I know what you're thinking. What is this blow-dried anchorman going to tell me about watering my lawn that I don't already know? I learned a few things from our handyman, John Bender, who's the manager of Gil-Roy's in Frankenmuth. John appears every Wednesday morning on NBC 25 Today.
Bender says water in the morning. Have a cup of coffee and as the morning sun starts to rise, get out of the house and turn on the sprinkler. He says water your lawn with about an inch of water every week. That should do it. But if your lawn has nearly turned white from lack of moisture (like mine), you may be out there more often, during these drought-like conditions.
Bender says he sells a lot of sprinkers at the hardware store. The impact or rotary sprinkler operates in a circular motion. It covers the most ground. He also sells a lot of oscillating sprinklers and notes the new ones have unique controls that can easily adjust the amount of water you use. Since water isn't cheap, think of it as a way to adjust how much money you're spending, too.
You might also consider a rain gauge to see how much rain is falling at your house. The soaker hoses are good for the kinda lazy among you. Put down the hose, occasionally turn it on and your plants and flowers will get a good soaking.
Hanging baskets need watering everyday. And Bender says use a fertiziler like Miracle Gro on them about every week.
