Water conservation in the landscape is not just about saving water. More importantly it is about protecting our environment, promoting a healthy landscape and doing our part to help conserve the resource. Too much water in the landscape reduces the amount of oxygen in the soil necessary for healthy plant growth, causes root rot and stimulates fungal growth.
Plants living in saturated soils do not develop a strong deep root system and become dependent upon a constant shallow supply of water. When the shallow water dries up these plants go into shock immediately because they are not acclimated to handle dry conditions. Excessive watering also leaches expensive fertilizers and pesticides out of the landscape, where we want them, and out into our bays and waterways where they can have a disastrous effect on our environment.
Less water on the other hand encourages deep healthy root system and plants that are much more drought tolerant than their overwatered cousins. One of the best ways to improve upon the overall health and appearance of the landscape is to allow the soil to dry out between watering.
As humans we tend to think that more is better, but in the case of irrigating your landscape less is almost always better.
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