The City of Spokane is urging residents to cut back on water use with restrictions now in effect, and master gardeners with Washington State University are giving tips on how small changes in your own garden can make a big difference.
Through October, those living in the City of Spokane are asked to avoid watering between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and limit outdoor watering to four days a week or less. The city is also discouraging watering for more than 2 hours per day.
The city’s lawn replacement program, SpokaneScape, helps homeowners swap water-hungry grass for drought-tolerant landscaping. One WSU master gardener volunteer says specific native and non native plants can thrive with little water.
She says at the WSU Research Garden, plants have been thriving without any irrigation water since last September.
“The irrigation has not been turned on yet…this is just what nature has provided,” said Kris Moberg-Hendron, a volunteer master gardener with WSU.
If you are interested in making your garden more sustainable, Moberg-Hendron advises avoiding flowers like hydrangeas, rhododendrons, azaleas, and weeping willow trees. Flowers that do not require lots of watering are golden currants, golden rods, thyme, lavender, and blanket flowers.
“The gardening is important because every drop of water we pull up out of the aquifer is not available to the wildlife that…depend on [it] for their summer existence,” said Moberg-Hendron.
The city says the lawn replacement program is one of several Water Wise methods that people can do to conserve water. Water-wise methods can reduce water use by about 18% for a household and residents can receive rebates of up to $500 dollars.
The city’s water restrictions stay in effect through October 1st.
Exemptions are for trees, new landscaping, vegetable gardens and fire prevention. Officials say there is no formal enforcement in place, and the city focuses on an education approach.
“Anyone can come to us, ask us any questions…we’re happy to help them get through this hot summer,” said Moberg-Hendron.
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