Country Woman

20 COUNTRY WOMAN COUNTRYWOMANMAGAZINE.COMGREEN THUMBGet a lush, healthy landscape with less water. BY ANN WIEDHow to Recycle the RainPick proper plantsDrought-tolerant plants andnative plants with long, wide-spreading roots should be groupedtogether in the garden. Drought-tolerant plants include stonecropsedum, coneflower, lavender,Russian sage, yarrow, portulacaand herbs such as thyme, sage,parsley and rosemary.Avoid thirsty vegetable crops,such as beans and sweet corn, andcontainer gardens that requirefrequent watering.``````Slow the flowWater your lawn or garden lessoften and only during cooler partsof the day to reduce evaporationand promote deeper root growth.Make a slight indentation in thesoil around the plant so water canpond and seep in slowly.When it comesto conservingwater, lookto your ownbackyard.That’s where you can shore upsome savings. Try these five easytricks and you just might have alittle extra money to drop in yourrainy day fund.``````Let it growKeep your grass between 2 ½ and3 inches tall. That’s the length thatbest holds moisture and shades thesoil. It also keeps weeds at bay.Lawns need only an inch of waterper week to keep growing. If youhave a common grass variety thatgoes dormant during hot summermonths, stop watering it. The lawnwill regrow and green up when rainand cooler weather return.``````Also, switch from a sprinkler toa soaker hose system to cut waterusage up to 50 percent.``````Got mulch?Apply a 3-inch mulch layer toyour garden to decrease waterevaporation, keep the soil cool anddiscourage weed growth.``````Use a rain barrelFor every inch of rain that falls on1,000 square feet of roof, you cancollect about 600 gallons of water.Besides providing a water source,these eco-friendly barrels reducethe amount of runoff flowing intowaterways. They also help preventbasement flooding by keeping wateraway from your home’s foundation. Q``````Ann Wied is a consumer horticultureeducator in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.9Collect waterin a rain barrelto save money.``````BARREL BASICSLearn how to build yourown rain barrel—andmake the most of it.1.Find ready-to-use rainbarrels in garden centers,home improvement andhardware stores, and online.2.Make one out ofsomething as simple asa 50-gallon plastic drum. Visitcountrywomanmagazine.com/rainbarrel for easy instructions.3.Avoid drinking rain barrelwater or using it on edibleplants due to potential leachingfrom roofing materials. (Rainbarrels aren’t recommended forhomes with tar-and-gravel roofs,asbestos shingles or treatedcedar shakes.)4.Save water for lawns,woody plants andornamentals, as well as forwashing windows or your car.5.Check with your countyextension office or localwater conservation program formore helpful tips.``````PAMUK/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM