How Healthy Soil Can Help You Save On Your Water Bill This Summer
With temperatures soaring and intermittent rainfall, its easy to have your water bill increase by trying to keep a garden/yard alive this Summer.
So how much does it cost to irrigate one’s property on a weekly basis? Let’s look at some numbers. In the state of PA, the average yard is 0.4 acres or 16,342 sq ft. In Brookhaven, our water bill rate is $5.62 per 1000 gallons. To provide a 0.4 acre lot (16,342 sq ft) with 1 inch of irrigation or 1000 gallons of water per 1000 square feet, it would cost approximately $92 per watering session. If you water your entire property 1x per week, you could be paying an extra $360 per month! Yikes!
So how can you avoid paying this extra $ for irrigation and still have a beautiful property and garden? The cheapest place to store water is in the soil. Research shows that soil with as little as 2% organic matter can reduce the irrigation needed by 75% when compared to poor soils having less than 1% organic matter. There are several ways in which to build the organic matter % in your soil to aid in cost-effective water conservation.
Here are five water-conserving methods centered around soil:
Increase soil’s organic matter by introducing compost- this method helps the soil to hold moisture, adds fertility, stores nutrients, improve soil life, aerates soil and sequesters carbon.
Decrease rate of water evaporation from the soil by mulching- this methods also smothers weeds and increases fertility in the soil.
Start by introducing Native Plants into your landscape that are accustomed to local environment- Native Plants are usually better equipped to deal with dry spells and may have deeper roots that help to hold and conserve water.
Densely layer plantings and use ground cover- this method shades the soil, increases its biodiversity, and smothers weeds.
Soil contouring- by adding contours in strategic spots on your property this method can aid you in catching water, directing water where needed, and can help to build organic matter in the soil.
Want to learn how to make or access rich, organic compost and/or implement any of the ideas you see above? If so, reach out to cat@soilorganicsolutions.com
References:
Gaia’s Garden- A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture @ 2nd Edition by Toby Hemenway, copyright 2009.