moisten the entire root zone, dig in with a trowel after watering to check the depth of water penetration.
Make every drop count.

Some easy ways to lower water bills and get more water to plants include:

  • Build your soil with compost and mulch to hold water and prevent evaporation
  • Choose low water-use plants--they can often thrive just on rainfall, once established
  • Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation on beds--they save 50% or more compared with sprinklers
  • Use a timer that screws onto the hose end (available at garden stores) to water just the right amount
  • Water lawns separately from other plantings. Make sure sprinklers aren't watering the pavement too
  • When soil is dry or compacted, it won't absorb water quickly. If water puddles, stop watering a while and then restart, so the water has time to penetrate.
  • Water in the early morning or evening--if you water at mid-day, half the water just evaporates
  • Use automatic irrigation systems efficiently. Automatic systems can actually waste lots of water, or be fairly efficient, depending on how you set and maintain them
  • Have a professional test, repair and adjust your system annually
  • Inspect the system once a month when it's in use--look for leaks, or spray heads that are plugged or misdirected
  • Install a rain shutoff device (ask your irrigation expert where to find them)
  • Adjust your watering schedule at least once a month as the season progresses--plants need a less water in May and September than they do in July and August


To purchase Rain Barrels, contact Ridge Meadows Recycling Society at (604) 463-5545.
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