Joshua Basin Water District offers monthly gardening tips for those interested in cultivating a “desert-smart landscape.” Reporter Mike Lipsitz is here to dig up the finer points of July’s recommendations…
Often the highest water consumption month, July is a good time to check for irrigation issues. Pick a day to inspect emitters, valves and lines and make repairs. Flush out accumulated sand by removing emitter heads and manually running the system for a minute. Adjust watering schedule to run before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m. If water runs away from plant beds before soaking in, set it to run for three or four minutes, wait an hour, then repeat. Add mulch around plants to minimize evaporation and keep roots cool. Deep water trees once a month by setting a hose at the drip-line and allow water to trickle overnight; set an alarm so you remember to shut it off.
Find more tips in the Joshua Basin Water District Tier Drop Newsletter and at the district’s Facebook page.
