by The City of Calgary
The City of Calgary’s YardSmart program offers tips to keep your yard thriving, rain or shine.
- Make the most out of rainy days. Plants prefer rainwater over water from the hose. Collect water with a rain barrel and use it to water your yard. Point downspouts towards your lawn or garden, so they soak up every drop.
- Mow less often. Keep your grass two to three inches high to shade the soil and leave clippings on your lawn.
- Add mulch to garden beds. Mulch helps prevent water evaporation and reduces weeds. Use two to four inches of mulch on top of garden beds, leaving an inch around the base of plants.
- Water plants at the roots – low and slow, allowing the soil to fully absorb the water. Hand watering with a watering can, using drip irrigation, or using soaker hoses are all effective ways to water plants at the roots. If you’re watering with a sprinkler or irrigation system, remember to water on your scheduled days. Visit calgary.ca/whentowater for more information on Calgary’s lawn and landscape watering schedule.
Now that your yard is summer-ready, it’s ready for its close-up. Share your YardSmart yard with us for a chance to be featured on calgary.ca. A YardSmart yard can include:
- Drought tolerant, water-wise plants.
- Lawn alternatives.
- Rain barrels or other rain harvesting setups.
- Efficient irrigation systems.
- Native plants.
- Rain gardens.
Simply snap a photo of your YardSmart yard and complete the ‘Show us your yard’ form at calgary.ca/yardsmart.
