MamasHealth.com Home Gardening Tips Aphids Avoid pests Beneficial bugs Clean houseplants Climbing hydrangea Coffee grounds Community supported agriculture Composting Container gardens Design a vegetable garden Egg shells Finding healthy plants Fresh flowers Flowering bulbs Food not lawns Freedom gardens Garden soil Garden tools Get rid of scale bugs Greenhouse Grow seeds indoors Growing begonias Growing garlic Growing organic veggies Growing tomatoes How to buy a tree Importance of trees Landscape shading Long grass Mulch Potatoes Prevent frost damage Prepare vegetable bed Prevent tree fungus Prevent weeds Prune boxwoods Rainwater collection Reduce garden injuries Rooftop gardens Seed balls Saving seeds Tips for tree growth Transplanting from pots Tree structure Venus fly traps Watering tips Watering your garden Links Email Mama Attract Hummingbirds Tips to Attract Butterflies Green living Tips to save the earth Unique recycled gifts Food not bombs Buy green energy Green energy Reuse carbon dioxide	Water Your Garden the Smart Way Water deeply Most plants do best if the soil is allowed to partially dry out between waterings. In lawns, a loss of shine or footprints staying in the lawn because it's drooping indicate that it's time to water. Vegetables and other annuals should be watered at the first sign of droop, but tougher plants that live several years only need water if they stay droopy after it cools off in the evening. Make sure you reach the roots Watering deeply helps moisten the whole root zone. Watering deeply also builds deeper, healthier root systems. To determine if you are watering deep enough to moisten the whole root zone, dig in with a trowel after watering to check the depth of the moisture. Video demonstration on how to water your plants Make every drop count Some easy ways to lower water bills and get more water to plants include: Build your soil with mulch and compost, to hold water and prevent evaporation Choose low water use plants - they can often thrive just on rainfall, once established Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation on beds. Soaker hoses and drip irrigation systems save 50% or more than sprinklers Use a timer that screws onto the hose end to water just the right amount Water lawns separately from other plantings. Make sure sprinklers aren't watering the pavement. When soil is dry or compacted it won't absorb water quickly. If water puddles, stop watering a while and then restart, so the water has time to penetrate. Water in the early morning or evening. If you water during mid-day half the water will evaporates. Use automatic irrigation systems efficiently Automatic systems can either waste lots of water, or be fairly efficient. Have a professional test, repair and adjust your system annually. Inspect the system while operating once a month - look for leaks, or heads that are plugged or misdirected. Install a rain shutoff device. Adjust watering schedule according to the season. Plants need a lot less water in May and September than they do in July and August	Your product featured on MamasHealth.com Sign up for our Email Newsletter For Email Marketing you can trust
	Hot Topics: Domestic Violence: A pre-existing condition? Serena: The wanna be vegetarian Personal Story: How I recovered from my Eating Disorder Mama wants to help: Food Bank programs and shelter assistance Lucy Goes Green: Talk dirty to me How to avoid Swine Flu What no one will tell you about tummy tuck surgery Mama's favorite item of the week: Trees for the Future Foods for weight loss Win a Gift Bag filled with Goodies from Stonyfield
	Information obtained from MamasHealth.com™ should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such. Always check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about a specific condition. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use. Contact us: PO Box 2170, Pasadena, CA 91102-2170 ©2000 - 2009 MamasHealth, Inc.™. All rights reserved