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Georgetown/Acton/Erin/Rockwood, Wednesday, August 8, 2007 11 How to keep your lawn healthy and avoid wasting water In the summer months, municipal water use doubles. This is the season when Canadians are outdoors watering lawns and gardens, filling swimming pools and washing cars. Summer peak demand places stress on municipal water systems and increases costs for tax payers and water users. As water supplies diminish during periods of low rainfall, some municipalities must declare restrictions on lawn and garden watering. By applying some handy tips, your lawn and garden can cope with drought conditions and you can minimize water wastage. General Tips Much of the summer peak demand is attributed to lawn and garden watering. Often water is applied inefficiently, resulting in significant wastage due to over watering, evaporation or run-off. Here are some general watering tips to help avoid wastage: · Before watering, always take into account the amount of water Mother Nature has supplied to your lawn or garden in the preceeding week. Leave a measuring container (empty it once per week) in the yard to help you monitor the amount of rainfall and follow the tips below to help determine how much water to add. Also bear in mind any watering restrictions that may apply in your municipality. · Water in the early morning, before 9 a.m., to reduce evaporawill thrive without supplemental watering. When rainfall does not provide adequate moisture, your grass may start to turn brown. This does not mean it is dead-- it's simply dormant. An established lawn will recover and resume its green appearance shortly after sufficient rainfall returns. Apply these tips to save water and money without compromising the health of your lawn: · Apply about 2.5 cm of water not more than once per week and skip a week after a good rain. The correct amount can be estimated by placing an empty tuna can on your lawn as you apply water evenly across the surface. When the water level reaches the top of the can, you've applied about 2.5 cm of water which is all your lawn needs. You can time how long it takes to reach this level, then set the timer on your sprinkler. · Water thoroughly. Deep watering at this rate is better than frequent, shallow watering because it encourages deep roots. · Don't water your lawn excessively. When it's waterlogged, it may turn yellow and develop fungus and diseases. Oxygen and mineral uptake may be restricted on heavy clay soils. Too much watering can also lead to thatch and fertilizer leaching. · Check your municipality to see if watering restrictions are in effect. · Avoid mowing and unnecessary traffic on your lawn when the lawn is dry or dormant. · Don't cut your lawn too short. Set the blade on your lawn mower to cut no lower than 6-8 cm so that the roots are shaded and better able to hold water. · Aerate your lawn once a year in the early spring or fall to improve water penetration. Afterwards, topdress by applying a thin layer (max. 15 mm) of organic material and rake to distribute evenly. You can overseed after this to help thicken the lawn. · A thick, vigorous lawn is the best prevention against weed invasions and can better withstand heat and dryness. A healthy lawn needs nutrients, such as nitrogen. Application rates, sources and timing will depend on many factors including soil type. As a rule, a healthy lawn with good soil needs about ? kg of nitrogen per 100 sq. m. of lawn area every year. Leave grass clippings on the lawn to return nitrogen to the lawn, and reduce moisture loss. 1. Newly seeded or sodded lawns have greater water demands. 2. Actual water requirements depend on individual conditions, such as soil type. --Article courtesy Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation tion and scorching of leaves from the sun. Water on calm days to prevent wind drift and evaporation. · Set up your sprinkler or hose to avoid watering hard surfaces such as driveways and patios. If you're not careful, it's water and money down the drain. · Water slowly to avoid runoff and to ensure the soil absorbs the water. · Regularly check your hose or irrigation equipment for leaks or blockages. · Collect rainwater from your roof in a rain barrel or other large container and keep it covered with an insect screen. Direct the down spout of your eaves troughs into the rain barrel. · Choose an efficient irrigation system. A soaker hose placed at the base of plants on the ground applies water to the soil where it is needed--rather than to the leaves--and reduces evaporation (see Figure 1). Drip or trickle irrigation systems are highly efficient because they deliver water slowly and directly to the roots under the soil surface. This promotes deeper roots, which improve a plant's drought resiliency. If you use a sprinkler, choose one with a timer and that sprays close to the ground. Tips for Your Lawn Established lawns (1) generally require about 2.5 cm (1 inch) of water per week to thrive (2). If Mother Nature is providing this amount of rainfall, your lawn A FREE MONTHLY PUBLICATION A special section of The Independent & Free Press AUGUST 2007 24 Pages Vol. 1 No. 6 See page 4 Special Georgetown Homecoming Souvenir Section HAVE YOU SEEN YET? For information on INFOCUS call Ph: 905 873.0301 Fax: 905 873.0398 280 Guelph Street, Georgetown Ontario See page 3 See page 14 Inside INFOCUS 3 4 6 7 8 12 14 17 GDHS Reunion Local Bands Founder Granddaughter Homecoming Committee Calendar of events Festival on Main More Homecoming Focus on our Community WHOA! ... WHAT A PARTY! Blue Steel was one of 6 bands who volunteered their time to light up the Homecoming stage with local talent that made us all proud to call Georgetown home. See more on pages 4 and 5. Photo by Amy Sykes Georgetown Volkswagen 203 Guelph Street 9 0 5 . 8 7 7. 5 2 8 5 georgetownvw.com A match remade in heaven. Some things are better the second time around. Jeans. A broken in leather chair. Our Pre-Loved Volkswagens. They bring with them a wealth of experience and the security of knowing the last owner cared for it. How do we know? Every one of our Pre-Loved vehicles gets a 112-point inspection and is backed by a 2-year/40,000 km limited warranty. We think you'll love it. Finance as low as 2.9% APR* $500 Rebate for recent college & university grads. *Finance offer available through Volkswagen Finance, on approved credit. Finance rates start from 2.9% for 2002-2006 Golf 2.0L/Jetta Sedan 2.0L, 5.9% for 2002-2006 Golf non-2.0L/GTI/Jetta Sedan non-2.0L/Jetta Wagon, 5.9% for 2002-2007 New Beetle/Rabbit/A5 Jetta/Passat/Touareg, 6.9% for 2007 GTI/Golf City/Jetta City. Representative finance example based on $10,000 financed at 2.9% over 36 months equals $290.37 per month. Down payment or equivalent trade-in may be required. Cost of borrowing is $453.32 for a total obligation of $10,453.32. PPSA, license, insurance, registration, dealer charges, options and applicable taxes are extra. Offer ends August 31, 2007. $500 rebate for recent college and university graduates. Some conditions apply. See Georgetown Volkswagen for complete details, a decent cup of coffee and lots of fun. We're always happy to help. also check out... www.infocushaltonhills.ca AUGUST 2007 WILL BE PUBLISHED THIS WEEK!