Especially in light of our flooding problems last year, it may seem strange that water conservation is a very serious goal in Calgary. Even though we have rivers that periodically spill over their banks like our own local version of the Nile does not mean that these waters are an endless resource. As our region continues to grow and thrive, the competing pressures on the watershed will only increase.
The City of Calgary estimates that the water bill of its average consumer jumps by about 50 per cent during the summer months. Most of this consumption is undoubtedly attributable to the increased watering provided to lawns and gardens. Almost every property owner in the city can save money on irrigation by using strategies as simple as applying more mulch to as complex as remodeling your entire green space. No matter how comprehensively you’d like to conserve water, Mirage Landscaping of Calgary, a full-service commercial and residential landscaping design, construction, and maintenance firm in the city, can help you execute your plan.
Easy Ways To Save Water
Grass is far and away the biggest consumer of applied water in the yards of most Calgarians. If, like most people, you are not wanting to make a radical change, such as reseeding your lawn, there are simple steps you can take to conserve water.
The first thing to know is how much you should have to water. The city recommends flipping a frisbee upside down and timing how long your sprinkler takes to fill it. This amount of time would be how much water you should apply weekly so long as you don’t water during the heat of the day. As your soil only has so much capacity to hold water, applying a little every day is far better than applying a lot a couple times a week, as a fraction of the water is going to simply evaporate because the grass can’t drink it in fast enough.
Get a free quote from Mirage Landscaping and we can stretch a little water further than you ever thought possible. With professionally performed aerating and power raking we can prep your soil to be more receptive to water, while removing much of the dead thatch from your lawn that may be preventing water from fully saturating the soil in the first place. Then, with routine cutting by our perfectionist crews, we can keep the grass height tall enough to be lush, while providing its own shade and never looking like it is uncut.
More Elaborate Ways To Save Water
Now we get into methods that require labour and expense to eventually save money through reduced water usage in the long run.
We’ll begin by once again singing the praises of mulch. If you have flower or garden beds, or just require moisture managing ground cover, mulch is indispensable. No matter which material is chosen, all mulch is applied in part to limit the evaporation of moisture of the soil, keeping it where plants can benefit from it. Spreading mulch and weeding regularly can be back-breaking work, so contact us and spare yourself.
The next step up is improved applied irrigation. Whether this means installing an underground sprinkling system with zones, a timer, and rain sensing abilities, or a micro-drip irrigation system for bedded plants or row after row of vegetables, Mirage Landscaping can do it all, and for less than you may expect.
Going “All In” For Conservation
Particularly if you have a new construction that needs finishing touches, or you are a commercial property owner looking for creative and long term ways to save money, you should contact us to see what is possible. From installing trees for deep shade, to planting green spaces predicated upon native Albertan plants and prairie grasses that evolved to bear our hot summers, to eliminating sloped areas of your property for better water retention, to building charming open spaces with as little grass areas as possible, we have the construction prowess, the experience, and the civil engineering relationships to execute any vision you may have. Anything you want, Mirage Landscaping can create it.