Archive for “rainwater harvesting” Tag

Surprise’s free landscape workshop: Drab to fab

July 22, 2019

We’re kicking off the planting season with this landscape makeover workshop. You will learn how to get the most out of your landscape renovation with step-by-step guidelines, tips on hiring landscape professionals, and a special focus on rainwater harvesting retrofits.

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Hydrate Your Yard with Rainwater, Greywater, and Composting!

June 28, 2019

Envision your dream landscape. Does it have a rainwater-harvesting garden, rockwork, and basins overflowing with flowering native plants? How about a greywater system watering a fig tree or a buzzing pollinator garden? Once you’ve got the image, how would you bring it to life? Watershed Management Group (WMG) can help! Water harvesting rain gardens are basins that collect water and …

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Conserving Water In Your Garden — 13 Essential Tips

June 4, 2019

A healthy, thriving garden needs water, there’s no way around that. However, many people waste huge amounts of water, and it’s possible to make a lot less of it go a lot further. Here are our top 13 essential tips for conserving water in your garden. Why bother saving water? Before we look at how to save water, let’s just …

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Six Activities to Teach Kids About Water

October 30, 2018

Last April, I had my Water – Use It Wisely table set up on the back patio of a community center for an Earth Day event. A mom and her two young children were walking by and I heard the older one, about four years old, say, “Hey Mom, look, there’s a hummingbird on that tree.” I was shocked but …

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kids brushing teeth

Water Harvesting Basics

July 24, 2018

Water harvesting is the capture and storage of rainfall to irrigate plants or to supply people and animals. It is one of the oldest known gardening methods. Water harvesting dates back to the beginning of agriculture. In the desert southwest, Tohono O’odham, and Hopi tribes still harvest rainwater after the onset of summer and winter rain. Did you ever play in rainwater as a child, building earth dikes and letting them go? …

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Rain Chain with Rain

Four Simple Ways to Help Out With The Drought!

June 19, 2018

They’ve been hard to miss … stories about drought, Colorado River water shortages, and water restrictions in California and other surrounding states. Through actively managed water supplies and the development of extensive reservoirs and underground storage, Arizona has planned for moments like these (see 5 Things You Need To Know Right Now About Arizona’s Drought). But, that doesn’t mean that …

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water-use-it-wisely-conservation-tip

HOW TO USE HARDSCAPE TO CONSERVE WATER IN YOUR LANDSCAPE | PART 6 OF 10

October 31, 2016

The Drab to Fab Backyard Rehab landscape is getting closer to groundbreaking. You might remember that Lisa (our backyard rehab winner) visited both a Xeriscape Demonstration Garden and a local nursery to look at plant materials. However, another important shopping trip to take before you break ground is to a landscape materials supplier… you know… rock yards and paver companies …

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PLANTING THE RAIN: HYDRATING ARIZONA ONE YARD AT A TIME

August 8, 2016

Envision your dream landscape. Does it have a water-harvesting rain garden, rockwork and basins overflowing with flowering native plants? How about a greywater system feeding a fig tree or a humming pollinator garden? Once you’ve got the image—how do you bring it to life? Join Watershed Management Group (WMG) for the coolest educational series in Central Arizona to learn how …

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RAINWATER HARVESTING: ANYONE CAN DO IT

January 7, 2016

What do you think of when you hear the term ‘water harvesting?’ Do you imagine a giant cistern collecting water? Can you envision a complicated system of pipes leading from your roof to your outdoor landscape? If so, you are completely right! What you may not realize is that there are some very simple ways that you can utilize rainwater for your …

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Rain Off Roof

WHEN THE SKY OPENS UP, IT’S TIME TO COLLECT

October 9, 2015

We all marvel at the beauty of a big desert storm and what it does for our plants. It’s like our landscapes are a little more alive after drinking a big gulp of rain. The clean, salt-free properties of rainwater are extremely beneficial for desert plants, and you can make sure your landscapes are quenched by this natural source even …

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How to Harvest Rainwater

November 3, 2014

In this arid land, when it rains, it really does pour. Residents who hope to take advantage of this free, yet ephemeral water have begun a revival in the ancient practice of rainwater harvesting, which involves capturing and storing rainwater near where it falls. It’s no surprise that people are interested: harvesting rainwater can save energy and water, reduce the …

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Learn About Rainwater Harvesting for Your Landscape

April 8, 2013

By Donna DiFrancesco, City of Mesa Yes, it really is worth harvesting rainwater in the desert… really! Have you ever noticed how plants appear greener and brighter after a good rain? It’s not just because the dust and dirt get washed off. Rainwater is a clean, salt-free source of water that contains many beneficial ingredients for plants. Rain can contain …

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