Don't Worry About Drought - Lawn Care Tips from
Nutri-Lawn

Is your landscaping designed to make the most of your inground sprinkler system? More and more Ottawa home and business owners are asking themselves this question every day, resulting in a fundamental shift in landscape design. Water conservation is a major requirement for many property owners – is it important to you? Planning drought resistant lawns and gardens is one of the many Ottawa lawn care services offered by Nutri-Lawn, along with efficient lawn sprinkler installation and maintenance. The following tips offer a basic introduction to drought-resistant lawn design.

Designing for Drought

Planning is the first step to creating a drought-resistant lawn and landscape. For optimal results, the lawn sprinkler system installers at Nutri-Lawn recommend the following design tips:

1. The more mulch, the better.
   When incorporating new plant life into your garden or lawn, always make sure you have a healthy helping of mulch or compost nearby. Adding 5 to 10 centimetres of mulch to your newly planted garden will help protect the vulnerable roots from the scorching sun and lack of moisture. The nutrients in the mulch will also help improve the soil's structure and help retain moisture.
2. Group thirsty plants together.
   Grouping thirsty plants together will help simplify your watering routine and help make the most of your inground sprinkler system's watering schedule. By grouping thirsty plants together, you have the ability to set just one zone of your commercial sprinkler system for a longer period of time. This will help reduce your water usage and cut your utility costs.
3. Trees need water too!
   Many home and business owners often forget about the needs of the trees on their property during drought-like conditions. This can be an unfortunate and costly mistake! Remember: trees can take 10-20 years to become established. Failure to care for them during the first few years of their life can often be a fatal mistake. Always be sure to monitor your trees closely for any signs of heat distress. If you're planning to plant new trees on your home or business property, the commercial sprinkler system installers at Nutri-Lawn recommend placing them on the south side of your yard. This way, the trees' branches will help shade your home during the summer, and the bare branches will let the sun's heat through during the winter.

A note to remember: When you first set out to design and plant a drought-resistant landscape don't forget to water! Drought-resistant plants require a good deal of water during the first year of their lives in order to establish a hearty root system. If properly cared for during the first year, these plants should be able to care for themselves for the remainder of their life. A small bucket of water every month should be all they need.

The Many Benefits of a Commercial Sprinkler System

A commercial sprinkler system is a great investment, especially if your lawn is prone to heat stress. Many advancements have been made to lawn sprinkler systems in the past decade, in order to improve water usage and reduce wasteful watering practices. Nutri-Lawn Ottawa proudly offers a full range of weather-smart sprinkler systems that are designed to work with your region's natural precipitation levels. Many inground sprinkler systems can also be customized for both lawn and landscape use, ensuring that every area of your lawn is properly cared for. For more information on Nutri-Lawn's commercial and residential sprinkler systems, please contact one of our irrigation specialist at 613-699-0768.