Unlike most of the country, we will not have to dial back our clocks early Sunday morning, but it is a great reminder that it’s time to cut back on watering. Water needs for plants are only one-third the amount needed compared to the summer months. However, expect some dry conditions and high 80s this week.
Did you plant winter ryegrass? Once it has germinated, be sure to cut back on the watering frequency to avoid disease problems! Oh, and it’s still a great time to do some fall planting.
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Recommendations below are for plants that are established in the landscape (in the ground about two years).
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Warm season grass (Bermuda) - once every 14 days
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Overseeded cool season grass (rye) - 4x per day for 1st 7 to 10 days to germinate, then once every 7-10 days
- Desert Adapted - once every 24 days
- High Water Use - once every 11 days
- Desert Adapted - once every 27 days
- High Water Use - once every 13 days
- Desert Adapted - once every 21 days
- High Water Use - once every 10 days
Cacti and succulent watering
Annuals & vegetable watering
- Once every 5-7 days (or more if you are starting seeds)
Wildflower watering
- Once every 1-2 days to germinate, then once every 7-10 days
Note: These recommendations are a general guideline only and may need to be modified for your specific site conditions. Our current weather conditions may require more frequent watering.
Landscape Watering by the Numbers: Don’t forget our online, interactive watering guide. If you input some simple information about your landscape irrigation system, it will tell you how long to water to give your plants just the right amount with these frequencies.
Our 5 Best Landscape Water-Saving Tips for Fall
Check out our Water - Use It Wisely blog for great ways to reduce your household water bill. From turning back your timer to making needed repairs, we've got the details. Learn more.
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Water - Plant It Wisely Fall Microsite!
Want to create a landscape that is beautiful and sustainable? Water - Use It Wisely has the ultimate Arizona Fall landscaping and planting microsite at Water - Plant It Wisely:
-How to plant now for spring wildflower bloom.
-Designing for wildlife.
-How to harvest rainwater for your landscape.
-Steps to design and sample landscape ideas.
-Our best fall water-saving landscape tips.
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Q&A: How much more water will I use if I plant a winter lawn?
Save water – Getting ryegrass seed to germinate requires watering three times a day or more. Spikes in water usage are always noticed by water providers during the months of October and November when winter rye is seeded. By not overseeding, over 8,000 gallons of water can be saved for every 1,000 square feet of grass each season. In contrast, dormant Bermuda only needs to be watered once a month from November to February – less if we get winter rains.
 Oh, and we should mention, that 8,000 gallons is just the amount of water we estimate that the grass needs. We find that most people overwater their winter lawn, meaning it will likely be even more water use. Another insider tip: Most water providers base your wastewater fee on your winter water usage, so having a winter lawn may cause your wastewater charge to be higher for the following year. Learn more.
Learn how to build a rainwater harvesting basin!
Sat. Dec 11, 10 a.m. to Noon. In-Person Build Your Own Basin (BYOB) & Plant a Tree: Four Peaks Brewery Workshop. [This sounds like fun!]
Learn the fundamental steps to Build Your Own Basin and plant a rain garden. Led by experts from Watershed Management Group (WMG), you'll be guided on how to build your own basin in your yard to capture rain and plant a native shade tree!
Take home a BYOB Kit before you leave the brewery! It includes a native shade tree, wildflower seeds, native shrubs or grasses (as available), organic mulch, a WMG hydro-local growler, and WMG’s first-ever zine with step-by-step instructions to get you started. Limited to 60 participants!
Location: Four Peaks Brewery's Tempe location,1340 E 8th St #104.
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Help Shape Mesa's Future!
We want to hear from you! Join us to learn more about Mesa’s newly formed Climate Action Plan by attending a virtual lunchtime workshop that includes a brief overview of the Climate Action Plan and its goals, as well as a short presentation from a topic expert on one of the focus areas. This is your opportunity to participate in an open discussion to share your ideas and to identify community needs and priorities. This Wed., Nov. 3, learn about Water Stewardship. Register here and also find past recorded workshops.
You can also provide your opinions through our survey at Footprint for the Future.
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Coronavirus (COVID-19): Find City updates, data, and helpful relief programs and resource links. City departments are following established protocol and using appropriate precautionary measures in providing services to our residents and businesses.
**Reduce your landscape water use 30 to 50 percent by adjusting your irrigation each season.** Landscape Watering by the Numbers: A Guide for the Arizona Desert will help you determine how much water to apply and how long to run your system. Visit the interactive website or request a free copy of the booklet.
-H2O-
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