Water Conservation Tips for the Lawn Over the last few years, many communities throughout the United States have had water restrictions because of drought or near-drought conditions. For some, reducing watering in the landscape is a forced decision while for others, it’s a personal choice. Municipalities may ban landscape irrigation or restrict watering to certain days. Individuals may conserve the valuable resource because they strive to be good stewards of the environment. Mow grass high to help shade roots Mow high. Move your mower to the highest setting and leave it there. Grass kept at 3½ inches high shades its roots, which encourages their development and reduces the amount of moisture loss from the soil. Don’t remove the grass clippings when mowing. The clippings break down slowly, which helps improve the quality of the soil and adds a trace of nitrogen. During the process, the clippings help shade the soil. Water the lawn in early morning. Usually, there’s more moisture in the air in the mornings, which reduces water evaporation. Try to keep the irrigation as close to the ground as possible. Overhead sprinklers, for instance, waste a lot of water through evaporation. Ideally, lawns prefer about 1 inch of water every week to stay perfectly green. However, that amount may be reduced to ¾–½ inch a week for several weeks without damaging a healthy, thick lawn. Whatever weekly total amount you select, apply it in one application to promote a healthy, deep root system.