Irrigation For Summer

Sumer is our driest season.  Make sure you are re-checking your irrigation systems.  Check that there are no leaks, clogged sprinkler heads, that heads point in the correct direction, and plants are actually getting water by checking the soil.  Also make sure the sprinklers are only watering what you want to water and not the street.  Mulch helps retain water in the soil especially for drip irrigation.  Again check that all emitters are actually giving the plants water.  With weather getting warmer, it is a good time to also make sure your schedule makes sense in the amount of water your system is putting out.   Inaccurate watering is the most common problem of declining plant health.  Too little and too much can both cause stress and disease which ultimately kill the plants.  Additionally, we had a very dry winter, and in California that is usually a sign of drought for the next number of years.  Consider changing to a drought tolerant landscape with a chosen area for those special water needs plants to decrease your water bill and to have a more sustainable garden.