March 14th

By Mutt Mulligan

TurfMutt & Water Warrior praise World Water Day

Did you know that next Wednesday, March 22, is World Water Day? World Water Day is celebrated each year to raise awareness of the importance of freshwater around the globe.

TurfMutt and his environmental superhero sidekick, Water Warrior – the aquatic avenger, want to take this opportunity to remind families everywhere about water wise practices! We can do our part by sensibly managing grass, tree, shrubs and flowering plants that make up our living landscapes, especially around water usage.

Remember, our yards, parks, schoolyards and other living landscapes offer benefits for nature and people, so they are important to preserve. They create important wildlife habitat and provide a safe place for our kids and pets to play.

TurfMutt and Water Warrior say, “Water your lawns and landscapes wisely.” As the California drought proved – nature is unpredictable. Like California, areas can go from record drought to record rainfall in a season.

California’s “drought experiment” was a lesson to us all that nature isn’t easy to regulate. Their governmental regulations forcing people to deaden their living landscapes – including programs to rip out grass – in an effort to save water don’t make sense. Instead, get smart about your living landscape choices so you can be water-wise no matter what nature throws your way.

Mission: Watering Wisely to Protect Living Landscapes

Here are Water Warrior’s water wise tips to keep in mind on World Water Day…and beyond.

• Follow the ‘Right Plant, Right Place’ Rule
  First, choose plants that are best for your environment and climate zone. Hundreds of varieties of trees, shrubs, grasses and flowering plants exist, and some of them are perfect for drought conditions.
• Choose Breathing Plants Over Dead Materials
  They create the oxygen we need and sequester carbon. They also will capture and filter rainwater and hold soil in place.
• Let Grass Turn Brown
  Remember, plants are smart! Plants go dormant during dry spells and come back when the rains return.
• Don’t Overwater
  Plants and trees will go stronger and work harder, creating deeper, vertical roots, if they need to seek water.
• Water Deeply
  When you do water, allow the moisture to reach the roots of the grass and provide water for trees. Also, water early in the morning before the hot sun can cause excess evaporation.
• Use Smart Technology
  Take the guesswork out of how much and how often to water your living landscapes by installing soil moisture sensors and drip irrigation systems.
• Plant to Slow & Capture Water
  Water sheets off hard surfaces, asphalt and other hardscapes in cities and suburbs. Grass, trees and plants will slow down and capture this moisture, helping recharge underground aquifers.

Will you help TurfMutt battle drought by watering wisely? Wise water use is an important part of TurfMutt’s and the Outdoor Powers’ mission to battle the environmental villains, Dr. Runoff, Heat Freak, Dust Demon and Carbon Creep.