by Irene Lizarraga

Created on: July 22, 2009   Last Updated: July 29, 2009

A healthy and well cared for patch of green is a reason of pride for its owner, and a welcome addition to any house. But lawns are also very demanding on the planet's overused water reserves, so care must be taken to avoid wasting unnecessary water while keeping the grass healthy. Apart from the ecological reasons, reducing the amount of water you use on your grass will also save you some money on your water bills.

The first thing to do to avoid unnecessary waste is to choose the right type of grass that is adequate to the climate it's going to live in. There are types of grass that have a higher resistance to dry weather and can thrive in dry environments much better than those used to more humid climates. The size and location of the lawn is also important, maybe you can replace some of the grass in the sunnier and dryer areas of your garden with pebbles, or plants that are native to your area.

For example, in dry climates many aromatic plants can be grown in zones with direct sunlight, providing fragrance and decoration with less water requirements than grass. You can, for example, grow a patch of spices for cooking! Also, longer leaves help grass to keep moisture better, so during summer you might want to keep it mowed taller than in winter.

Once the grass is planted, keep in mind its water requirements will change over time. Make sure you aren't overflowing or under-watering your garden by checking that the soil is moist but not wet and that water isn't running off to the driveway. Deep watering your grass makes its roots go deeper and makes it more resistant to droughts, but soaking the ground below the grass roots is a waste of water.

Different types of soil will need more or less water, but you can estimate the right amount of time you'll need your sprinklers to be on using a screwdriver to dig into the ground. If the ground has the right water content (don't do this right after watering, wait a few hours for the water to soak in) the screwdriver will go in easily and you can gauge how deep the water went and calculate your watering timings accordingly.

The time of the day at which you water your lawn is also important, it is recommended that you do it in the early hours of the morning so the water has time to soak and doesn't evaporate with the midday sun. If you use sprinklers, some water is going to evaporate due to wind and ambient heat, so watering early in the morning (when the night breeze has died out and the air has cooled overnight) will help

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