Waterwise Summer Lawn Care

Stage One Watering Restrictions are in effect in Metro Vancouver, and while our “less than impressive” winter and spring mean we our reservoirs are in good shape this year, and we are unlikely to move beyond Stage One restrictions, it is always prudent to practice good water conservation.

Fortunately, even with less water, your lawn can still look great. By planning ahead and preparing healthy soil, choosing low-maintenance grasses, and adapting your watering routine, you can have a healthy lawn, using less water.

Did you know that your lawn needs as little as 2 cm of water a week to stay healthy? That’s the equivalent of one hour a week of rainfall or sprinkling, and it’s all that’s required to maintain a strong root system. Using too much water leaches nutrients from your lawn, promotes shallow rooting, and contributes to build up of thatch. After a day of heavy rain, consider skipping lawn sprinkling the following week.

Water in the early morning, before 9 a.m., to comply with lawn watering regulations and to reduce evaporation and scorching of leaves from the sun. Scroll down to see how to program our most popular irrigation timer.

If a lush green lawn is not important to you, it’s ok to let your lawn go golden brown as the summer progresses. This is a natural response to dry weather. Your lawn will quickly green up again in the fall when heavy dews and rain return.

Follow These Summer Lawn Care Tips:

• Continue to mow often and high (about 5-6 cm) and leave the clippings on the lawn
• Water your lawn for an hour, once a week – deep watering will help speed up recovery after dry summer months
• Obtain a water exemption permit for natural pest control using nematodes

For more information on Metro Vancouver’s region-wide lawn watering regulations, and tips on how to reduce outdoor water use, visit the Metro Vancouver lawn watering page. It is full of fantastic resources.

Looking For Lawn Alternatives?

Are you searching for lovely lawn alternatives? UBC Botanical Garden’s Grow Green website offers lots of options to grow a beautiful, sustainable lawn using either a combination of plants in a tapestry effect or adding waterwise plants to other grasses.