5 Ways to Save Water in Summer

Posted on August 6, 2016

With a particularly wet summer in #yyc, it may come as a surprise that Alberta as a whole has been going through somewhat of a drought over the past couple of years. With such unpredictable weather patterns, preserving our freshwater resources are more important than ever. Since our yards tend to almost double our water consumption, we've got 5 ways to save water and still have a picturesque yard: 

1. Xeriscaping: A xeriscaped yard uses landscaping methods that reduce or eliminate the need tor watering. These yards can be rich with native plants, beautiful rock formations and take little money and time to maintain. The City of Calgary YardSmart guide can get you started.

2. Rain barrel: Install a rain barrel so that you can use some of the water that comes from the sky instead of the tap for the days that don't rain! Our community sales are done for the season, but we still sell barrels at our eco-store all year long. And if you’re looking to install a bigger water capture system for your home Water Harvesting Canada can help you out!  

3. Sprinkler: The best time to use your sprinkler is in the early morning or late evening, and you only need to water a Frisbee amount deep at a time (soil can’t hold anymore water than that).

4. Native Plants: Native plants grow big and strong in our climate and require very little water. Grab some at Bluegrass Nursery Center or take a trip out to Badger Ridge Farm (in Crossfield).

5. Compost: Did you know nutritious soil holds water better? Adding compost to soil can do wonders for your garden. Living soil Solutions is a Calgary company that focuses on the foundation of your soil health, so the rest of your yard can flourish. Or buy some of the rich organic compost produced by Hop Compost.