Conserving water doesn't have to involve a lot of trenching and plumbing. Whether you own an automatic irrigation system or not there are many ways to save water in a landscape. These tips can be implemented as part of your normal landscaping and gardening routine.

· Aerate your lawn and around trees at least once a year to ensure good water penetration. Turn and cultivate soil, adding compost or fertilizer when planting. This helps the soil hold moisture and produces healthier plants that require less water to remain strong.

· Mulch well around plants, bushes and trees. Using 2-4 inches of mulch reduces evaporation, moderates soil temperatures, improves water penetration, and helps to control weeds that compete for water.

· Landscape to suit your lot. Evaluate conditions such as sun and shade, dry and damp areas,  size plants you want now and at maturity, and how you want to use each section of

      your yard.

· Purchase turf or plant species that have low water requirements and are well suited to the environment and the area of the yard where they will be planted.

· Hydro-zone your yard. That means grouping landscape plants with similar moisture needs in the same area. Separate them from turf as to different water requirements.

· Plant in spring or fall when less water is needed to establish new plants. Smaller plants also need less water to become established.

· Create functional turf areas, for example, in play areas. Avoid using turf where it's difficult to irrigate properly, as in steep slopes. Good alternatives for hard-to-irrigate areas are ground covers, perimeter plants and mulch.

· Plant shade trees to lower the air and soil temperatures. This will reduce soil moisture loss.

· Maintain your yard by mowing, weeding, pruning and irrigating as needed. A well-maintained yard requires less water.