As sprinkler systems are turned on across the Truckee Meadows, TMWA would like to remind everyone that spring is a critical time for conditioning lawns for a dry, hot summer. In response to the ongoing drought, TMWA is calling on customers to reduce water use by at least 10%. This means lawns, shrubs and trees should all be getting less water.  Knowing that this will also add additional stress on plants, TMWA is working with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Nevada Landscape Association to provide landscape-watering tips to help homeowners minimize the drought impact on their yards.

One of the big take-aways from our discussions with these experts is that you should not deep-water your lawn in the spring and then cut way back in the middle of summer. It’s better to use less water from the beginning of the irrigation season and avoid shocking your lawn—a conditioning program, of sorts.  Though it is possible that your lawn will be a little less lush and green than in a normal year, it’s going to be in much better shape to withstand drier conditions in the late summer. And, you will be doing your part to save water.

Here are some general watering guidelines formulated with the help of the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Nevada Landscape Association:

• Your sprinkler run times should be 4-6 minutes, backing off by 2 minutes if there is runoff, or adding 2 minutes if your lawn is still dry after a cycle
• Start out with no more than 3 run times per assigned watering day
• Check your sprinkler heads to ensure proper operation
• Now is the time to root feed by fertilizing your lawn
• The best times to water your lawn are late at night or early in the morning when the ground and air temperatures are cool