Gardening Tips for the Week of June 14-20

Is it legal to collect rainwater from my roof to use for watering my garden?

Collecting and using rainwater from roofs can be a great way for gardeners to conserve water while maintaining a beautiful landscape.  But does Colorado Water Law allow for rainwater harvesting?  Senate Bill 09-080, which was passed by the Colorado General Assembly and signed by  Governor Ritter during the 2009 legislative session, allows for collection and use of rainwater in landscapes and gardens by some landowners.  To learn more about whether you can legally collect rainwater to water your garden with read the details of this legislation at the following link: http://water.state.co.us/pubs/pdf/RainWaterBills.pdf

Powdery Mildew

When relative humidity remains consistently high, it is often common to find some leaves of lilacs, turfgrass, crabapples, roses and many other plants covered with a fine, grayish-white fungus called powdery mildew.  Particularly in shady, moist areas with limited air circulation, powdery mildew can become an unattractive and unwelcome guest on your garden plants. However, if you do notice powdery mildew becoming a problem in your garden, there are a number of simple steps that can be taken to alleviate the conditions that favor the growth of this fungus.   Read this CSU Extension Fact Sheet for more information: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02902.html

How much should I water my lawn this week? 

For most homeowners, attention to irrigation efficiency has the greatest potential for water conservation.  In the typical home yard, extra attention to irrigation system design, maintenance, and management could reduce water use by 20-50%!  Using locally calculated evapo-transpiration (ET) rates to determine how much water to apply to your lawn will help you conserve water. 

The evapotranspiration rate for the seven day period between June 7-13 was 1.25 inches, calculated for cool season turfgrass in Gunnison.  During this time period, Gunnison received .06 inches of precipitation.  So, watering 1.19 inch will replace the amount of moisture that has been lost through plant transpiration and evaporation from soil during the past week and needs to be replaced to maintain a healthy lawn. 

 This is meant to be a general guide to determining your lawn’s irrigation needs.  Please note that micro-climates in your yard and various grass species in your lawn will have considerable effect on your lawn’s actual water needs, so be sure to check soil moisture to a depth of 4-8” with a garden trowel or screwdriver to determine if the root zone of your grass is sufficiently moist.

 How do I figure out how long to water my lawn in order to apply the correct amount of water?  Visit this link:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/264-Minute2Inch.html

 For more about conserving water through efficient irrigation scheduling, visit:

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/265-Scheduling.html

For assistance in establishing an efficient irrigation schedule for your lawn, contact the CSU Extension Office in Gunnison County at 641-1260.