Efficient Irrigation for Lawns & Gardens
As our regional water provider
is fond of pointing out, Victoria BC is somewhat unique among North
American cities of its size when it comes to water consumption habits.
Water use in the summer months rises dramatically in both the residential
and commercial sectors. There are two main reasons for this:
1. The population swells in the summer as throngs of
tourists arrive to bask in the beauty of our fair coastal town, and
2. Our home is known as the 'City of Gardens' for a reason. Victorians possess
an unrivaled commitment to creating and maintaining beautiful landscapes (both
residential and commercial) and thriving plantings require water.
Summers like that of 2001 serve as a reminder
of just how precious a resource water is, and how important it is to use
this wisely. All growing things require water to survive. The key is to
provide the right amount of water, and to provide it in the most efficient
possible way. We have all had some experience caring for house plants,
and we can look to this as a microcosmic model of the pitfalls of improper
watering. House plants receiving too much or too frequent watering become
weak and tend to develop disease. House plants receiving inadequate or
inconsistent watering have difficulty keeping foliage and developing blooms,
or simply die. These same principles are reflected in the larger and more
complex environment of the residential or commercial landscape.
It is important to remember that not all plants
have the same watering requirements. The first and most obvious distinction
is between lawn and garden plantings.
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