If you're like many modern homeowners, you're highly aware that rapidly rising water costs as well as drought conditions in much of the country are making it tough to keep lawns lush and green. Some are responding by simply letting their lawns dry out during the summer months, which isn't a bad strategy if you don't mind living with a brown and lifeless lawn from late spring until the autumn rains bring it back to life. However, if you love the feel of velvety soft lawn grass beneath your bare feet, play lawns games, or otherwise want to maintain an emerald green lawn, you should know that there are strategies available that will help you achieve this goal while not consuming an abundance of water. Following are two water-wise strategies designed to help homeowners enjoy an attractive lawn while keeping water consumption as low as possible. 

Water Wisely 

All the average lawn really needs is an inch of water per week unless temperatures are routinely soaring over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. An old trick is to take an empty tuna can and place it on a flat area when the lawn is being watered. When the tuna can is full, the lawn has gotten enough water. However, you can also choose to have a smart irrigation system installed that allows you to program exactly how much to water.  The time of day matters as well. Watering during the middle of the day, when temperatures are at their highest, results in high evaporation levels that waste water — and watering in the evening leaves lawns vulnerable to the development of fungal infestations. Water in the early morning hours instead so that the water doesn't evaporate quickly and the grass has time to dry before evening. 

Use Organic Fertilizer 

To most people, lawn fertilizers serve one purpose — to provide nutrients to the root systems of the plants. However, chemical fertilizers contain compounds that contribute to the general breakdown of the soil, making it lifeless and dry. Organic fertilizer for lawn care, on the other hand, promotes the overall health of the soil, making it stronger and better able to hold nutrients as well as retain water. Using organic fertilizer to build healthy soils also results in healthier lawns with deeper root systems that can better access available water in the soil. As an added bonus, you won't be contributing abrasive chemicals to your local groundwater. 

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