Laserfiche WebLink
Watering & <br />Rain Barrels <br />FFICIENT <br />WATERING _ <br />CONSERVES WATER, <br />REDUCING <br />MAINTENANCE <br />COSTS <br />,• <br />or <br />'OPP <br />0 <br />.- <br />1,4,4* P <br />8 <br />r <br />Watering practices affect all areas of yard care: lawns, gardens, trees, <br />shrubs and soil conditions. Efficient watering practices are important to <br />all homeowners who want to conserve water, maintain a sustainable, <br />healthy landscape as well as reduce maintenance costs. <br />PLANT WATER USE <br />Understanding how plants use water and their ability to tolerate dry <br />conditions is the first step to placing the right plant in the right place to <br />perform the right function. Water is an essential ingredient of all living <br />cells. Plants absorb and take up water primarily through their roots. <br />Nutrients from the soil are dissolved in the water and this solution is <br />transported throughout the plant, nourishing all areas and supporting <br />plant development. When the plant experiences water stress (usually <br />meaning a lack of water) the first sign is wilting caused by reduced <br />water pressure in its cells. Plants also use water to maintain their own <br />temperature and the temperature of their immediate surroundings. <br />Water vapor eventually diffuses out of the plant leaf through small <br />pores called stomata. These small pores are spaced close together on <br />upper and lower leaf surfaces. This evaporation process helps cool the <br />plant and its surrounding microenvironment. <br />